Category: Reviews

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Read Sax Shed.com’s review of Ralph Bowen “Power Play” featuring Orrin Evans…

saxshed.com

Saxophonist Ralph Bowen steps out once again on Posi-Tone Records with his newest release Power Play. The quartet features Orrin Evans on piano, Kenny Davis on bass and Donald Edwards on drums and Bowen on tenor saxophone.

I have written before that I have been a huge fan of Ralph Bowen’s since first hearing him play with the 80s jazz group OTB (Out of the Blue). I have followed his impressive career as a sideman and leader and briefly elected to study with him at one point. Hearing Ralph Bowen again on his newest release rekindles my longtime admiration for his musicianship and ability as a saxophonist.

Bowen composes eight of the nine cuts here on Power Play. (Street date Feb. 8, 2011) He opens with the energetic K.D.’s Blues. Bowen’s sound and solo phrases never disappoint the listener. As he stretches out deep into the choruses, you can hear his ever-present stellar technique. At times he seemingly pays homage to Coltrane and the “sheets of sound” approach.

As a long time fan of Ralph Bowen’s playing, many of us have heard his brilliant tenor sound as well as pristine solo flute playing. (I believe he received a master’s degree in flute performance as well). What I was not prepared for was Mr. Bowen to be playing alto saxophone on Drumheller Valley. Wow. Listen for yourself. He has a whole other voice on the alto, equally as compelling as his tenor playing – and the alto players thought they were safe…

The brisk-paced Two-Line Pass and similar The Good Sheppard find Ralph Bowen back at home on tenor. Evans, Davis and Edwards drive hard and swing harder behind Bowen on Two-Line Pass. His stream of eighth notes, glissandos and brief excursions into the altissimo once again show off his plentiful talents. The tenor and piano trade with Edward’s drums, ever increasing the intensity until the final short melodic statement. Bowen demonstrates more surgical precision with his initial choruses on The Good Sheppard and gradual explores the outer limits via extended techniques such as multiphonics and growls.

My One and Only Love, the only standard recorded on Power Play, shows off the sensitivity of the trio behind Bowen’s captivating playing. His tenor sound has changed slightly, yet noticeably over the years. It seems a tad darker and has mellowed like a fine wine. Despite his proficiency on the instrument, he demonstrates great restraint on the final cadenza and his simple, implied D/C harmonic consideration.

Bella Firenze possesses a bit of a jazz/waltz feel, despite its 4/4 meter. They are light and nimble here where elsewhere on the recording the playing has been more intense. The contrast is attractive and makes for nice programming on the cd. Evans plays a lovely solo on piano followed by Bowen’s initially waning and then well-developed tenor solo. The fade out at the end features some particularly inspired playing that somewhat deviates from the lighter feeling at the onset of Bella Firenze.

Ralph Bowen’s soprano saxophone playing is another unexpected treat on Jessica. As on alto and tenor, Bowen’s sounds completely at home in this instrument. He weaves and winds his way through the instrument, creating a sonic. It is notable that Kenny Davis gets a chance to stretch out a bit on acoustic bass here as well.

Walleye Jigging, likely named for Bowen’s love of the outdoors, showcases another side of the ensemble. Donald Edwards wonderful drumming and particularly his use of cymbals should not be overlooked on this recording and especially on this tune.

Sweet and tender is A Solar Romance, which is also Power Play’s final cut. Bowen returns to his voice on soprano sax. The group demonstrates the use of space a key points throughout the tune, proving they can play tempos, take it out and lay back all at the same time.

Did I mention I’m a fan of Ralph Bowen? Run; do not walk to buy this Cd on Feb. 8, 2011.

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The next review is in for the new Ralph Bowen CD “Power Play”

www.somethingelsereviews.com

by S. Victor Aaron

It seems like it was not even a year since we were last here chatting up a new Ralph Bowen CD, and checking back, there actually is less than twelve months between his last one, Due Reverence and this one due out on February 8, Power Play. That makes his third Posi-Tone record in as many years. And given how deadgummed good the last one was, that is just fine by me.

On last year’s record, I made a big deal about how Bowen surrounded himself with top-notch sidemen to help him put together a strong tribute to various jazz heroes of Bowen’s. This time around puts the focus more squarely on the leader himself. Once again, he leads a quartet, but it’s an entirely changed personnel grouping: Kenny Davis on bass, Donald Edwards on drums and another Posi-Tone shining star Orrin Evans on piano. These are names that perhaps don’t jump out like the last line-up, but that does nothing to diminish the record, because the comping is rock solid and Bowen himself is the show. And, he puts on one hell of a show.

Bowen’s tenor sax possesses a big, soulful soundprint that is virtuosic but never ever lacking character; he always plays in service of the melody. His style has clearly absorbed many of the masters like Rollins and Coltrane, but a living inspiration for his approach seems to come from Bob Mintzer, who was one of handful of jazz greats he saluted in Reverence. Bowen’s intricate lines are sometimes electrifying but never hurts your head to appreciate. There are loads of moments like that everywhere. “K.D.’s Blues” no-nonsense toe-tapping jazz rhythm is the platform for Bowen’s equally no-b.s. sax articulations that swing mightily, flare with ideas, scale notes with rapid fluidity and is loyal to tradition but not enslaved to it. The following tune “Drumheller Valley” calls to mind the spiritual tone of alto saxophonist Kenny Garrett, and he deftly negotiates ascending and descending notes at varying cadences on “Two-Line Pass.” In case you need to hear how he handles standards, he gotcha covered there, too: “My One And Only Love” is given a tender reading, and testifies to his fealty to the beauty in a classic song.

None of this is meant to imply that Bowen is carrying the backing band; on the contrary, Evans, Davis and Edwards give primo support. Evans’ graceful touch comlements “Walleye Jigging,” and his strong bop credentials come to fore when soloing on “K.D. Blues.” Although there’s nothing avant garde in Power Play, Bowen’s compositions features a lot of tempo and harmonic shifts in them; Davis and Edwards form a supple rhythm section able to guide the songs through the changes as smoothly as a well-functioning automatic transmission.

Once again, Ralph Bowen makes a new record that hits the streets in February and once again it’s a mainstream jazz delight. Hopefully he’ll make a habit out of this; the quality of these last two records make this a worthwhile post-Super Bowl tradition to keep going.

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Peter Hum weighs on Ehud Asherie and Harry Allen’s old-fashoined swing set “Modern Life”…

jazzblog.ca

Time machine jazz (CD reviews)

By phum Mon, Jan 31 2011 COMMENTS(0) Jazzblog.ca

Filed under: Larry Goldings, CD reviews, Harry Allen, Ehud Asherie

Is tenor saxophonist Harry Allen the Dr. Who of jazz? You might think so, given the two recent CDs that feature the hornman, who turns 45 this year but revels in an esthetic and sound that was in full bloom decades before he was born. To read what the producers write, it’s as if the hornman is the very sound of nostalgia, transporting listeners to a more mellifluous, pre-bop time. But is that a good thing? Read on…

Modern Life (Posi-Tone)
Ehud Asherie (featuring Harry Allen)

The epigraph penned by Dick Whitman on the inner packaging of Modern Life reads:

It’s a time machine. It goes backwards, and forwards… it takes us to a place where we ache to go again. It’s not called the wheel, it’s called the carousel. It lets us travel the way a child travels — around and around, and back home again, to a place where we know we are loved.

The citation is artfully indirect, but I believe it means to give listeners an emotional crutch when it comes to appreciating the music from Ehud Asherie, a pianist in his early 1930s, his featured saxophonist Allen, bassist Joel Forbes and drummer Chuck Riggs. Under Asherie’s leadership, the group plays music that is decidedly “old-fashioned.” My wife, it should be said, offered that adjective, along with a big smile, because she is simply a person with open ears rather than jazz critic of the give-me-innovation-or-give-me-death school.

While my wife could not be bothered to analyse the details, most she was taking into consideration aspects such as Allen’s diffuse, pre-Coltrane sounds on his horn, Asherie’s reverence to swing and bop language (down to the Tatumesque fills and use of diminished chords when a more “modern” pianist would add extra alterations) and the overall, happy, bouncy time feel of the group. Here’s a clip of Asherie and Allen playing I’m Putting All My Eggs in One Basket, which Irving Berlin wrote in the mid-1930s and Ella Fitzgerald recorded in the late 1950s:

A vigorous swing-style blowing session, Modern Life offers 10 tracks. They include faithful verse-and-all readings of George Gershwin’s He Loves and She Loves (a classy ballad) and Soon (a bright swinger), medium-tempo takes of I’ve Told Every Little Star and No Moon At All (two tunes with swing built in to them), a slow Calypso groove version of Tadd Dameron’s Casbah, and a closing duet on Billy Strayhorn’s A Flower Is A Lovesome Thing. Asherie’ss two originals — the riffy Blues For George and the bluesy tune One For V — fit right in with this focused program.

Throughout, Asherie plays with polish and class. However, it’s Allen, who has been plumbing this style for at least a dozen years more than the pianist, who expresses himself most strongly and personally, I find. His poise and invention on the very fast Trolley Song make his performance a true thing of beauty — old-fashioned or otherwise.

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Bruce Lindsay’s AAJ review of Doug Webb “Renovations”…

allaboutjazz.com

April 24, 2009 was a busy day for saxophonist Doug Webb, his fellow musicians and the production team at North Hollywood’s Entourage Studios. Recordings from that day have already been released on the excellent Midnight (Posi-Tone 2010): now Renovations delivers more music from the session, and very welcome it is, too.

As with the previous recording Renovations features the core trio of Webb, bassist Stanley Clarke and drummer Gerry Gibbs on a collection of jazz standards, joined on each track by one of three guest pianist. Larry Goldings had equal credit on the sleeve of Midnight, appearing on five tunes, but on this album he shares the piano work more equally with Joe Bagg and Mahesh Balasooriya.

The tunes, as before, are familiar—overly so, perhaps—but the band is so stylish and inventive that each tune seems more like an old friend from way back than a relative who’s overstayed a welcome. The band is tight, melodic and richly-toned, treating these standards with respect, but also with an almost boyish enthusiasm. Clarke’s bass playing seems especially strong and inventive, whether driving hard on Toots Thielemans’ “Bluesette” or taking a more measured and gentle approach on Henry Mancini’s romantic “Slow Hot Wind.”

Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn’s “Satin Doll” is taken at a terrific pace, its usual seductiveness replaced with excitement and verve, both of which are epitomised by outstanding solos from Bagg and Clarke. Arthur Schwartz’ “Then I’ll Be Tired Of You” swings gently thanks to Clarke and Gibbs: Goldings’ piano and Webb’s alto saxophone share the lead line, both playing with a delicate grace. Frank Loesser’s “I’ve Never Been In Love Before” is introduced by Goldings’ Monk-like piano. Underpinned by Gibbs’ brushed shuffle beat, it features another rich bass solo from Clarke as well as lyrical and flowing solos from Webb and Goldings.

Renovations closes with “Slow Hot Wind,” Webb’s saxophone and Goldings’ piano both lending the tune a late-night feel. It’s a stylish end to the second set of tunes from that April day.

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More coverage for the Mike DiRubbo “Chronos” CD

http://jazzwrap.blogspot.com

It’s funny, I don’t own a single Mike DiRubbo album, which now sounds like a crime. But I actually own almost ever album his performed on as a sideman. Weird. I checked before I started writing this entry and its true!

DiRubbo is one of those rare breeds in the new crop of straight-ahead musicians. His style is very reminiscent of his influences, Coltrane, Parker and his mentor/teacher Jackie McLean. But he has developed his own vision and approach which has made him an in-demand sideman since his debut in 1999. He has worked with a plethora of his contemporaries and legends including Steve Davis, Eric Alexander, Peter Washington, Harold Mabern, Bruce Barth and of course Jackie McLean.

DiRubbo’s latest, Chronos (PosiTone) is a sheer delight. It is a change in direction compared to the rest of his catalog. Mainly in set up. This outing is a trio lineup with the stellar Rudy Royston on drums and Brian Charette on organ.

Organ sessions can be a tricky affair. The organ while emotional and funky can sometimes overwhelm the session. On Chronos it is a major compliment. This sounds like a group that has been together for years. Chronos is a face paced session with tracks like “Rituals” and “Minor Progress” moving with rich vibrant tones but also keep the listener engrossed with the individual activities of each performer.

Charette’s playing is really outstanding. On “Nouveau” the trio are in complete ballad mode. It helps temper the more upbeat rhythm of the opening tracks and displays the diversity of DiRubbo’s talent. “Eight For Elvin” is DiRubbo’s tribute to legendary John Coltrane drummer Elvin Jones. It’s a moment where history meets influence and works perfectly. Royston is fantastic and infectious. Charette seems calm and relaxed. And DiRubbo intermingles with the two superbly and romantically.

It would have been interesting to hear Coltrane mixing it up with Jimmy Smith or John Patton. Maybe the closet comparison would be Jimmy Smith’s work with Lou Donaldson or the emotional work Jackie Mac did with Mal Waldron (piano).

Chronos is definitely a side step for DiRubbo but its a beautiful side step that I think every jazz fan will dig. It’s emotional. It’s funky. It’s crafty. And most of all it’s got a vision and pace that is worth repeated listens. I really think you’re all going to dig it.

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Mike DiRubbo is the main course on today’s jazzbreakfast with Peter Bacon…

thejazzbreakfast

Saxophone, organ and drums with DiRubbo on the saxophones (alto, sometimes multiple tracked), Brian Charette on organ and Rudy Royston on drums.

DiRubbo is Connecticut-born, studied with, among others Jackie McLean, and is a regular player at New York clubs like Smalls and the 55 Bar, as well as a teacher; Charette, also from Connecticut, is one of the guys to go to for B3 Hammond action, and is in demand for sessions with the likes of Joni Mitchell and Chaka Khan as well as leading his own jazz groups; Royston, from Texas, is a name known to many fans of Bill Frisell, Javon Jackson, Don Byron, etc, and is the drummer on Frisell’s latest trio disc, Beautiful Dreamers.

Things start explosively with Minor Progress (all the tunes are by DiRubbo ot Charette), with the leader showing off his chops at speed. He multi-tracks his saxophone for the harmonised melody of the title tune, and eases into a gentler jazz waltz time for the lithe Lilt.

You could say this is the classic kind of 21st century New York jazz group, using modern harmonies, some tricky timing, knotty and unusual melody lines, but mixing the new stuff up with enough timeless jazz qualities and enough acknowledgement of the tradition to keep the more conservative listeners happy as well as exciting the new, more adventurous, younger crowd.

Speaking generally the alto/Hammond/drums sound is always an enticing one, and the organ always brings an greasy, funky feel to music that might, with piano, sometimes sound a little cerebral. Not too much risk of that here even without the Hammond grease: DiRubbo keeps his emotions and grooviness in balance with his clever side.

The three dig in hard on Rituals, with DiRubbo moving briefly into screaming, multiphonics mode, then get all supper club-ish on Nouveau. I think that’s what I like most about this disc – it’s not scared to mix the pretty in with the muscular, beauty and the beast, light and shade, the strenuous with the dreamy. It’s also got great focus – these guys know exactly what they want to do and they do it exactly.

Try a bit of it on Mike’s website, just go here.

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NY Examiner writer Layla Macoran coverage for Jared Gold “Out of Line”….

Jared Gold- Out of Line (Posi-tone Records)
Here is another release from the man who brought you the theme from “Welcome Back, Kotter” on the last CD, Supersonic. Chris Cheek on saxophone, Dave Stryker on guitar and Mark Ferber on drums complement Gold’s Hammond B-3 organ. Out of Line is more subtle that Supersonic. The songs, ranging from Stevie Wonder’s “You Haven’t Done Nothin’” to a variation on the traditional hymn “It Is Well”, shows a more contemplative tone that works well in the good old summertime.
Standout Tracks: Preachin’, You Haven’t Done Nothin’, It is Well, La-La(Means I Love You).

Continue reading on Examiner.com: New Music Part1: Kneebody, Singaratnam, others – New York Culture | Examiner.com http://www.examiner.com/culture-in-new-york/new-music-part1-kneebody-singaratnam-others#ixzz1BRsiUhPA

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A tremendous review by Bruce Lindsay from All About Jazz for Doug Webb “Midnight” CD….

www.allaboutjazz.comSaxophonist Doug Webb leads a superb quartet on Midnight, creating a late-night atmosphere with a hint of nostalgia on a range of classic tunes.

Webb’s career stretches back for 30 years and includes work with some of the finest jazz musicians, including Bud Shanks, Horace Silver and Freddie Hubbard, as well as leading rock and pop acts including Rod Stewart. Midnight sees Webb joined by an equally talented rhythm section; the result is a true ensemble performance with every musician given the opportunity to stretch out and put their own individual stamp on the recording.

Bassist Stanley Clarke and drummer Gerry Gibbs hold down the rhythmic center of the music with an inventive enthusiasm. Clarke, in particular, seems to relish his role in the traditional acoustic lineup, playing with verve. Their command of the rhythm is total, providing space and opportunity for the pianists to take on more of a lead role as well as delivering some exceptional solos.

The tunes may be familiar, but the quartet makes each one sound fresh, even when playing them in what might be termed the “standard” fashion. Alec Wilder’s “I’ll Be Around” finds Webb playing in a style reminiscent of fellow tenor saxophonist Scott Hamilton, the solos by Webb and pianist Larry Goldings are rich and warm. By contrast, “Try a Little Tenderness,” usually performed as a ballad by artists such as Otis Redding, is delivered in a swinging, up-tempo, style with a terrific tenor solo from Webb.

Clarke’s solos on “Crazy She Calls Me” and Charlie Parker’s “Quasimodo” are positive, precise and affecting—album highlights. He also takes the spotlight on Bart Howard’s “Fly Me to the Moon.” The arrangement is rather bland to that point, but Clarke’s performance is an object lesson in how to play a bass solo to complement the mood of a tune. Goldings’ bell-like piano chords on the closing bars of the tune are an inspired and delightful ending. “You Go To My Head” is a piano and saxophone duet, with pianist Joe Bagg playing on this tune, in a more angular and percussive contrast to Goldings elsewhere on the disc, and works exceptionally well in underpinning Webb.

The third of the album’s pianists, the young Sri Lankan Mahesh Balasooriya, joins the band for “The Boy Next Door,” and brings yet another distinctive style to the group. Closer to Bagg’s technique than Goldings, his chordal playing is economical and unselfish, and gives Gibbs the chance to create some inventive drum patterns.

Webb puts his own musical identity on this album with confidence. His tone is welcoming, whether he’s playing soprano, alto or tenor, and his solos are wonderfully melodic—every note counts, with no need to overpower the music with unnecessary displays of complex runs or techniques. Production is exceptionally good, and the trademark Posi-Tone packaging adds to the rather nostalgic feel of the music. Midnight is a triumph of thoughtful yet romantic late night jazz.

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Audiophile Audition provides coverage for the new Mike DiRubbo CD “Chronos”….

www.audaud.com

Mike DiRubbo – Chronos – Posi-TonePR 8072, 50:24 ****:

(Mike DiRubbo, saxophones; Brian Charette, B-3; Rudy Royston, drums)

When we last visited with saxophonist, Mike DiRubbo, in August 2009, reviewing Repercussion, we advised that it was a smart move on the part of Posi-Tone to sign Mike to their roster, as he is a saxophone (largely alto) man for all seasons. He has the winning combination of being a lyrical player, yet can also skirt the edge of more outside playing, but never failing to keep the swing quotient high. I have followed his career as he moved between the Criss Cross and Sharp Nine labels. His tone, to me, has shades of the best of Jackie McLean.
Chronos is a saxophone, organ, and drum trio issue, which always peaks my interest. DiRubbo and organist Charette share the song writing duties here and the acoustics with producer, Marc Free, and engineer, Nick O’Toole continue the Posi-Tone tradition of having superior sound, both well mixed and clear as a bell.

“Minor Progress” opens with Mike blowing in a boppish vein with Brian Charette providing organ fills and Rudy Royston propelling the groove. DiRubbo’s talent in playing the upper register of the alto with speed yet fully in control and locked into a groove continues. Charette is a new name to me and he is another organist to keep an eye on. Royston has a great drum solo mid song.

The title track sets a spacey opening before Mike begins a bluesy run. Charette’s comping brings to mind a merging of a Larry Young with Charles Earland on this track – definitely stirring the pot. “Lilt” is an appropriate title for a gentle track that cools down the previous heat and Mike sounds relaxed but gently swinging.

“Rituals” gives Mike the chance to play over a riff that Charette sets and it works nicely. “Nouveau” is a ballad where Mike blows sweetly, a romantic mood is set. “Lucky 13” is a stone groover in the best sax/organ tradition.

“Excellent Taste” is shown by Charette’s tune-this is comfort food for fans of the idiom that Lou Donaldson set with so many Hammond B-3 players in the 60s. So is “Eight for Elvin” which seems to be written as a tribute to Elvin Jones – but who knows. What I do know is that Charette digs in for many choruses of kick-ass organ grooving. DiRubbo ends Chronos with “More Physical.” It has a bit of an Island flavor before heading out onto uncharted waters.

Posi-Tone has hit pay dirt with Mike DiRubbo again. Last time they featured Mike with vibist Steve Nelson and that was also a winning combination. I bet they will keep us guessing which instrument adds to his next CD to keep our interest peaked. I can hardly wait….

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Step Tempest blogger Richard Kamins writes about Mike DiRubbo’s “Chronos” CD….

steptempest.blogspot.com

Chronos – Mike DiRubbo (Posi-Tone Records) – DiRubbo, a native of New Haven CT and graduate of the Jackie McLean Institute at the Hartt School/University of Hartford, is an alto saxophonist who understands “the burn”, the ability to take the music up a notch when called for. Throughout “Chronos”, his 6th CD as a leader, he finds ways to take this organ trio into overdrive without descending into chaos. “Rituals” features several “hot” solos but it is the saxophonist’s drive to the finish line that really excites the senses. Part of the credit goes to drummer Rudy Royston (Bill Frisell, Ron Miles) who, when called for, really drives the music. Organist Brian Charette (Lou Donaldson, Cyndi Lauper) is the perfect foil for DiRubbo, his active feet providing bass lines that “swing” and “pulsate” while his coloring beneath the solos is always “right.” His solos are concise and quite musical. He contributes 2 of the 9 original pieces including the pretty ballad “Excellent Taste” and “More Physical”, the lilting yet up-tempo piece that closes the program with varying waves of intensity. The give-and-take of the sax and organ, along with Royston’s subtle then active percussion, has a powerful feel. The leader’s solos seem to leap out of the speakers, with an intensity, at times, that borders on ferocious. He, also, utilizes overdubbing on the title track, a smart arrangement of the sound.
Mike DiRubbo may not forge new ground with “Chronos” but makes the organ trio format sound fresh and vital. By making Charette and Royston equal partners in the creative process, the music is alive with possibilities. For more information, go to www.mikedirubbo.com.
Here’s the opening track to whet your appetite (courtery of Posi-Tone Records and IODA Promonet):