Tag: Art Hirahara

burningambulance.com

The other day I bought an album from eMusic, and by the end of the second track I already regretted it. I won’t tell you what record it was; I’ll just say it was the second album by a young alto saxophonist (the only album of his available on eMusic), and as I posted on Twitter yesterday, I should have taken the fact that it had the word “Cerebral” right there in the title as a warning. My own fault.

Here’s the thing. I have no problem with jazz musicians being smart. You’ve gotta have a certain baseline level of intelligence to want to play jazz, period. I just wish certain players wouldn’t advertise their smarts (or, more accurately, their level of education) quite so crudely in their compositions. Don’t launch an album with two minutes of unaccompanied, twisty-turny, knuckle-popping saxophone acrobatics and then slowly drift into some midtempo, rhythmically complex but melodically wan exercise in tricky scales and harmonic befuddlement. Start with a song. A composition that’ll stick in the listener’s ear and brain, something that’ll make them put your CD in the player a second, third and fourth time, anticipating hearing that hook again.

Australian-born, New York-based saxophonist Nick Hempton (also an alto player, by the way) understands this. The second CD by his quartet, The Business, is the product of a sharp and witty mind (track titles include “Press One for Bupkis,” “Not Here for a Haircut,” and “Flapjacks in Belo”), but it’s also the work of a kick-ass band. When they swing, they do it like they want you to get up and dance. There are sections of the piece “From Bechet, Byas and Fats,” a nearly nine-minute burner at the disc’s midpoint, that sound like they’re heading into Louis Jordan territory. And how does The Business begin? With “Flapjacks in Belo,” a piece that takes a Brazilian rhythm, then lights its tail feathers on fire. Meanwhile, the melody line is more than memorable; it’s practically unforgettable. It’s one of those hooks you’ll wish was available as a ringtone.

The whole record is like this. Even on ballads (there are two, of 10 tracks total), these guys burn it down. The band includes pianistArt Hirahara, bassist Marco Panascia, drummer Dan Aran, and guitarist Yotam Silberstein, all but one of whom are part of Hempton’s working band. So maybe you should go check them out, minus Silberstein, when they celebrate the album’s release with a performance at Smalls on Saturday.

Posi-Tone Records, Hempton’s label and the subject of an article in the current print edition of Burning Ambulance, has provided me with five copies of The Business to give away. Want one? You should. To get one, email burningambulance@gmail.com and tell me the names of a few of your favorite alto sax-led recordings (albums, individual tracks, whatever). You’ve got a week; winners will be chosen on Friday, September 2.

– Phill Freeman

www.allaboutjazz.com

Saxophonist Nick Hempton’s decision to call his second album The Business might be a comment on the commercial nature of jazz, or it might be a rather hubristic statement about the nature of his own music. Big, fat grooves, a real sense of swing, strong melodies and even stronger rhythms suggest that Hempton is right to name this album The Business on both counts: because this is a high-quality collection of straight-ahead jazz with an immediate accessibility.

Hempton, originally from Australia and now resident in New York, formed his band in 2005. The quartet appeared on his debut recording, the self-produced Nick Hempton Band (2009). Now signed to Posi-Tone, the original lineup is back for this second album’s collection of Hempton originals plus two fascinating covers.

Hempton is equally adept on alto and tenor saxophones. On alto, his tone is dry and crisp, lending itself well to up-tempo, swinging numbers like “Flapjacks In Belo” or the slinky “Press One For Bupkis.” His tone is somewhat warmer and more rounded on tenor, giving a smoky, late-night sound to the band’s bluesy take on Don Redman’s “Gee Baby, Ain’t I Good To You.”

Six years working together ensures that the band is tight and cohesive. Bassist Marco Panasciaand drummer Dan Aran form a solid rhythmic foundation, and both display invention in their soloing. Guest guitarist Yotam Silberstein is used sparingly but to good effect, bringing a lightness of touch to his solo on “Cold Spring Fever” and joining Hempton in some fluid unison playing on “Carry On Up The Blues.” Pianist Art Hirahara is also an effective rhythm player, adding some understated lines to underpin Hempton’s lead playing. When Hirahara gets the chance to solo he shows himself to have a similar lightness and fluidity of his own, his solo on “Not Here For A Haircut” precise but swinging.

While the band’s style is generally straight-ahead, blues is at the core of much of the music, lending it an emotional connection that’s not always present in the contemporary mainstream.The Business is commercial, but not at the expense of the music’s heart.

Track Listing: Flapjacks In Belo; Art Is In The Groove; Gee Baby, Ain’t I Good To You; Press One For Bupkis; From Bechet, Byas And Fats; Encounter At E; Cold Spring Fever; Not Here For A Haircut; The Wading Game; Carry On Up The Blues.

Personnel: Nick Hempton: alto saxophone, tenor saxophone; Art Hirahara: piano; Marco Panascia: bass; Dan Aran: drums; Yotam Silberstein: guitar (2, 7, 10).

jazzandblues.blogspot.com

www.steptempest.blogspot.com

Saxophonist Nick Hempton has got something good going-on in his sophomore release, “The Business”  (Posi-Tone Records). If you just put the CD on and go about your business, this sounds like fairly solid, straight-ahead, “post-bop.”  When you listen closely, you hear a real band at work.  Whether it’s singing, swinging, lines of bassist Marco Panascia or the inventive drumming of Dan Aran, this music is, for the most part, filled with joyous moments.  Then, there are the voicings and flights of fancy from pianist Art Hirahara and all one needs is some good tunes to “blow” on. Mr. Hempton, a native of Australia, has been leading the band for the better part of 5 years and one can easily hear that they are comfortable with each other. Guitarist Yotam Silberstein joins the group on a number of tracks and he, too, fits right in.

Whether it’s the martial strut of the drums on “Press One for Bupkis” (with a melody line that echoes that of “To Life” (from “Fiddler on the Roof”) or the low-down blues of Don Redman’s “Gee Baby, Ain’t I Good to You” (where Hempton’s tenor has the weight of the best work of Ben Webster), this is so much more than “background” music.  The other “cover” tune is an inspired choice.  The quartet dances its way through Rahsaan Roland Kirk’s “From Bechet, Byas, and Fats“- in the second half of the song, the band doubles the pace for a romp of a solo from Hirahara followed by a ever-shifting exchange of the drummer with the rest of the group.  Hempton displays a lighter tone on the handsome ballad “Encounter at E“; listen to the piano accompaniment, spare yet effective or Aran’s “conversational” drums and the way Panascia propels the piece (nice, melodic, solo as well.)  Everyone gets “funky” for “Not Here For a Haircut“, Hirahara’s Fender Rhodes dancing atop the “fatback” drums, the chunky rhythm guitar and the bouncing bass.  Hempton, in contrast, takes a measured solo, filled with melodic flourishes, giving way to Silberstein’s bluesy turn.  There’s a bit extra bounce in everyone’s step on the closing tune, a “hot” number called “Carry On Up The Blues.” This is definitely one of the “happier” blues tunes you’ll ever hear.

The CD is in Nick Hempton’s name and, while he wrote the majority of the tunes, the success of this music is in the spirited work of all involved.  If somebody going to give you “The Business“, don’t say no!

www.allaboutjazz.com

lucidculture.wordpress.com

Classic Tunefulness from Nick Hempton

File this one under melodic jazz composition – really, really good, interesting tunes and tasteful playing, classic late 50s/early 60s style. On saxophonistNick Hempton’s new album The Business, the blues is always lurking somewhere, if not always centerstage, one reason why the hooks are so strong. Hempton goes for a clean, uncluttered tone and favors melody over ostentatious blowing. The first-class band on this session includes Art Hiraharaon piano, Yotam Silberstein (who also appears on Jordan Young’s excellent new quartet album) on guitar, Marco Panascia on bass and Dan Aran on drums. Hempton has a thing for minor keys – his tunes often have a sardonic wit and a refreshing unpredictability, and the band rises to the occasion.

The first track is titled Flapjacks in Belo, samba-tinged with a long Hempton solo, Hirahara in late-night expansive mood, with a trick ending (something that will recur here, very enjoyably). The somewhat tongue-in-cheek Art Is in the Groove is a brisk retro swing tune seen through the prism of the early 70s, Hirahara delivering a period-perfect Joe Sample-ish solo on Rhodes, letting those reverb tones ring out for all they’re worth. One of only two covers here, Don Redman’s Gee Baby Ain’t I Good to You gets going reaaaal slow, Hempton stays low and cool but then crescendos almost imperceptibly. The other, Rahsaan Roland Kirk’s From Bechet, Byas and Fats is a real blast: it’s got a bass solo that’s almost a banjo tune, a lickety-split, sly Hirahara solo at doublespeed and a deliciously dark, bluesily climactic outro. It’s obviously a live showstopper for these guys.

Another real stunner here is the offhandedly moody Press One for Bupkis, Hirahara’s crescendo hitting the spot very satisfyingly, Hempton taking his time winding it out with suspenseful ambiguity. Likewise, the brooding jazz waltz The Wading Game has Panascia carrying its weight with an unexpected grace, Hirahara going out into the dark and coming back joyously, Hempton ratcheting up the intensity with a vividly bittersweet solo. The pensive ballad Encounter in E artfully works variations on a subtly modal bass theme up to a slinky bounce, Panascia’s matter-of-factly wary solo one of the album’s high points. With its casual sway, Cold Spring Fever is a showcase for both Silberstein’s rhythm playing (he goes into staggered ska for a bit underneath Hempton’s hazily acidic melody) as well as a nimble solo. The catchy, playful Not Here for a Haircut alternates between scurrying shuffle and straight-up swing – Hirahara once again can’t wait to get in on the fun and flip the script on the listener. The album ends on a jaunty note with the pretty self-explanatory Carry on up the Blues. Yet another winner from the Posi-Tone label, who are really on a roll this year.

saxshed.com

Native Australian saxophonist Nick Hempton has recently released “The Business” on Posi-tone Records. Hempton plays both alto and tenor saxophone as well as having composed all but one of the tunes on his second release. Hempton is joined by fellow bandmates Art Hirahara, piano; Yotam Silberstein; guitar; Marco Panascia; bass and Dan Aran on drums.

Nick Hempton’s quintet on “The Business” represents a 6-year relationship for the group. They are a cohesive unit who often work together in New York City and beyond, not just another studio all-star group who have assembled for one recording.

Hempton chooses to open up with hisFlapjacks In Belo, a medium-up bossa played on alto saxophone. The spirited group has a traditional, mainstream sound – very easy on the ears. Hempton weaves through the changes effortlessly while his rhythm section confidently accompanies behind him. Hirahara’s piano solo and particularly Dan Aran’s drums behind the same are also highpoints hit on the opening tune.

The hard-swinging Art Is In The Groove reveals that Nick Hempton is equally comfortable on tenor sax. Hirahara’s electric piano lends a wonderful sonic diversion from the acoustic piano heard previously. Marco Panascia and Yotam Silberstein chug along on bass and guitar respectively eventually setting up things for Hempton’s tenor. Among Hempton’s influences listed is Dexter Gordon. His general concept of time, feel and sound are clearly reminiscent of the late great tenor player, yet not a copy at all. Silberstein solos followed by an easily overlooked killer swing vamp before the return of the final melody.

After hearing Hempton on both alto and tenor I could hear qualities of both horns on Gee Baby, Ain’t I Good To You. The slow and swinging blues played on tenor provides a perfect opportunity for Hempton and the rest of the group to get down and dirty.

Hempton returns to the alto again for Press One for Bupkis, which is one of the three longest cuts on “The Business.” It is not completely obvious that the tune is set to 5/4 time from the onset. The group swings and the soloists play effortlessly over this odd time signature, which at least partially feels like a jazz waltz.

From Bechet, Byas, And Fats allows Marco Panascia to take a chorus on bass for the first time. As the title implies, this cut draws upon an earlier jazz tradition, weaving in and out of various swing feels. The abrupt accelerando about midway into the tune results in a shift in time to a  new, blistering pace. Hirahara, and particularly Hempton demonstrate that they have no problem playing tempos. Even Dan Aran gets and opportunity to trade a bit on drums.

The sparse and brooding, Encounter At E begins with the two main voices of alto and piano that is then augmented by bass and drums. The tune gains momentum periodically only to fade back into a near blank sonic canvas.

Up to this point in the recording nothing has sounded quite like Cold Spring Fever. The rock feel in Aran’s drums along with Silberstein’s syncopated guitar comping suggest a much different palette from which the soloists to choose.

Not Here For A Haircut further lends credence to the fact that Nick Hempton and his group can play tempos. This up-tempo barnburner first features Hempton on alto, which is presumably his most comfortable voice. Hirahara solos while Hempton and the rest add some well-placed kicks behind the pianist.  Not to be outdone by the others, Dan Aran showcases some quick hands on two short but well-executed drum breaks before the melody out.

Panascia gets an unusual solo spot right up front on the quiet and subdued waltz The Wading Game.Both Hirahara and Hempton solo as their choruses begin to swing harder only a few bars in. Hempton weaves a wonderful solo before returning to the melody.

Among my favorite tunes recorded on Nick Hempton’s “The Business” is the final track Carry On Up The Blues. This is the perfect closer. Hempton swings hard outlining the harmonies and occasionally taking it out just enough to spice things up. Silberstein solos on guitar taking it slow and simple at first. He then proceeds to string together a series of 8^th note lines interspersed with tritones and blues licks. The two play the melody in  a fitting unison to put the period on the end of the sentence that is “The Business.”

The press kit that accompanies Nick Hempton’s “The Business” reveals that Hempton’s youth was “misspent playing Rhythm & Blues and Ska…” Although some may see time spent learning outside the jazz tradition as less than optimal, Nick Hempton has turned it into a style. It appears this diverse set of influences early on indeed makes Hempton’s jazz “original, approachable, and always swinging.”

You can find out more about Nick Hempton and other innovative recordings at www.posi-tone.com

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