Category: Reviews

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Alto saxophonist Mike DiRubbo receives a nice AAJ review for his “Repercussion” CD…

www.allaboutjazz.com

Repercussion
Mike DiRubbo | Posi-Tone Records (2009)

by C. Michael Bailey

The immediate appeal of alto saxophonist Mike DiRubbo’s Repercussion is the replacement of the piano by the vibraphone as the rhythm section’s harmony instrument. Guitar-based and piano-less rhythm sections have made their way into the mainstream, leaving the vibraphone-based rhythm section still a novelty.

DiRubbo is certainly not the first to employ such a format. Trombonist Grachan Moncur III’s Evolution (Blue Note, 1963) had Bobby Hutcherson on vibes with no piano and saxophonist Wayne Escoffery’s Veneration: Live at Smoke (Savant Records, 2007) used Joe Locke to splendid effect. Drummer Ralph Peterson’s Fo’Tet Augmented (Criss Cross, 2004) pits clarinetist Don Byron against vibraphonist Bryan Carrott.

The vibraphone provides more wide open space when used in place of a piano, charging the remaining instruments the responsibility of carrying additional creative water. In this way it is perfect as a harmony instrument or for soloing.

But enough about vibes, they are not leading the date. DiRubbo is an alto saxophonist and a darn good one at that. A student of the late Jackie McLean, his tone is full-choked like Dexter Gordon and King Curtis’s tenor saxophones.

DiRubbo illustrates these characteristics on the opening original minor blues, “Repercussion.” Nelson lays down a skeleton riff that this picked up by bassist Dwayne Burno and drummer Tony Reedus (who passed away shortly after this recording). Nelson’s tone is sharp and close, like that of a marimba, and DiRubbo soars in an understated way through his serpentine head and solo.

Dave Brubeck’s “The Duke” is one of the two standards on the disc. It is presented coolly, not veering far from the song that enchanted Miles Davis’ Miles Ahead (Columbia, 1957) sessions. DiRubbo keeps his groove going through the remainder of the disc, providing a fully satisfying jazz offering.

Track listing: Repercussion; The Duke; Lunar; Highbridge Lullaby; Nightfall; Deja Vu; Too Late Now; Nelsonian; Pisces Rising.

Personnel: Mike DiRubbo: alto saxophone; Steve Nelson: vibraphone; Dwayne Burno: bass; Tony Reedus: drums.

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Heres an AAJ article about a bunch of new albums featuring vibes including our very own “Full View” by Ken Fowser/Behn Gillece….

www.allaboutjazz.com

by Graham L. Flanagan

The vibraphones often create the über-cool “lounge” sound at cocktail parties but don’t pigeonhole the instrument as a gimmicky mood inducer. Legends like Lionel Hampton, Milt Jackson, Cal Tjader and Bobby Hutcherson inhabit the pantheon of the instrument’s alltime heroes. Not surprisingly, myriad players inspired by those greats are doing their best to join that impressive list. Five new releases featuring three vets, a legend and a newcomer prove that the list might begin to grow soon.

Jay Hoggard continues his prolific streak as a leader with Soular Power. With support from James Weidman (piano/organ), Belden Bullock (bass) and Yoron Israel (drums), the session features 11 of his own compositions and one standard (“On a Clear Day”). That classic Lane-Lerner tune stands out as one of the most enjoyable numbers, the interplay between the leader and Weidman recalling the collaboration of Bobby Hutcherson and Larry Young on the Grant Green album Street of Dreams.

Benny Golson protégé Joe Baione delivers his second album as a leader with Oh Yeah!, a happy, up-tempo set perfect for the summer jazz season. Baione leads an inspired combo featuring Toru Dodo (piano), Jorge Castro (tenor sax), Andrae Murchison (trombone) Corcoran Holt (bass) and drummer Jerome Jennings. They run through three standards: a funky arrangement of “All Blues,” a very low-key “Prelude to a Kiss” and a tribute to one of the instrument’s pioneers, Milt Jackson’s “Bag’s Groove”. The leader’s penchant for Latin and Caribbean rhythms surfaces on the songs “‘J’ Bossa” (which he arranged with his clarinetist father) and “Coconut Island”. The latter sees Baione switch to the marimba, resulting in a tropical experience highly reminiscent of “St. Thomas”.

The most challenging of the five new releases is vibraphonist Behn Gillece’s Full View, co-led with tenor saxophonist Ken Fowser. Accompanied by David Hazeltine (piano), Adam Cote (bass) and Paul Francis (drums), these newcomers exude a chemistry reminiscent of Dexter Gordon and Hutcherson on Gettin’ Around. Gordon is no doubt an influence on Fowser’s round, warm tone that mirrors that of the “long tall” legend. Gillece also pays homage with his brisk, slightly modal “The Hutch”. The complex, polyrhythmic number includes focused soloing from the whole team.

At one point, Mark Sherman aspired to be a drummer. Known as a disciple of Elvin Jones, he was drawn to the vibes and the instrument soon gained a new virtuoso worthy of Hampton, Hutcherson and Jackson. Recorded in Basel, Switzerland, Sherman’s double live album Live @ The Bird’s Eye supplies nearly two hours of great straight-ahead jazz, mixing Sherman originals with a few standards. The group isn’t afraid to improvise; many of the tunes go beyond ten minutes, but you’re guaranteed not to mind. The leader gets top-grade support from Allen Farnham (piano), Dean Johnson (bass) and Tim Horner (drums).

After he’d established himself in the late ’60s as one of the top vibraphonists in exploratory soul jazz and right before he recorded one of the all-time greatest “blaxploitation” soundtracks with Coffy in 1973, Roy Ayers made a major impression in 1971 with Ubiquity. Here Ayers commands a larger ensemble than what had become his typical quartet and lays down a combination of funky instrumentals and more commercially-bent vocal numbers. Along with an airy interpretation of “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ On My Head,” highlights include a handful of tracks where Ayers employs a fuzz box; normally used as a guitar accessory, it really comes in handy on the appropriately titled scorcher “The Fuzz”. As all five of these albums clearly illustrate, it’s a good time to be a fan of the vibes.

Tracks and Personnel

Soular Power

Tracks: Happy to Be Happy; On a Clear Day; Soular Power; You’re in My Heart All the Time; Blues Bags; Sweet Potato; Convergence of the Niles; Overview; God Will Guide; The Little Tiger; Mystic Winds/tropic Breezes; Prayin’ Out Loud.

Personnel: Jay Hoggard: vibes; James Weidman: piano/organ; Belden Bullock: bass; Yoron Israel: drums.

Oh Yeah!

Tracks: Oh Yeah!!!; Down Fuzz; The Stranger; Bag’s Groove; ”J” Bossa; Prelude To A Kiss; Coconut Island; All Blues; Oh Yeah!!! (Alt Take).

Personnel: Joe Baione: vibes; Toru Dodo: piano; Jorge Castro: tenor sax; Andrae Murchison: trombone; Corcoran Holt: bass; Jerome Jennings: drums.

Full View

Tracks: Bittersweet; The Hutch; Act Of Disguise; Soul Eyes; Two Pair; Just In Time; Crisis Averted.

Personnel: Ken Fowser: tenor saxophone; Behn Gillece: vibraphone; David Hazeltine: piano; Adam Cote: bass; Paul Francis: drums.

Live @The Bird’s Eye

Tracks: CD 1: Tip Top Blues; The Winning life; Trust; Hope; Hardship. CD 2: Explorations; You Don’t Know What love Is; There Is No Greater Love; Tip Top Rhythm; Moon River.

Personnel: Mark Sherman: vibraphone; Allen Farnham: piano; Dean Johnson: bass; Tim Horner: drums.

Ubiquity

Tracks: Pretty Brown Skin; Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head; I Can’t Help Myself; Love; The Fuzz; Hummin’; Can You Dig It?; Painted Desert; He Gives Us All His Love.

Personnel: Roy Ayers: vocals, vibraphone; Edwin Birdsong: vocals, organ; Richie Resnicoff: guitar; Harry Whitaker, Bill Henderson: electric piano; John Williams: electric bass; Alphonse Mouzon: drums; Jumma Santos: conga drum.

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An All About Jazz piece about saxophonist David Binney that also contains a review of his and Trombonist Alan Ferber’s Posi-Tone CD “In the Paint” …

InThePaint_final_coverwww.allaboutjazz.com

David Binney: In The Paint; Ray’s Way & Third Occasion

by Russ Musto

While saxophonist David Binney has been increasingly recognized for his substantial musical talents, the greater part of the praise he has received has focused on his considerable capabilities as a composer, often to the point of overshadowing his skills as a rhythmically agile musician with a rich distinctive tone and extraordinary imagination. On these three very varied dates, the full breadth of Binney’s abilities come to light in a manner that is bound to call even more attention to his wide-ranging artistry.

Binney teams up with trombonist Alan Ferber (who previously appeared with the saxophonist on his critically-acclaimed Oceanos CD) for In The Paint, a co-led outing on which the two hornmen split the writing chores for a sextet of vibraphonist Peter Schlamb and the exceptional rhythm section of John Escreet, Thomas Morgan and Gerald Cleaver. While adhering to traditional song form structures and jazz rhythms, the date is far from a blowing session (due to its extremely well-conceived writing), although it does exhibit much of the straight-ahead improvisational excitement of such events. Binney’s alto is darker, grittier and more propulsive here—at times intimating the muscular authority of Gary Bartz—and he and Ferber are fine foils, complementing each other with alternating staccato and legato phrasing. The pair’s melodically engaging composing styles are suited well to each other’s personalities and three improvised duets in the AACM mode illustrate an uncannily intuitive simpatico that hopefully foretells future collaborations.

Ray Levier’s Ray’s Way features Binney as a sideman on four tracks of the journeyman drummer’s debut date as a leader, teamed with the alternating guitars of John Abercrombie and Mike Stern for a pair of pieces each. The former is on fellow participant vibraphonist Joe Locke’s propulsive soulful title track (driven by Francois Moutin’s big-toned bass) and the leader’s beautiful ballad “Song For Nury” while the latter figures prominently on his own energized compositions “You Never Know” and “Bait Tone Blues”. Binney blows some spirited sax that transports listeners to the West Village’s 55Bar where he and Stern have regularly held forth for years and Levier occasionally leads his group these days.

Third Occasion is Binney’s latest self-produced album as a leader for his own Mythology label and easily one of his finest efforts to date. The disc features, along with regular collaborators pianist Craig Taborn, bassist Scott Colley and drummer Brian Blade, a brass quartet—a rare if not heretofore unprecedented feature for a jazz date. This facet of the disc will undoubtedly call even more attention to the leader’s compositional expertise, built upon his gifted melodicism, harmonic sophistication and mastery of counterpoint. The double trumpet/trombone ensemble of Ambrose Akinmusire, Brad King, Corey King and Andy Hunter that bookends the date’s 13 pieces provide a warm harmonic milieu over which the soloists improvise and execute the leader’s lyrical melodies, giving an air of classicism to the compositions; these have an expansively quiet intensity that recalls early Wayne Shorter and Andrew Hill. Taborn, Colley and Blade each contribute their very individual voices to great effect, but it is Binney’s inimitable sound that defines the overall tenor of the music, clearly identifying him as an artist with a unique vision.

Tracks and Personnel

In The Paint

Tracks: Growin’ Up; In The Paint; Everybody’s Wonderland; Interlude I; Paris; Edinburgh; Ice Cave; Interlude II; La Taqueria; Magnolia; Lautir; Interlude III; Our Inventions.

Personnel: David Binney: alto sax; Alan Ferber: trombone; Thomas Morgan: bass; Gerald Cleaver: drums; Peter Schlamb: vibes.

Ray’s Way

Tracks: Ray’s Way; Manhatta; You Never Know; Song for Nury; Blues in the Closet; Bait Tone Blues; Ralph’s Piano Waltz; Echoing; Wing and a Prayer.

Personnel: David Binney: saxophone (1, 3 4, 6); Federico Turreni: soprano sax (8); John Abercrombie: guitar: 1, 2, 4, 7, 8); Mike Stern: guitar (3, 5, 6, 9); Joe Locke: vibes (1, 2, 4, 7, 8); Francois Moutin: bass (1-4, 6-8); Ned Mann: bass(5, 9); Ray Levier: drums.

Third Occasion

Tracks: Introducao; Third Occasion; This Naked Sunday; Squares and Palaces; Solo; Here is All The Love I Have; Explaining What’s Hidden; Blood of Cities; End.

Personnel: David Binney: alto saxophone; Craig Taborn: piano; Scott Colley: acoustic bass; Brian Blade: drums; Ambrose Akinmusire: trumpet; Brad Mason: trumpet, flugelhorn; Corey King: trombone; Andy Hunter: trombone.

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Heres a JazzTimes.com review of Sam Yahel’s “Hometown” CD….

www.jazztimes.com
Sam Yahel
Hometown
By Susan Frances

Pianist/organist/composer Sam Yahel has found his melodic voicing on his latest solo record Hometown from Posi-Tone Records. After having performed as a sideman for such notable recording artists as Norah Jones, Joshua Redman, and Jim Rotondi, Yahel is stepping onto the frontlines of modern improvisation with his trio, which additionally comprises of bassist Matt Penman and drummer Jochen Ruckert. The graceful curves of Yahel’s lines, the simmering lolls of Penman’s bass grooves, and the quick-silver flicks of Ruckert’s drum sticks canvassing the snare drums are striking and exert the energy of a well-seasoned trio. The threesome has tailored a litany of improvisations which keep them volleying the ball among themselves, and creating an ambience that is suited for supper clubs and mood music for cocktails at music lounges.

The bluesy glint in “Blue Pepper” is soothing and liken to the music of Norah Jones. The animated agility in Yahel’s ruffled keys and Ruckert’s quickly rotating drum loops in “Think Of One” are reminiscent of the theme songs featured in Charles Schultz’s cartoons for the Peanuts Gang. Yahel’s briskly moving sweeps through “Jealous Guy” produce a sarong of serried rhapsodies and buoyant propulsions while the deep tones of the bass in “Oumou” move in woozy patterns. Yahel displays a nonchalant swagger in his finger movements along “United,” and smooth pensively cobbled pathways through “Moonlight In Vermont.” The improvisations add timely sprinkles and surges of rapidly furled lines through “My ideal.” Yahel’s piano keys are the cogs that keep the melody’s wheels rolling, while the rhythm section establishes the pace of the canter along the rides like in the reclining grooves of “So Long.” The straight-ahead jazz schematics of “River Song” and the title track have a pleasant ruffling and silky ramparts that listeners can seclude themselves in like a cozy café filled with twinkling improvisations and flexible grooves.

Yahel’s compositions show accoutrements of progressive jazz elements as well as several nuances steep in straight-ahead jazz. Hometown is an ambitious effort that challenges Yahel’s talents and displays his ability to harmonize with his bassist and drummer. His movements are natural, and provide the tunes with lifts when they are appropriate and folds where they need to be. His instincts are sharp and his voicing is lyrical even as his improvisations show gymnastic-like jumps and furls. His compositions take the listener out of living a hum-drum existence and provide excursions that are plentiful in unexpected turns.

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A nice All About Jazz piece about guitarist Yotam Silberstein’s CD “Next Page”

Yotam Next Page

allaboutjazz.com

Next Page
Yotam Silberstein | Posi-Tone Records (2009)

Next Page has been pegged as an organ trio disc. The problem with that is saxman Chris Cheek appears on five of the disc’s nine cuts. True, keyboardist Sam Yahel never lays out, but to completely dismiss Cheek’s role in Yotam Silberstein’s second release as a leader—even for simplicity’s sake—is to ignore a range of color that helps make Next special.

Simplicity is what this date is all about, as Silberstein’s unadorned hollow-body guitar work freely invites comparisons to releases from the heyday of Blue Note Records. In that light, when Silberstein adds Cheek’s multi-faceted tenor to the mix, one specific Blue Note release springs to mind: Grant Green’s Grantstand (Blue Note, 1961), where Green and then-employer “Brother” Jack McDuff teamed with tenor man Yusef Lateef and drummer Al Harewood to create that contradiction in terms, an underrated classic.

Like fellow countryman Roni Ben-Hur, Silberstein eschews any effects not available before 1965, which makes his waltzing opener “Borsht” an easy doppelganger for a lost track from Green’s prime. Silberstein’s licks have the same elegant, enticing quality that stood Green in good stead until his death in 1978. Willie Jones III keeps the drums minimal, giving his leader plenty of room to move; Yahel is right with Jones in the “Man Who Wasn’t There” contest, fading in just long enough to make a point before retreating into the background. Yahel’s attack isn’t as rich as McDuff’s, but the modern textures Yahel gives “Borsht” (and the entire date) is one factor that makes Next a 21st-century heavyweight, and not a wannabe dreaming of a long-gone 52nd Street.

Another 21st-century factor is Cheek, one of this generation’s more interesting reed players. On the Silberstein original “Jalastra,” Cheek displays the spare, site-specific sound he’s best known for. Between his work and Yahel’s own bubbling contributions, “Jalastra” is the most contemporary track on the date. Cheek’s initial appearance on Peter Tinturin’s “Foolin’ Myself” has an exaggerated quality that could be seen as parody; in actuality, it’s really just a latter-day approach to the piece that lets Silberstein launch a tantalizing counter before the tune’s first solo spot even arrives.

That’s not to say Cheek doesn’t get with the Old School program: With a little more fuzz, his solo on the lush ballad “Canção” could have sprouted from the bell of another Blue Note legend, Dexter Gordon. Yahel’s got a right to play the blues because he does it so darned well, as he demonstrates on the next great action-movie theme song, “Blues for 007,” and he puts a little extra swirl into “Ani Eshtagea,” a song from Silberstein’s childhood in Israel. While Jones seems to relish his support role on Next, he steps out in fine bombastic style on the out section of a sizzling “If Ever I Would Leave You.”

Despite all the Grant Green parallels, Yotam Silberstein isn’t piggy-backing on memories. He’s forging his own path with skill and style, and Next Page could lead to one long, good book.

Track listing: Borsht; Foolin

Personnel: Yotam Silberstein: guitar; Sam Yahel: organ; Willie Jones III: drums; Chris Cheek: tenor sax.

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Here’s the Audiophile Audition piece on Rotondi’s Blues for Brother Ray CD…

Jim Rotondi – Blues for Brother Ray – Posi-Tone

A rather special addition to the Ray Charles tributes.

Jim Rotondi – Blues for Brother Ray – Posi-Tone PR8045, 52:01 ****1/2:

(Jim Rotondi, trumpet; Eric Alexander, tenor sax; Peter Bernstein, guitar; Mike LeDonne, organ; Joe Farnsworth, drums)

Jim Rotondi has always been one of my favorite young jazz trumpeters. His playing has added much to the super hard bop group, One For All, who are the closest thing to a classic Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers band for the new millennium. This reviewer eagerly awaits each One For All release as they bring a fresh approach to 50s-60s Blue Note quality hard bop.

When I heard that Rotondi had released a tribute CD to Ray Charles, I had hope that this would not be another rote addition to the numerous Ray Charles tributes that have inundated CD shelves at your local store. Charles was always loved and appreciated even when he rested on his laurels late in his career. With his passing, he has been re-appreciated for the genius that he was. Charles covered all the bases from R & B, soul, jazz, and even country. Few if any others can make claim to his fearlessness in bringing his soul touch to even the most mundane song. His numerous versions of “Georgia” will never be matched.

Rotondi’s paean to Brother Ray has all the elements of what is needed to pass the test. Of course, we have the Rotondi trumpet power, finesse with brashness. Who better to take on the requisite tenor sax post than Eric Alexander, who to me has taken on the leading role as young tenor becoming a fixture on the jazz scene, and likely to move into the future as “our” old school quality tenor for the newer generation of jazz fans. A smart choice was including Peter Bernstein to play guitar, as Peter is THE first choice jazz guitarist for a hard bop or soul jazz session. When Dr. Lonnie Smith comes calling for a guitarist, Peter is often his man, which is a compliment bar none. Mike LeDonne, who can equally shine on piano or organ, here gets to add the funk needed on organ.

Rotondi covers all Charles classics you’d expect from What’d I Say, Baby It’s Cold Outside, Cry Me a River, to, of course, Georgia. Each has a freshness, yet enough of a Charles read, that you can’t help cracking a knowing smile as you know that the inimitable Ray Charles would have given his head nodding approval.Posi-Tone is a relatively new label with less than ten releases. Jim Rotondi’s Blues for Brother Ray, will certainly have music lovers checking out their web site for other releases. A positive marketing move for Posi-Tone!

TrackList: What’d I Say, Baby It’s Cold Outside, Brother Ray, Cry Me a River, One Mint Julep, Makin Whoopee, Lonely Avenue, Georgia
-Jeff Krow

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OK, for once we’re simply speechless…. Please check out this article about our three latest releases that just came in from All About Jazz….

www.allaboutjazz.com

Posi-Tone Records: More Home Runs with Mike DiRubbo, Ralph Bowen, Sean Nowell

by J Hunter

If Posi-Tone Records was a major league baseball team, it would be at the top of its division. So far in 2009, the label has had big wins with Sam Yahel’s piano trio debut Hometown and guitarist Yotam Silberstein’s overall debut Next Page, not to mention former Ray Charles sideman, trumpeter Jim Rotondi’s heartfelt tribute to his former leader, Blues for Brother Ray.

Now Posi-Tone sends three sax players—two tenors, one alto—to the plate, and the result is back-to-back-to-back home runs.

Mike DiRubbo
Repercussion
Posi-Tone Records
2009

Choosing vibraphonist Steve Nelson for a primary foil may not be exactly traditional, but Mike DiRubbo (the aforementioned alto player) most certainly is. That’s not surprising, given that his mentor and instructor was Jackie McLean. There’s never a sense of struggle or angst in DiRubbo’s approach, even though lively originals like “Lunar” and the title track offer opportunities for such expressions. Instead, DiRubbo projects a marvelous sense of self-assurance as he happily shares space with Nelson. In turn, Nelson practically glows with lyricism on Dave Brubeck’s “The Duke” and takes a well-deserved spotlight on the soaring “Nelsonian.”

Repercussion was the last session Tony Reedus worked before his untimely death in 2008, and the drummer couldn’t have left a better impression. His foundation work and interplay with bassist Dwayne Burno is flawless, and Reedus’ out-solo on the title track rolls and thunders over Nelson and Burno’s relentless vamp. DiRubbo’s been playing and recording for over 15 years, so he’s no rookie. That said, there’s a youthful exuberance underlying DiRubbo’s classic approach, and that’s the kind of spark jazz needs to keep moving in the 21st century. Repercussion has no frills—that is, there is no wasted motion or unnecessary histrionics. It’s just good clean jazz, and the 21st century needs that, too.

dedicatedRalph Bowen
Dedicated
Posi-Tone Records
2009

Ralph Bowen’s best quality as a tenor player is said to be his “casual perfectionism.” Maybe that’s true, but there’s nothing casual about Dedicated, a collection of musical shout-outs to the mentors that helped shape Bowen’s sound and career—a roster that includes Eugene Rousseau (one of Bowen’s instructors at the University of Indiana) and legendary saxman (and fellow Canadian) Pat LaBarbera. Rousseau’s tribute, “E.R.,” features Bowen in the clear, playing mournfully longing saxophone guaranteed to break hearts, while “Pat” has bassist John Patitucci flying acrobatics as drummer Antonio Sanchez serves up a juicy counter to Bowen’s cascading solo. That this music is about people that matter to Bowen can’t be disputed; “casual” doesn’t enter into the equation.

Bowen’s foil—guitarist Adam Rogers—evokes Charles Lloyd’s partnership with John Abercrombie in the late 1990s. Rogers eschews laser-guided effects in favor of a traditional approach that buoys the session. His passion on “Canary Drums” accentuates Bowen’s estimable presence; and Rogers jumps and shouts on “Qaiyam” while Patitucci thoroughly crushes the hard-bop bass line. Bowen teams with trumpeter Sean Jones on the appropriately titled “Mr. Bebop” to bring sparkling colors to the best track on the disc. Unfortunately, while all the music on Dedicated is terrific, Jones’ cameo on “Bebop” begs the question whether he could have made the other tracks sound even better.

Sean Nowell
The Seeker
Posi-Tone Records
2009

Instead of The Seeker, Sean Nowell could have used “New York Vibe” as the title for his second Posi-Tone disc. The blistering opening track oozes Big Apple attitude, though not from the current century. The feeling is closer to a mid-20th century Apple, with Checker cabs flying across the Brooklyn Bridge and candle-lit supper clubs thick with cigarette smoke. Nowell’s bold, snarling tenor could have easily come from that era, and Art Hirahara’s percussive piano is just as muscular. Together they bring an uncompromising East Coast mindset to flame-throwing Nowell originals and timeless standards.

It’s not all strolls down the sidewalks of Noo Yawk. Cellist Dave Eggar sends the East Coast vibe into a Middle Eastern direction with a mystical version of the Yiddish traditional “Oy Matze Matze.” Eggar also brings out the loss in a melancholy opening section of Lennon & McCartney’s “I Will,” and contributes exquisite harmony to to Nowell’s own “Jamie’s Decision.” (Nowell takes the harmony a step further by double-tracking himself on flute.) The Seeker is like a Mariano Rivera fastball: it flies right down Broadway, daring anyone to try and lay a bat on it. That won’t happen, because there’s nothing to do but nod in admiration as the ball flies by, straight and true.

Tracks and Personnel

Repercussion

Tracks: Repercussion; The Duke; Lunar; Highbridge Lullaby; Nightfall; Deja Vu; Too Late Now; Nelsonian; Pisces Rising.

Personnel: Mike DiRubbo: alto sax; Steve Nelson: vibes; Dwayne Burno: bass; Tony Reedus: drums.

Dedicated

Tracks: Canary Drums; Pat; Qaiyam; Mr. Bebop; Prof; E.R.

Personnel: Ralph Bowen: tenor sax; Adam Rogers: guitar; John Patitucci: bass; Antonio Sanchez: drums; Sean Jones: trumpet (4).

The Seeker

Tracks: New York Vibe; You Don’t Know What Love Is; Oy Matze Matze; Dunavski Park; Jamie’s Decision; For All Intensive Purposes; I Will; I Remember You.

Personnel: Sean Nowell: tenor sax, clarinet, flute; Art Hirahara: piano; Thomas Kneeland: bass; Joe Abbantantuono: drums; Dave Eggar: cello (3, 5, 7); Nir Felder: guitar (6).

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Raul D’Gama Rose’s AAJ review for “Due Reverence”…

www.allaboutjazz.com

Due Reverence is a gem of an album from beginning to end. All five compositions by its protagonist, tenor saxophonist Ralph Bowen, deserve high praise for outstanding invention and impeccable execution. These are erudite compositions, delving not just into musical characters, but more than anything else, empathizing with them, emoting with them by taking turns on a trapeze of highs and lows with swooping changes in tone and manner. And best of all there is incredible rhythmic invention in each of the musical elegies—from a walking and trotting swing to a challenging shuffle-skip-and-fly rhythm executed in a most unfettered way.

It would seem that Bowen is a magnificent observer and digs deep into the musical minds of those of whom he wishes to sing praise. His spry song “Less Is More,” dedicated to the esteemed guitarist Ted Dunbar, begins with a parsimonious statement of the theme by guitarist Adam Rogers. This is followed with a wonderful ensemble offering that includes spectacular arco bass from John Patitucci, subtle shading from the guitarist towards the middle passage of the song, with drummer Antonio Sanchez last to enter the proceedings gracefully and superb throughout. It’s such a wonderfully warm and gushing start to this set. “This One’s For Bob,” the tribute to renowned reeds player and big band star Bob Mintzer, is a breakout composition, full of delightful rhythmic twists and turns and features an especially stellar turn by Sanchez.

“Phil-osophy” is a tribute to revered Canadian composer and clarinetist, Phil Nimmons. The song dissects Nimmons’ art with great warmth and a fine sense of aestheticism. Perhaps the most remarkable aspect of the song is its use of tonal colors, with the tenor saxophone playing gravely against the fluttering extravagance of Rogers’s guitar while the rest of the band provide vivid background shades. “Mr. Scott” is remarkable too. Against the swagger of its swing Bowen develops a truly memorable encounter with Professor James Scott, his flute teacher at Rutgers University, whose spirit pervades the shadows of the song. Here at last is the vehicle for trumpeterSean Jones, who rises to the occasion with soaring grace. “Points Encountered” tells the story of how flutist Robert Dick re-invented the art of breathing to influence a whole generation of horn players that came in his wake.

Throughout the album Bowen is an imposing voice whose luscious tone bounces off stentorian canvases of sound. He is graceful and erudite, playing long lines with class and such superb control that there is no telling where he will leap next. He is involved in his statements that move in a linear manner, but often leap about vertically and sometimes with such great flights of fancy that they are breathtakingly memorable. This is a courageous record that sticks to its narrow corridor achieving great depth and scope by drawing attention to hidden aspects of music so apt to be lost in the glitz and glamor of commercialism.

 

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Brand new review of Ralph Bowen’s latest CD “Dedicated” featuring guitarist Adam Rogers, bassist John Patitucci, and drummer Antonio Sanchez…

bowen-dedicated

www.bass-musician-magazine.com

by Damien Erskine

Ralph Bowen
“Dedicated”
www.ralphbowen.com

This new release from Ralph Bowen is a real gift. Featuring Adam Rogers (gtr), John Patitucci (bs), Antonio Sanchez (drms) and Sean Jones (trmpt) this recording is a real swinging tour-de-force. Aside from the fact that these are some of my favorite players, both Ralph’s playing and compositional skills really shine here. His playing is truly virtuosic and the writing is supremely interesting, swinging and never “heady”.

Ralph is every bit the monster that his counterparts here are… With beautiful tone, endlessly creative and interesting solos and an ear for melody that I long for. With so many of the jazz releases these days seeming a bit typical or predictable, there is something that these guys bring to the table here that is refreshing yet familiar. Without a track by track play-by-play, I can assure you that this is some of the most compelling and inventive music I’ve heard in some time. These guys are bringing it in a big way! This is one of the few CDs I come across that didn’t just make it into my home computer’s iTunes library, it now also resides in my mp3 player and will for some time!

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Here’s something just in from Jazztimes.com about Jim Rotondi’s latest CD “Blues for Brother Ray”…

jazztimes.com

07/29/09 • Albums • By Susan Frances
Jim Rotondi
Blues For Brother Ray

Trumpeter Jim Rotondi pays homage to his mentor Ray Charles on his latest CD, Blues For Brother Ray out on Post-Tone Records. Joining him on the recording are Eric Alexander on tenor saxophone, Peter Bernstein on guitar, Mike LeDonne on organ, and Joe Farnsworth on drums. Rotondi’s recording is like the Bentley among blues jazz recordings, his lines are classy and finely polished with instrument parts adjusted to allot for just the right amount of wiggle room to make the ride nicely cushioned. The cruising tempo of the movements puts sleek curves in the tracks making for a listening experience that lets the audience savor every slow, sipping slurp of their drink, and enjoy the hydrating droplets caress their throat.

Rotondi’s trumpet has an upright posture that keeps these tracks feeling cheerful as LeDonne’s soft piano moans work as the base for Rotondi’s fanciful flights. The tracks meld into each other as if they are a visceral part of one another. Blues For Brother Ray is an album that requires the listener to consume it as a whole. Rotondi’s interpretation of some of Ray Charles’ best material including “Georgia,” “Cry Me A River” and “Baby It’s Cold Outside” display posh detailing as instrument parts are smoothly intertwined and sutured into lacy furls and vibrant knittings. The blues jazz gilding is welcoming on the ears using an application that creates a continental sound familiar to the global collective.

Making Ray Charles’ songs universally likeable seems easy since they are naturally catchy, but Rotondi also upgrades the tracks to sound modern using rhythmic patterns which infuse blues jazz aureoles with a refreshing glint. It helps that Rotondi has appeared on some seventy CD’s in the past, in addition to being a bandleader which has provided him with the sensibilities to not only remake Charles’ music but also to understand where Charles was coming from and where he wanted his songs to take audiences. Rotondi makes all of this possible on Blues For Brother Ray.