Category: Reviews

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Downbeat hops on the trail blazed by Michael Dease on “Father Figure”

mindset2Michael Dease is an inventive trombonist with an athletically tuneful sound and a predilection for bringing his instrument’s voice to the fore. Having built the foundation of his career as a section player in bands led by Christian McBride and Roy Hargrove, he has now become a preeminent leader in his own right. Within his preferred artistic setting—the bop-oriented small group—he has recorded a number of fine recordings for Posi-Tone. Father Figure, his latest for the label, is as poignant a statement as he’s ever made. The album places Dease in the dignified role of jazz elder amid a crew of young and hungry jazz musicians: saxophonists Immanuel Wilkins and Markus Howell (who split lead duties on alternating tracks), drummer Luther Allison, bassist Endea Owens, vibraphonist Behn Gillece and pianist Glenn Zaleski, who appeared on Dease’s previous album, Decisions, and who exudes an almost telepathic bond with the trombonist. The two share the spotlight on an exceptionally swinging version of “Marian The Librarian,” and create swaths of dreamy magic on “Brooklyn.” And while Dease’s limber, flickering bop lines are an undeniable attraction (check the machine-gun tonguing on “Riff Raff”), it’s his ability to shape a group dynamic that really makes an impression. On group jams like “Church Of The Good Hustle” and Charlie Parker’s “Confirmation,” he blazes a trail that his young acolytes seem all too happy to follow.

BRIAN ZIMMERMAN   Downbeat site review

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“Once & Future” by Brian Charette gets dusted

mindset2Dusted In Exile

Organ aficionados dismiss Brian Charette at their own disservice. With a Positone label contract in his pocket he’s stepped up his fecundity over the past year and turned out a string of albums that refuse to cow to critics that consider the instrument gauche or played out. Lesser hands accorded such liberal access to the avenues of album production would likely risk a tapering in quality to keep up. Charette’s kept his success record clean, balancing creative ideational execution with a conspicuous mindfulness aimed at fun.

The catalyst for Once & Future is at once unexpectedly self-referential and more broadly historical. At an earlier session Charette happened upon a copy of his own book 101 Hammond B3 Tips on the studio instrument and consequently started pondering the pantheon of players influential to his development. Fourteen pieces pay homage to these eclectic electric forefathers with three coming from Charette’s own design. Guitarist Will Bernard and drummer Steve Fidyk both show themselves game at exploring the guiding conceit of the date to the hilt.

The program starts orthodoxly enough with Fats Waller and the nascent organ inroad “Jitterbug Waltz” lathered here with a heaping helping of swollen, suspirating pedal sustain.  Initial predictability gets upended as Charette vaults to the other end of the stylistic organ spectrum with Larry Young’s “Tyrone”, juggling interlocking Latin and funk components while deferring to Bernard for first solo honors. Barely a quarter century separates the two compositions, but each is of seismic importance in measuring the evolution of the instrument’s importance in jazz.

Charette’s “Latin from Manhattan” intentionally matches the formidable kitsch quotient of its title with a syrupy string of fills and a light samba beat. Bernard and Fidyk recline into their roles amiably unperturbed by the lounge-scented surroundings. Freddie Roach’s “Da Bug” works over a rolling call-and-response boogaloo rhythm while Jack McDuff’s “Hot Barbecue”, a Harlem club staple from the Hammond Sixties heyday, gets its well-deserved due with declamatory titular band refrain intact.

Back-to-back burning renditions of Bud Powell’s “Dance of the Infidels” and Woody Shaw’s “Zoltan” signal another course change to more modern fare. Charette flips a switch and hits the angular, staggered theme of the former with a tumescent knife-edged tone that almost eclipses Bernard’s careful comping. The latter tune gives Fidyk the chance to share his press roll and cymbal accent expertise in tandem with the leader’s aggressive to nal swells and spirals. James Brown, Jimmy Smith and Wes Montgomery comprise the album’s compositional final stretch alongside a few more originals. Charette’s win column remains uncompromised throughout.

Derek Taylor – Dusted In Exile

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New York City Jazz Record know it’s “The Way You Say It” by Walt Weiskopf

mindset2With over three-and-a-half decades in the New York jazz scene, beginning with Buddy Rich and Toshiko Akiyoshi, Walt Weiskopf is long established as a hard-blowing tenor saxophonist and creative composer. Accompanied by Charette, up-and-coming vibraphonist Behn Gillece and Steve Fidyk, most of The Way You Say It focuses on Weiskopf’s potent originals, starting with the percolating blues “Coffee and Scones”. The catchy unison theme of “Blues Combination” is negotiated with the confidence of a working band, Fidyk providing a strong undercurrent. Alex Kramer-Joan Whitney-Mack David’s “Candy” was long favored by soul jazz saxophonists and this understated interpretation pays homage to past greats, with sublime organ and soft brushwork supplying the perfect backdrop. There’s a change in direction with the dramatic setting of Weather Report’s “Scarlet Woman”, then an effortless galloping through Charlie Parker’s bop gem “Segment” before cooling off the listener with the lush title ballad.

New York City Jazz Record

 

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New York City Jazz Record checks out “Once & Future” by Brian Charette

mindset2Brian Charette has rapidly become a rising star on the Hammond B3 organ for the past few years and his latest CD is a salute to his fellow players, ranging from greats of the Swing Era to current players. Well accompanied by guitarist Will Bernard and drummer Steve Fidyk, Charette is interested in modernizing vintage tunes while putting his stamp on them. Starting with Fats Waller’s “Jitterbug Waltz”, Charette swings but the peppy rhythm section gives this jazz favorite a new flavor. His funky take of Larry Young’s blues “Tyrone” downplays John Coltrane’s influence on its composer and turns it into a percolating number for partying. The band engages in shout-outs of the title to Jack McDuff’s engaging funky blues “Hot Barbecue”, though Charette’s keyboard fireworks merit the real attention. Bud Powell’s “Dance of the Infidels” isn’t commonly heard on organ, but this imaginative treatment may open the door for others to conduct further explorations. Charette wraps the session with his hip “Blues For 96”. The future of Hammond B3 is in great hands

New York City Jazz Record

 

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Midwest Record like what they hear on “Inner Agent” by David Gibson

mindset2This trombone man almost has enough wind in him to sound like a big band by himself.  A high octane set with a mystical bent, Gibson smokes his way through this set delivering the kind of high energy blowing that is sure to put him on your list of those to keep an ear out for.  Obviously playing from the gut and the heart, this music connects and opens your mind as well as your ears.  Solid stuff from a cat that’s here to stay.

Midwest Record – Midwestrecord.com

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Step Tempest examines the musical meditation from “Koan” by Spike Wilner

mindset2Pianist and composer Spike Wilner, a native of Manhattan, may be best known for his “night job”, manager of both Smalls Jazz Club and its next-door neighbor, Mezzrow.  He’s also quite an accomplished pianist and band leader; “Koan” is his 10th album as a leader and 3rd for the Posi-Tone label.  The CD, like his previous release, “La Tendresse“, is a trio date, this time with Tyler Mitchell (bass) and Anthony Pinciotti (drums).  The 12-song program features excellent originals, jazz classics (including two compositions by Duke Ellington) and a pair of standards.

One can hear from the get-go that this is an ensemble who have spent a good deal of time working together and listening to each other.  When they “swing”, as they do with a vengeance on Tadd Dameron’s “Hot House” or gently on Wilner’s “Iceberg Slim“, the three musicians do so in service of the melody and with the joy of improvisation.  The Ellington works, 1940’s “Warm Valley” (revived on Duke’s trio date with Max Roach and Charles Mingus) and 1938’s “Gypsy Without a Song“, have such expansive melodies, the former with its gentle melody that stretches over several verses and the latter with a Latin tinge and gentle swing.  One of the more experimental works is the leader’s “Monkey Mind“, which starts gently but Wilner begins adding sheets of notes over chattering percussion and intermittent bass lines.

The final three tracks bring the session to a close on quite a high note. “Young at Heart” (the melody composed by Johnny Richards) opens quietly with Wilner playing the melody slowly (his left hand sounds, early on, like Vince Guaraldi’s left hand “Cast Your Fate to the Wind“). After the rhythm section enters, the energy slowly picks up but the pianist’s solo is a series of variations on that melody.  Next is the trio’s impressive exploration of Ornette Coleman’s “Lonely Woman” (certainly the late saxophonist and composer’s most oft-recorded work.)  Wilner’s left hand, along with Mitchell’s bass lines, not only really swing but there are moments, especially after the bass solo, when the music has a folk music feel. The inventive nature of the trio’s interactions push the piece forward right up to the drum solo and, after that, it’s back to the theme.  The album closes with “Blues For the Common Man“, a Wilner original that takes its theme from Aaron Copeland’s famous “Fanfare….”  After a formal opening with Copeland’s melody, the piece drops into a slow blues a la Percy Mayfield.  The pace picks up several notches during the piano solo that juxtaposes familiar phrases with long, flowing, single-note runs.  Right before the close, the trio slows down, Wilner takes more of a gospel tack (big, bold, chords) and the music and come to a satisfying close.

“Koan“, as a musical meditation, works well in the early morning and late at night, windows open, the sounds of the outside either waking up and quietly disappearing.  Spike Wilner has such a creative  mind, teasing idea out if songs one might think have been wrung dry over the years.  This is a great program to enjoy from start-to-finish and I heartily recommend that you do.

Step Tempest – Richard Kamins     Step Tempest blog

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Step Tempest gives us the guidance on “Father Figure” by Michael Dease

mindset2The brand new Dease disk, “Father Figure“, not only casts the trombonist in the role of leader but also mentor.  He, Glenn Zaleski (a young pro) and Behn Gillece (vibraphone) are the veterans in an ensemble that also features bassist Endea Owens, drummer Luther Allison plus alto saxophonists Markus Howell and Immanuel Wilkins.  Ms. Owens and Mr. Allison make for an impressive rhythm section throughout, her active lines not just supporting but also offering counterpoint while his cymbal work is exemplary as are his choices of when to “push.” Howell appears on 6 of the 11 tracks; he has a bright sound and many of his phrases joyfully dance above the rhythm section.  Wilkins, still in his teens, seems to have a more supportive role on his 4 appearances but does get off a raucous solo on the opener “Church of the Good Hustler.” Mr. Gillece appears on most of the tracks and his vibes sound mesh nicely with the different lineups on the disk. His rippling sound is a highlight on Dease’s “Brooklyn“, named for both the borough in which his family lives and also for his baby daughter.

There are numerous highlights throughout, among them the playful “Marian The Librarian” (from Meredith Wilson’s “The Music Man”).  Dease and Zaleski caress the melody as the rhythm section dances delightfully in support. That quartet return to the Broadway and Hollywood hit for a sweet turn through “Till There Was You”, the melody lovingly played on trombone and followed by a jaunty solo.  Michael Howell’s “The Pursuit for Inspiration” is a medium-tempo ballad with Dease and Howell playing the melody – the young alto saxophonist plays a fine, assured, solo while Ms. Owens’ counterpoint stands out.  “Annette’s For Sure“, from the pen of trumpeter Claudio Roditi, is a sweet romp with strong solos from the leader, Zaleski, and Howell. The quintet (with Gillece and Howell but minus Zaleski) visit the blues on “Riff Raff“, a sweetly-played tune from trombonist Grachan Moncur III with excellent solos all around.  Gillece takes his over the rhythm section only and it really shines.  The title track closes the album on a bop-ish note with the leader creating a snappy melody and a sparkling solo (including a sneaky quote from “Parisian Thoroughfare” at the onset.) Ms. Owens take a short but excellent break before Zaleski shows off his Bud Powell-like chops.

With “Father Figure”, Michael Dease shines the spotlight on a fine group of musicians, several of whom he has worked with during his tenure on the faculty of Michigan State University. He’s generous with solo time for the members of the ensemble but don’t lose of the sight of the fact that he himself is a fine soloist, often with a most handsome tone. This music is a delightful way to spend the day.

Step Tempest – Richard Kamins   http://steptempest.blogspot.com

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Classicalite.com reviews “Father Figure” by Michael Dease

mindset2On his ninth CD (third for Posi-Tone), Michael Dease cuts loose with a wildly swingin’ post-boppin’ assemblage of talent on vibraphone, piano, bass, drums and two alto saxophones wherein the trombone man serves as Father Figure to some crazily talented youngsters and veterans alike (pianist Glenn Zaleski and vibraphonist Behn Gillece shine throughout) on originals and well-picked covers, or, as we like to say in the music-listenin’ business: discreeto pickos.

Leading off with a tune Dease wrote specifically with a scene from Robert Rossen’s 1961 film The Hustler in mind, wherein Fast Eddie Felsen walks into the home pool hall of Minnesota Fats, calling it the “Church of the Good Hustler,” he follows it up with “Brooklyn” (for his daughter, not the city) and “Cry of the Wolf” (they say the howl of the arctic wolf can be heard for 10 miles across the tundra. It’s a tortured, anguished sound.) Having two altos in your jazz band means you must cover Jackie McLean. Here, Grachan Moncur III’s “Riff Raff” is an exquisite recreation of a blues off McLean’s 1964 Destination Out album.

Having played in the band of Brazilian trumpeter Claudio Roditi (as well as in the bands of Christian McBride, Roy Hargrove, The Heath Brothers and Rufus Reid), Dease covers Roditi’s “Anette’s For Sure” before tackling Mulgrew Miller’s “Wingspan” and even “Marian the Librarian” and “‘Til There Was You” from Meredith Wilson’s 1957 Broadway musical, “The Music Man.” He closes with the title track, written for his bassist Endrea Owens, who was his student at Michigan State University. It sounds eerily similar to “All God’s Children Got Rhythm,” the jazz standard which came from the 1937 Marx Brothers movie A Day at the Races.

Dease received his Masters from Julliard to quickly become an in-demand session cat on CDs by Alicia Keys, Paul Simon, Elton John and Neil Diamond. He’s now well on his way to becoming one of the most respected new ‘bone men in the business.

Classicalite.com – Mike Greenblatt

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All About Jazz – chimes in first on the new one “Inner Agent” by David Gibson

mindset2The idea of creating a safe space to allow for disregarding safety may be paradoxical in nature, but it makes perfect sense when contextualized or couched in jazz terms. There can be no resolution of faith in one’s surroundings and colleagues without taking the trust fall, there can be no reward without risk, and there can be no true growth without belief. Those ideals are jazz to the core, and they’re at the heart of this project from trombonist David Gibson.

Inner Agent, the fourth fine album that Gibson has released on the Posi-tone imprint, seeks to explore those very concepts to the fullest. It walks a similar path as Boom! (Posi-tone, 2015), a directional shift that found Gibson moving away from an organ-centric format and creating a bolder sonic brew with a crew of young guns, but it’s a more evolved statement. Gibson has essentially kept the Boom! band intact—trumpeter Freddie Hendrix fills the seat formerly occupied by Josh Evans, but pianist Theo Hill, bassist Alexander Claffy, and drummer Kush Abadey all remain aboard—and his music is all the better for it. The rapport between these men has been strengthened over time, a greater sense of understanding has been fostered through their interactions, and a willingness to take more chances is evident on this recording.

Gibson delivers a winning program that references his influences, speaks to his love of diversity, and allows for the unexpected to enter into the equation. He comes off as an intrepid and indomitable spirit, but he’s not afraid to also let his emotions show. Whether engaging his core group in dialogue, working with or against his guests—saxophonists Doug Webb and Caleb Wheeler Curtis—or ceding the spotlight entirely, Gibson personifies leadership and puts the focus on the music. This is jazz with nothing to hide, made by a band with a hell of a lot to say.

The album kicks off with a one-two punch in the form of the racing title track and the shape-shifting “Axe Grinder.” Those original numbers position Gibson and his band as aggressors, but there’s more than blood, sweat, and sheer force here. A visit to the church of Billy Taylor on “I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel To Be Free” makes that point. From there, Gibson keeps you guessing about where he might go. “The Scythe” is a slice of scintillating modern jazz, hard driving and edgy in all the best ways; Claffy’s “AJ” is pure buoyant charm; “The Court” and “Sweetness”—two tunes penned by trombonist Curtis Fuller—speak to strength and jauntiness, respectively; and “Gravy,” an older Gibson tune that comes from another time and band in his past, is unadulterated jazz-funk. That last number would’ve been a finer closer, but Gibson’s personalized take on “Here Comes The Sun” is an even better one.

I had the pleasure of being present when some of this music came into existence in the studio, and it’s no lie or exaggeration to say that the energy in the room at the time has carried over to the finished product. There’s a good deal of music out there that pulls from these same stylistic bags, but much of it seems calcified by comparison. Inner Agent is brimming with life.

Dan Bilawsky – All About Jazz

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Italian magazine “Tracce Di Jazz” gets rooted in the “Soul Tree” by Ed Cherry

soultree_coverSoul Tree “It is wise to cultivate the tree which bears fruit in our soul”. This maxim of Henry David Thoreau stands in the booklet of “Soul Tree” and packs as best you can the sense of this work that marks the return as leader of the excellent guitarist Ed Cherry Posi-tone label.
The most canonical of the Organ Trio, completed by Kyle Koehler to Hammond and drummer Anwar Marshall, wanders with quiet Paws in vast territories, which include the famous “Central Park West” coltraniano as well as the forgotten “Ode To Angela” by Harold Land, and even songs by Freddie Hubbard, Dave Brubeck, Mal Waldron, a couple of originals hit the spot and the delightful rereading located on the opening track, album/manifesto “Let The Music Take Your Mind” by Kool And The Gang’s repertoire.
The sexagenarian And Cherry does not enjoy some great popularity despite the stunning curriculum including ben 14 years alongside Dizzy Gillespie and presence in engravings consigned to history, so that this “Soul Tree” can be an opportunity to get acquainted with this jazz master’s class has distilled in a personal way the style of George Benson , Pat Martino and, especially, of the beloved Grant Green.
Some sort of atavistic candor, punctuated by reassuring cadences and infused with blues, away thousand miles from intellectual reverberations, illuminates this “Soul Tree” that runs its elegant branches with honesty and naturalness in dialogue “in the tradition”, always relaxed among the guitar of the leader and the Philadelphia organist Kyle Koheler, former rising star worthy of consideration, already distinguished himself alongside Bobby Watson and Jimmy Heat , as shown in the original “Rachel’s Step”, distilled soul jazz with Latin, and even more so in conclusion, liberating “Peace” by Horace Silver, high priest, we believe in blessing, this stylistic scope whose whole job fits ideally.
The smoothness of the episodes make the whole extremely enjoyable disc, and among other things guitar unnecessarily complex or enveloped on themselves, the overall effect that Ed Cherry & Co. reach is to an invigorating breath of fresh air among the branches of the tree of the soul.     – Fabio Castro