Category: Reviews

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Some more AAJ coverage for Ehud Asherie’s new CD “Organic” featuring Peter Bernstein Phil Stewart and Dimitri Baevsky….

www.allaboutjazz.com

Track Listing: Tonight; Valse Pra Jelena; The Stopper; Coquette; It’s Possible; Favela; Apostrophe; Blues For Fats.

Personnel: Ehud Asherie: organ; Peter Bernstein: guitar; Dmitry Baevsky: tenor saxophone; Phil Stewart: drums.

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Organic
Organic is Israeli-born Ehud Asherie’s fourth album as leader on the Posi- Tone label. It’s also his second release of 2010, following the excellent Modern Life, although it was actually recorded two years before that album, back in 2007. It’s another quartet recording of predominantly straight-ahead jazz and shows, once again, the young musician’s affinity with and talent for this musical genre.

As with Modern Life, this album is a pleasing combination of Asherie’s original tunes and classics from writers such as Sonny Rollins and Leonard Bernstein. In contrast to the earlier album, Organic showcases Asherie’s talents on the Hammond B-3 organ rather than the piano and, perhaps because of this change in instrument, Asherie has put together a more consistently upbeat set of tunes. The result is a positive, optimistic recording that really swings.

Asherie’s approach to Bernstein’s “Tonight” is decidedly high-energy—this is the sound of a bunch of guys getting ready for a night on the town, not a lonely and lovelorn New Yorker. The tune gives all the members of the quartet the chance to open up with Asherie, guitarist Peter Bernstein, saxophonist Dmitry Baevsky and drummer Phil Stewart all delivering short but effective solos. The band also produces a punchy version of Rollins’ “The Stopper,” with Baevsky’s saxophone playing taking a central role and Stewart adding an inventive drum solo, and a gently grooving take on Johnny Green and Gus Kahn’s “Coquette,” on which Asherie adds a smoothly-played organ solo.

Asherie’s own compositions include “Valse Pra Jelena,” probably the album’s loveliest tune thanks, in particular, to Bernstein’s rich single-note playing; the slinky hard bop of “Apostrophe”; and the funky, insistent organ/guitar/drums outing, “It’s Possible.” Asherie’s compositions have a nostalgic quality to them, in keeping with his obvious love for some of the classic styles of jazz, which gives them an appealing familiarity.

Organic may not have the emotional range or dynamics of Modern Life but its positive and upbeat take on the music is accessible and immediate— this is an easy album to enjoy, played by a likable and talented quartet.

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Some fantastic coverage for Tarbaby – The End of Fear from Rifftides blogger Doug Ramsey….

www.artsjournal.com/rifftides

Recent Listening: Tarbaby

Orrin Evans, Eric Revis, Nasheet Waits & Guests, Tarbaby: The End of Fear (Posi-tone). Pianist Evans, bassist Revis and drummer Waits comprise a leaderless or cooperative trio who live up to the album’s subtitle. They are not afraid to go wacky, nearly unhinged, in two free pieces, “Heads”—featuring trumpeter Nicholas Payton at his most liberated and chancy—and “Tails,” with the avantTarbaby.jpg garde alto saxophonist Oliver Lake sitting in. Payton and Lake rein in their wildness for the melody choruses in a quintet interpretation of Sam Rivers’ “Unity” but hold back little in their solos and simultaneous improvisation. Tarbaby is not afraid to plumb the romance and lyricism of Fats Waller’s 1932 ballad “Lonesome Me,” with a touching reading of the melody by tenor saxophonist J.D. Allen. In “Brews” Evans is not afraid to skew the good old B-flat blues toward the lamented, half-forgotten pianist Herbie Nichols and a couple of chromatic runs straight out of Teddy Wilson. Nor in his “Jena 6” is he afraid to demonstrate the harmonic individualism that makes him one of the most interesting jazz pianists under 40 (he’s 34).

Enough of the fear gambit. On the Nasheet Waits composition “Hesitation,” Payton covers the range of the trumpet using a spacious tone in all registers and a succession of connected ideas laden with emotion. This is among his best recent work. Payton, Lake, Allen and the rhythm section light up Andrew Hill’s “Tough Love.” Hip-hop aficionados may be able to understand the spoken conversations woven into the opening track, “E-Math,” although I suspect that the chatter was intended not to be understood but to supply atmosphere. It does that, but only the most agile brain will be able to separate the flows of music and voice. Perhaps it’s best to let it just wash over you. At any rate, it lasts only two minutes or so, then the album moves on to the marvelous “Brews” and the rest. Through pieces composed by members of the band plus those by Hill, Waller, Rivers, Paul Motian and—surprisingly—the hardcore punk/reggae group Bad Brains’ “Sailin’ On,” Tarbaby and friends give us an album that seems all but certain to wind up on the year’s 10-best lists.

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Jeff Krow of Audiophile Audition weighs in on Ehud Asherie “Organic”….

audaud.com

Ehud Asherie – Organic – Posi-Tone Records PR 8071, 43:11 ***½:

(Ehud Asherie, Hammond B-3 organ; Peter Bernstein, guitar; Dmitry Baevsky, alto sax; Phil Stewart, drums)

There has been a pleasant trend for lovers of the Hammond B-3 organ. It is the resurgence in the popularity of this groove machine. Pianists are turning to the Hammond B-3 to open up their repertoire to explore the funky side of town. The trend seemed to start at around the time that Mike LeDonne began his weekly sessions at New York City clubs, primarily Smoke.

For Israeli pianist Ehud Asherie, who records for Posi-Tone, he chose his fourth recording for the label to make a Hammond B-3 session. Who better than Peter Bernstein (in my opinion the first choice for guitar on a Hammond date) to add to the mix to set yourself in the right direction. Also adding an alto sax to the quartet is a smart move as the sax broadens the spice quotient and the young Russian saxophonist Dmitry Baevsky, who has recorded for Sharp 9, is an up and comer, who plays well beyond his years.

Ehud has chosen of mix of standards by Leonard Bernstein, Sonny Rollins, and Jobim, as well as four originals to explore. “Tonight”, among the most recognizable Bernstein compositions gets the Hammond treatment and Ehud has a light touch here unlike you’ll find with a more percussive reading of a Dr. Lonnie Smith. Bernstein’s guitar lines are as classy, concise, and swinging as ever. Peter brings his “A” game always. Dmitry swings easily fitting in with Ehud and Peter.

“Valse Pra Jelena” features Peter Bernstein in a lead role and as usual his clean lines are exemplary. “The Stopper” from Sonny Rollins shows Dmitry’s bop chops and Ehud ups the tempo with some lightning fast runs to keep pace. Stewart has a featured solo where he uses his entire drum kit, with the cymbals highlighted. Gus Kahn and Johnny Green’s “Coquette” has a long history going back to the 1940s and has been covered by artists ranging from Django to Armstrong and Bix, and Ehud and company give it a sweet reading relatively straight ahead so its melody is completely recognizable. It’s quite lovely.

Ehud’s “It’s Possible” shows he knows the Hammond’s strengths in setting a funky vibe for the guitar and drums to embellish. Jobim’s “Favela” will get your head into a nod while your toes dance. “Apostrophe” provides an opportunity for Baevsky and Asherie to play off each other like you’ll find in the best sax/ Hammond moments. “Blues for Fats” closes out Organic and I’m betting it’s written to honor Fats Waller as the Hammond’s tone changes to a 30s to 40s organ without the vibrato of the 50s thru 70s for which this groove machine is better known.

Add Ehud Asherie to the list of Hammond B-3 players that B-3 aficionados can trust to keep faith with prior Hammond legends. You will not be disappointed.

TrackList: Tonight, Valse Pra Jelena, The Stopper, Coquette, It’s Possible, Favela, Apostrophe, Blues for Fats

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Nice coverage from AAJ writer Dan Bilawsky reviewing our latest CD release “Organic” by Ehud Asherie featuring Peter Bernstein….

allaboutjazz.com

Contrary to what some might believe, the designation of a musician as an organist or pianist does not have to be mutually exclusive. While some players choose to focus all of their time and energy on one of these instruments, many others prefer to branch out and try their hand at both. Fats Waller wasn’t afraid to work in both worlds, and a whole list of modern-day players, including Gary Versace, Larry Goldings and Sam Yahel, are adept on both instruments.

Ehud Asherie can now be added to that list. His string of piano-led discs on the Posi-Tone Records label have already positioned him as a rising jazz star on that instrument, but Organic is all about the organ, and he pushes the piano aside for this one.

The program is evenly split between Asherie originals and covers, ranging from Leonard Bernstein’s “Tonight” to Antonio Carlos Jobim’s lesser-known “Favela,” and guitarist Peter Bernstein is superb across the entire album. His clean-toned, single note lines are always a treat and his soloing on the charming ballad “Coquette” is an album highlight.

Asherie’s organ playing is unpretentious and pleasing, never running into modern-day abstractions or resorting to clichés. The momentary stops on the second syllable of “Tonight” add a hint of mischief to an otherwise fairly straightforward performance, and the aforementioned “Coquette” adds a touch of grace to the album. “The Stopper”—a sorely neglected Sonny Rollins tune—features lots of stop-time punctuations and unison hits beneath Dmitry Baevsky’s alto saxophone proclamations. Baevsky’s searing solo work energizes the rest of the band and drummer Phil Stewart delivers an explosive solo. Jobim’s “Favela” is taken a bit faster than usual, with a samba-like groove on the bottom, and Asherie kicks things off with a Morse code-like lick. Stewart’s solo, with some festive tom-dominated playing over his steady samba footwork, is the highlight here.

Asherie’s originals include a mellow jazz waltz (“Valse Pra Jelena”) with Bernstein showing some Grant Green-like tendencies delivered in a more modern fashion and a tribute to Fats Waller (“Blues for Fats”) that clearly owes a debt to the man himself. Asherie isn’t likely to give up the piano on a permanent basis, but the aptly titled Organic’s presents an alternate view of the keyboardist’s work, and is a welcome addition to his already impressive catalog.

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New review of Tarbaby “The End of Fear” from AAj writer Dan Bilawsky…

www.allaboutjazz.com

Virtually every musician deals with fear at one time or another. Perhaps it comes with a first opportunity to perform in an ensemble, or maybe it arrives when first taking flight and leaving the relative comforts of written music, searching for an elusive sound through an improvised medium. Regardless of when it happens, performers have to learn to work through this fear to reach a new level of comfort and artistry in music. The trio known as Tarbaby—pianist Orrin Evans, bassist Eric Revis and drummer Nasheet Waits—seems to have left fear behind a long time ago: individually, these musicians are at the vanguard of modern jazz; collectively, they present a form of music that lives in the here and now, but gives due credit to who and what has come before. The End Of Fear attests to these facts.

While this crew is more than capable of carrying the load by themselves, three guest horn players add new dimensions to Tarbaby’s music. Rising tenor saxophone star J.D. Allen, alto saxophone guru Oliver Lake, and trumpet titan Nicholas Payton are on hand to lend support and talent to much of this music.

A pair of Revis originals opens the program, and “E-Math” is equal parts hip and ominous. Background chatter—in the same vein as that heard on Marvin Gaye’s classic “What’s Going On”—evolves into paranoid voices as the doom-laden bass and drum team creates some magic behind Payton’s stellar muted lines. The followup, “Brews,” has a bluesy, Monk-ish slant to it, and an inebriated vibe hovers over this song.

Two collectively created miniatures—”Heads” and “Tails”—deal with free play and bombast. Neither track is particularly memorable, despite the caustic saxophone shrieks on the latter, but freedom—not form—seems to be the point of these two pieces. The only other brief episode is a cover of Bad Brains’ “Sailin’ On,” where raging thrash jazz and throbbing, distorted sounds are the order of the day, with Revis the constant upon which everybody relies.

When this group isn’t creating stormy sonic serenades, it produces some wondrous music that follows wide arcs of evolution. Evans’ “Jena 6” starts with a touch of mysticism, making friends with the avant-garde and building around the pianist’s thought-provoking work before moving toward a climax on the shoulders of Waits’ loose-yet-powerful drumming. Waits’ “Hesitation” is a masterpiece, with Payton delivering the best horn performance on the album. Breathy allure, bent notes, one fantastic growl, and a Terence Blanchard-like sense of drama are all in play here.

Other noteworthy performances include Lake’s angular “November ’80,” a straightforward ballad performance of Fats Waller’s “Lonesome Me,” and a ghostly “Tough Love,” from Andrew Hill’s catalog. Tongue-in-cheek toying, musical tantrums and high art are all present in equal parts on the compelling journey that is The End Of Fear.

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The Burning Amubulance reviews the new Jared Gold “Out of Line” CD….

http://burningambulance.com

Jared Gold is a young organist with a fondness for old soul; in addition to five originals, a Hank Mobley tune (“An Aperitif”) and a Hoagy Carmichael number to close (“Skylark”), this disc includes versions of Stevie Wonder‘s “You Haven’t Done Nothin’” and the Delfonics‘ “La-La (Means I Love You).” What this means in practice is that the tracks occasionally lean heavily on their main melodies. Given the choice between this option and the other one normally exercised by organ-jazz groups—tracks where the songs are barely sketches, nothing but blues riffs on which endless honk-and-blare choruses can be blown/pumped out—I’ll take it. He’s backed by a capable guitarist (Dave Stryker) and drummer (Mark Ferber), and saxophonist Chris Cheek makes the most of his solo slots, as should be expected. Posi-Tone is probably my favorite straightahead jazz label right now, and this is a solid addition to their catalog. Check it out; it’ll make an early autumn afternoon very enjoyable indeed. (I liked Gold’s 2009 album Supersonic, too, and I enjoyed his playing and Ferber’s on Dan Pratt‘s Toe the Line, which I reviewed here back in May.)

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Here’s the first review for our latest CD “Midnight” by saxophonist Doug Webb

www.audaud.com

Doug Webb – Midnight – Posi-Tone PR 8070, 52:19 ****:

(Doug Webb, saxophones; Larry Goldings, piano; Stanley Clarke, bass; Gerry Gibbs, drums; with special guests: Joe Bagg (tracks 1 & 4) and Mahesh Balasooriya, (track 5) – piano)

Both Los Angeles and New York City have many jazz musicians who remain largely a secret to the public as they remain mostly in the background, playing on studio sets for television and movies. They certainly are known to band leaders who know they can be counted on as true veterans who leave their egos at the door.

Such is the case with LA-based tenor saxophonist Doug Webb. Doug’s resume includes fifteen years with Doc Severinson’s Tonight Show band, as well as movie work for Clint Eastwood on Million Dollar Baby, and Gran Torino. He has appeared on over 500 recordings for legends like Freddie Hubbard, Quincy Jones, and Horace Silver. His soprano sax is heard on the Law and Order theme song. I’ve been fortunate enough to hear him play tasty solos for the Bill Holman Big Band. He has an old school tone that is just right for ballads and swingers alike.

Posi-Tone Records continues their winning streak by having Doug record as a leader on Midnight, just released this month. As usual for Posi-Tone, they surround their leaders with exemplary sidemen; in this case Larry Goldings, on piano, the inimitable Stanley Clarke on bass, and Gerry Gibbs (the son of legendary vibist, Terry Gibbs), on drums. Song selection is largely standards such as “Fly Me to the Moon,” “You Go to My Head,” “Crazy She Calls Me,” and the exquisite “Emily” from Johnny Mandel, where Webb’s soprano would melt the hardest heart. Clarke’s bass solo here, as well, adds to the tender affect.

Highlights abound and include Larry Goldings’ accompaniment with Webb’s silky emoting on “I’ll Be Around”; a Getzian reading of “Fly Me to the Moon”; and a soprano sax workout on “The Boy Next Door” where Stanley Clarke also shines. Bird’s “Quasimodo” is taken at a mellow pace and the rhythm section gets locked into a groove that shows the mixing engineer talents of David Horner.

If the eight tracks on Midnight are not enough to sell an astute listener, every Simpsons fanatic has to have a CD from the man who plays the saxophone of cartoon character/jazz fan, Lisa Simpson. Damn, I knew the girl had soul, it’s just that it belongs to saxophonist extraordinaire, Doug Webb….

TrackList: Try a Little Tenderness, I’ll Be Around, Fly Me to the Moon, You Go to My Head, The Boy Next Door, Crazy She Calls Me, Quasimodo, Emily

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Peter Hum’s rundown of Fowser/Gillece “Little Echo” taken from the pages of jazzblog.ca ……..

Little Echo (Posi-Tone)
Ken Fowser & Behn Gillece

jazzblog.ca

Unlike Dana Lauren, the saxophonist Ken Fowser and vibraphonist Behn Gillece, who are a few years older than she is, have a very focused take on their stylistic turf. They are unabashed lovers and perpetrators of hard bop and a brand of modal jazz that more secular than the spiritual style that John Coltrane ushered into being. Some would call Fowser and Gillece guardians of the flame, while others might deride them as “reboppers.”

How much you enjoy their disc, Little Echo, might depend in part on where you fall on that flame-keeper/anti-rebop continuum. At the level of genre and style, Little Echo is very much reminiscent of the straight-down-the-middle hard bop and modal jazz that the Blue Note label during the late 1950s and 1960s. It also brings to my mind the discs that featured pianist McCoy Tyner and vibraphonist Bobby Hutcherson.

I don’t have an issue with the stylistic turf that Fowser and Gillece chose to stake out. But the other issue, of course, has to do with the amount of excitement and distinctiveness the disc delivers. In this regard, I’d say that the CD falls short. Here are two excerpts from the disc:

One Step At A Time is a riffing swinger that takes the harmonic grid of Speak Low as its point of departure:

Also falling in the disc’s swing category is its opener, Resolution, reminiscent of Four. The disc ends with the bopping medium tune Another View.

Other tunes are more modal romps, such as the minor-key tune Sap, the major-key waltz You, and Ninety Five, the simple straight-eighths tune heard below, which strives for a soulful vibe:

For my tastes, too many of the disc’s tunes are a little too basic in terms of structure and and overly riff-based, resulting in a disc that feels to me somewhat generic and predictable rather than specific and surprising. The better tracks are Gillece’s You, which has a bit more harmonic material and emotional heft to it, and the tune Vigilance, which groove-wise is a bit more varied and involved. Best perhaps is the evocative ballad The Dog Days, which finds Gillece and Fowser hitting the right notes of vulnerability and tenderness.

Overall, it’s Gillece’s playing that provides the disc’s highpoints. He’s the most consistently flowing, melodic instrumental voice on Little Echo. Fowser on tenor saxophone has a nice, classic sound, but he plays with less fire and sophistication, I think.

Pianist Rick Germanson, bassist Ugonna Okegwo and drummer Quincy Davis — very much a trio of seasoned musicians — accompany the young leaders and make the music sit in the pocket. But I don’t feel as much engagement with the music and with the session’s leaders as I think their could have been. Germanson, for example, takes a fine solo on You, but some of his other solos — on a piano that incidentally seems a bit tinny to me in the upper registers — strike me as correct and polished, but not more.

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Winnipeg Free Press review for Tarbaby ” The End of Fear”….

http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/arts-and-life/entertainment/music/112467429.html

TARBABY

The End of Fear (Posi-Tone)

YES, it’s a provocative band name, and there is some provocative music in spots, but this CD is great.

At its core is a power trio of sorts in pianist Orrin Evans, bassist Eric Revis and drummer Nasheet Watts, augmented by saxophonists Oliver Lake (alto) and J.D. Allen (tenor) along with trumpeter Nicholas Payton.

The material ranges from Fats Waller to punk band Bad Brains, but it is all energetic, well-written, well-played and simply great music. Powerhouse pianist Evans and superb drummer Watts are highlights of the disc, but Revis and the horns take it to a new level. It may be bit out-there in spots for some fans, but it is an album full of superb playing. ‘Ö’Ö’Ö’Ö

— Chris Smith