Tag: Brian Charette

Posted on by

Tom Tallitsch “All Together Now” is reviewed by BuzzardTracks

http://buzzardtracks.blogspot.com

C1010

 

 

 

 

Tom Tallitsch. All Together Now.

Posi-Tone Records, 2015.  Tom Tallitsch: http://www.tomtallitsch.com/

It must be the season for good jazz releases. Tom Tallitsch’s last CD, Ride, was reviewed here about a year ago, and his releases seem to be coming at a faster rate than ever.  His third album for Posi-Tone brings back two of his bandmates from last year, bassist Peter Brendler and trombonist Michael Dease, replaces the pianist and drummer, and adds an alto sax player Mike DiRubbo for some higher notes. The result is a somewhat richer and fuller sound. Nine of the eleven tunes are originals, with a Zappa composition and one by Robbie Robertson rounding out the set.

Tallitsch covers some of the same ground as he did on the last release, but here he emphasizes gospel and blues. Case in point, “The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down,” a classic piece of Americana in the hands of The Band, becomes a gospel showpiece in the hands of this band.  While the gospel influence was always there, Tallitsch really brings it to the front, even while sticking close to the melody. The style is revisited in the closing track, “Arches,” one of his own tunes. Tallitsch plays it light, sweet, and slow, with some lovely solo work by several of the band members. The tune has the same sad, downward drift as the “Midnight Cowboy Theme” (it took me a few minutes to recall what this reminded me of).  On the blues side, “Uncle Remus” takes us furthest into that style, with some delicious keyboard work by Brian Charette, while the Zappa/Duke song “Greasy Over Easy” delivers in similar fashion, with a bit of a soul twist.

Elsewhere, we hear a lot of fine tunes, some faster, some slower, each creating its own space and delivering a different view of the group’s work. “Passages,” the opener, gives everybody a quick solo in fast tempo, as if it were an overture to the rest of the album. “Slippery Rock” takes a slower pace with Tallitsch and DiRubbo trading off on their saxes.  “Border Crossing” lets the group sound nearly like a big band with saxes and trombone all playing in unison, and “Curmudgeon” does the same, but gives Michael Dease a nice chance to be featured with some soulful trombone. “Medicine Man” sounds like Paul Desmond is nearby. Nearly everywhere Brian Charette adds to the mix or provides short pithy solos that sometimes quote familiar tunes. Underneath it all is the fine rhythm section of Brendler and Ferber, anchoring the group strongly, but never ostentatiously so, and occasionally surfacing for a short feature. Sometimes I mention a favorite tune, but here I can’t. They’re all good.

All Together Now gives Tallitsch the opportunity to show off his arranging skills and melodic sensibilities, which are considerable. All of the musicians do an excellent job individually, but the great thing about this album is the ensemble feel.  While everyone gets their chances to solo, just as often two instruments are paired up, and the interplay between them creates fascinating textures throughout. Nobody dominates, and as a result, the title is an apt description of what goes on here. The only thing missing is the Beatles song.
Personnel:  Tom Tallitsch (tenor sax), Mike DiRubbo (alto sax), Michael Dease (trombone), Brian Charette (piano, organ), Peter Brendler (bass), Mark Ferber (drums).
Tracks: Passages, The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down, Slippery Rock, Big Sky, Border Crossing, Curmudgeon, Uncle Remus, Medicine Man, Greasy Over Easy, Dunes, Arches.

 

Jeff Wanser

 

 

Posted on by

All About Jazz reviews Doug Webb “Triple Play”…

C1010

 

 

 

 

www.allaboutjazz.com

Is there a better way to say “Jazz” than a wailing saxophone? Tenor sax guy Doug Webb has found a one: three wailing saxophones, a killer organ guy and a dynamic, full-of-surprises, rhythmic wizard of a drummer, on Triple Play.


His fifth recording on Posi-Tone Records—a label that follows closely in the footsteps of the iconic Blue Note Records straight ahead sound of the 50s and 60s—Webb teams with fellow sax veterans Walt Weiskopf and Joel Frahm in a spirited front line if ever there was one. The program burns from beginning to end, starting with the leaders “Jones,” rolling out with some high energy three horn harmony before shifting into a series of growling, honking, full flame solo slots, one saxophone after the other. Laying the solid, wall-of-sweet-breeze backdrop is Brian Charette on organ, and the ever rambunctious relative newcomer, drummer Rudy Royston.

John Coltrane‘s challenging “Giant Steps” is taken with the all-eight-cylinders-firing acceleration, sheets of sound saxophone notes all around, with Charette slipping in short organ bursts burning up from the off-kilter turbulence of Royston’s drum work.

For those in the mood to kick back and soak up a rousing, mood-elevating blowing session, this is it. Never a dull moment, with first rate tunes from Frahm and Weiskopf, a Cole Porter cover, “I Concentrate On You,” and soul saxophone legend Lou Donaldson’s “Alligator Boogie,” that gives organist Charette some space to blow the roof off the place. Nice!

— DAN MCCLENAGHAN

 
Posted on by

Brian Charette “Alphabet City” AAJ review by Bruce Lindsay

Brian Charette - Alphabet City cover

 

 

 

 

 

www.allaboutjazz.com/

Alphabet City is organist Brian Charette’s ninth album, titled for the part of Manhattan where he lives (in the building which featured on the cover of Led Zeppelin’s Physical Graffiti, apparently). He’s alongside guitarist Will Bernard and drummerRudy Royston, both familiar names on numerous other releases for Posi-tone Records: a standard, though high quality, organ trio, but the leader’s compositions give it a far-from-standard repertoire.

The 12 tunes, all originals, are all pretty short, pretty snappy and, in the case of the melancholy “White Lies,” pretty. Mostly, they’re mid-to up-tempo numbers, with Charette’s Hammond B-3 organ often adding a touch of soul. Fittingly for a musician with wide-ranging influences and a resume that includes work with Cyndi Lauper, Joni Mitchell,Lou Donaldson and Paul Simon the tunes on Alphabet City cover a broad spectrum of styles.

Charette has a nice line in notes about these tunes, explaining some of the titles and some of the musical constructs—sadly, they’re part of the press pack but not the album liner. So we learn that “Hungarian Major” uses a scale from Hungary—although that doesn’t explain the Frank Zappa-ish feel of Charette’s organ; “They Left Fred Out”—suitably funky, with Royston’s drumming at its punchy, driving, best—takes inspiration from James Brown and laments the absence of trombonist Fred Wesley from a Brown biopic; the prog-meets-fusion “Not A Purist” is influenced by Deep Purple and the Mahavishnu Orchestra.

While it’s intriguing to hear the Mahavishnu sound filtered through the lineup of an organ trio, the real pleasure of Alphabet City is in hearing Charette, Bernard and Royston moving with confidence through the blues, funk and jazz of “They Left Fred Out,” “East Village” or (with added ’70s country) “Sharpie Moustache.”

 

Posted on by

Interview with Brian Charette…

project-daybreak.com

Where did it all start for you? Has it always been your dream to be a musician?

I had a piano in my house I would walk down to it at around 3yrs old and would play it all day.

Do you still remember the very first record you ever bought?

AC/DC For Those About to Rock

How did your parents react, the first time you said, you wanted to be a musician?

Didn’t go over well.

 

Name something you’re bad at, but just love to do.

Sing.

You were the winner of Downbeat Critic’s poll “Rising Star” last year. Was it a big change for you?

Sure. It’s a big Validation of your art to win something. Especially from such a respected publication.

You are hooked on Prague, and resides there half of the time. Did you find the American Dream in Europe?

Do you mean hot girls? Yes.

 

If you could be any animal to roam the earth, what would you be?

A Human.

What’s the favorite part of your daily routine?

Eating.

Tell us about your book?

I give away all my secrets and then tell you not to practice.

 

If you could perform with anyone in the world, or even bring someone back to life, who would you chose?

John Lennon.

Your favorite thing to do when you’re bored?

I’m never bored.

What can we expect from you in 2015?

My new record Alphabet City and lots more great study materials.

 

What’s the top 3 of your bucketlist (10 things to do before i die) ?

See the Pyramids / Smoke a Cuban cigar in Cuba / learn to play Tabla in India.

 

 

Posted on by

Dan Bilawsky reviews Brian Charette “Alphabet City” for All About Jazz

Brian Charette - Alphabet City cover

 

 

 

 

allaboutjazz.com

Organist Brian Charette brings his A-game to Alphabet City. But who would expect anything else from this consummate artist? After delivering a covers-heavy program with two different trio lineups on Good Tipper (Posi-Tone, 2014), Charette returns here with an all-originals outing that finds him in the company of guitarist Will Bernard and drummer Rudy Royston.

Alphabet City, in some respects, is an ode to Charette’s New York city home, haunts and habits. But that minimizes the scope and influences connected to this project. In truth, this album, like nearly everything else in Charette’s discography, is about Charette’s entire world, not a single section of a city. His early musical passions, vast experience(s), and general love of music—be it bop-based, bright, burbling, bizarre, or built with Eastern European influences—are all wrapped together in his work.

While these three musicians work well as a single unit, each has his own respective gifts to share. Charette’s diversified approach to music-making manages to keep things fresh; Royston plays with a marriage of technique and taste, alternately delivering direct blows, worming his way into the heart of a groove, and playing around the edges of a piece; and Bernard straddles musical worlds, simultaneously pulling from jazz, soul, and funk bags. It’s an odd combination in some respects, but it works.

There’s modal music in odd time signatures (“Split Black”), ambling and carefree performances (“West Village”), and mysterious, Hungarian-influenced music to be heard here (“Hungarian Major”). Charette and company might be knee deep in bebop on one track (“East Village”), but the next number might go someplace completely different, as the trio explores some serious funk that questions the absence of a Fred Wesley figure in aJames Brown biopic (“They Left Fred Out”). There are also intentionally edgy, alien, and fusion-based pursuits (“Not A Purist”), energetically swinging blues excursions (“The Vague Reply”), and gospel-tinged peace offerings to admire (“White Lies”). 
Given Charette’s track record and the skills of the players involved, it should come as no surprise that Alphabet City is as good as it is.

Track Listing: East Village; They Left Fred Out; West Village; Not A Purist; Sharpie Moustache; Disco Nap; Hungarian Major; Avenua A; Detours; Split Back; White Lies; The Vague Reply.

Personnel: Brian Charette: organ; Will Bernard: guitar; Rudy Royston: drums.

 

Posted on by

Midwest Record reviews Brian Charette “Alphabet City”…

Brian Charette - Alphabet City cover

 

 

 

 

 

 

BRIAN CHARETTE/Alphabet City:  Anyone who doesn’t love swinging, tight, concise B3
jazz trio sizzle and steak can just leave this site now and not come back.  Charette
and his pals are bumping and jumping their way through a set of originals that show
there’s still plenty of originality that can be enjoyed in this format.  Great stuff
that smokes with the heat of the street, it’s a winner throughout.

 

Posted on by

Another nice review for Doug Webb “Triple Play”…

kenfrancklingjazznotes.blogspot.com

Doug Webb, Triple Play (Posi-Tone)

If you’re a hard-core tenor sax fan, this one’s for you. L.A.-based Doug Webb teamed with Joel Frahm and Walt Weiskopf for this triple-tenor recording, on which they’re nimbly supported by rising stars Brian Charette on organ and Rudy Royston on drums. They tackle a variety of jazz standards and originals (two apiece from Webb and Weiskopf, one from Frahm).The many gems include their takes on “Avalon,” ”I Concentrate on You” and Lou Donaldson’s burner, “Alligator Boogaloo,” as well as Weiskopf’s “Three’s a Crowd” and Lanny Morgan’s “Pail Blues.” There’s plenty of solo space to share, but they also excel at shout choruses and a saxophone choir feel as needed.

 

Posted on by

Richard Kamins reviews Tom Tallitsch “All Together Now”…

steptempest.com

Tenor saxophonist and composer Tom Tallitsch is also in CT this Friday (see below) and he, too, is celebrating the release of a new CD.  “All Together Now” is his 6th recording as a leader and the 3rd for Posi-Tone Records.   Fittingly, there are 6 musicians on the date; besides the leader, there’s Mike DiRubbo (alto saxophone), Michael Dease (trombone), Brian Charette (acoustic and electric pianos, organ), Peter Brendler (bass) and Mark Ferber (drums) – all but the drummer have issued albums on the label (DiRubbo and Charette are also CT natives!)


9 of the 11 tracks are Tallitsch originals and display a penchant for strong melodies plus lively arrangements. The first track, “Passages“, jumps right out of the gate with smart rhythmic changes and great blowing all around.  Ferber and Brendler lead the charge, the reeds and brass pick up the and all enjoy the thick cushion of piano chords from Charette. A pleasant surprise comes next with  the gospel-soaked “The Night The Drove Old Dixie Down“, a spotlight for Charette in that both his piano and organ sounds are integral to the texture and movement of the piece.  The leader’s tenor solo stays close to melody and the horns strongly respond in the background (make sure to pay attention Ferber’s brilliant drumming which is something you should always do).

The program contains 11 tracks, only one coming close to 6 minutes, yet the listener is bound to be fully satiated by the sounds.  This is no mere “blowing” session, each song has a solid, even singable, melody line.  Best of all, everyone gets a chance to be heard without the album turning into solo after solo.  That makes the disk feel more like a group effort as if Tallitsch made sure everyone stayed sharp.  For instance, the medium-tempo “Curmudgeon“, contains a bluesy melody line followed by short solos from both saxophonists and Dease; still, it’s the great work from the rhythm section that makes the song feel complete. Yes, these musicians are “pros” but even the most dedicated ones don’t always give their all.  No such issue here – even blues tunes such as “Greasy Over Easy” have a snap in tier swagger.  The CD closes with “Arches“, another piece with a gospel feel, a handsome melody, smart harmonies and more strong work from the rhythm section.  The electric piano, full bass notes and excellent brushes work set up the solos.  Bassist Brendler is oh-so-melodic in his short solo, setting up Charette’s short statement that leads to a soulful tenor spotlight while the alto and trombone   sway in the background.  The closing notes fade easily, a perfect close to an impressive session.

“All Together Now” lives up to its name, 6 musicians gathering for 1 day in the studio and creating a “joyful noise.”  Post-Tone Records is celebrating its 20th year in a grand way, producing albums that are among the best producer Marc Free and engineer Nick O’Toole have sent our way – this just may be the best CD Tom Tallitsch has issued…so far.  To find out more, go to www.tomtallitsch.com.

 

Posted on by

Music and More reviews Doug Webb “Triple Play”…

C1010

 

 

 

 

musicandmore.com

Doug Webb is a well-rounded saxophone player with several albums to his credit as a leader for Posi-Tone as well as high-profile appearances along side pop musicians and writing for television. On this album he is joined by Walt Weiskopf and Joel Frahm on tenor saxophones, Brian Charette on organ and Rudy Royston on drums. The three saxophones referenced in the title work well as they swap in and out as the situation permits. “Jones” opens the album in a bright, swinging fashion with the saxophone solos working well, one player with a lighter tone and another with a darker one contrasting nicely. The saxophones take turns soloing before returning together for the final melody. John Coltrane’s “Giant Steps” is taken at the appropriately blasting tempo with saxophonists playing hot-potato with the solos, which are lightning quick but still well controlled. “The Way Things Are” contains more vibrant swing, with organ and drums bubbling underneath and tight playing by the saxophonists at the beginning and at the end. Charette proves that he is fleet of foot, keeping the bass pedals moving impressively on “Avalon” where he and Royston finally get a spot to shine in between the blazing saxophone solos. “Your Place or Mine” keeps the modern hard bop flag flying with confident saxophone plowing the field laid by Charette and Royston, who glide out for a moment in-between the swapping saxophones. Things begin to slow things down a bit on “Pali Blues” leveling out at a more medium pace, but as soon as the saxophones start spooling out their solos and the tempo climbs higher and higher. The finale “Triple Play” lifts off in a Jazz Messengers type fashion as the saxophonists play the opening theme together and then separate as the organ and drums simmer relentlessly underneath. You can hear Webb’s penchant for developing TV themes into pleasing earworms on the this album, and while the format of melody – saxophone solos – melody gets a little samey at times, the do it so well that it is hard to quibble with.

 

Posted on by

StepTempest covers Doug Webb “Triple Play”….

C1010

 

 

 

 

steptempest.com

The new CD from tenor saxophonist Doug Webb, “Tripl3 Play” (Posi-Tone Records, is a treat from the handsome opening notes to the hair-raising riffs that bring the program to a close.  In between, Webb and fellow tenor men Walt Weiskopf and Joel Frahm swing, bluster and carouse their way through a set that literally roars out of the speakers. A good portion of the excitement can be attributed to how the trio interact and push each other into a fiendish yet friendly competition.  Also, one must give a lot of credit to the rhythm section of Brian Charette (organ) and force-of-nature that is drummer Rudy Royston for how they make sure the fires are always stoked.

There’s nary a ballad to be found in the 60-minute run.  In fact, the music goes from swinging to burning and beyond.  Tunes such as “Avalon“, “Giant Steps” and the title track hit the ground running and never let up. There’s also a heady dollop of blues on tracks such as Randy Aldcroft’s “Your Place or Mine” and Lou Donaldson’s “Alligator Boogaloo.” Try to sit still listening to Lanny Morgan’s “Pail Blues” or Weiskopf’s “Three’s a Crowd” – impossible! Webb makes sure everybody gets heard therefore the solos are often short.  Yet, the results are not inconsequential. Sure, this is a “blowing session” yet there is great respect for the music, for the tradition and for keeping the listener satisfied.