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Take Five with Brian Charette…

http://www.allaboutjazz.com

Take Five With Brian Charette

Take Five With Brian Charette

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Published: March 6, 2014

Meet Brian Charette:
Grammy-nominated organist/pianist, Brian Charette, has established himself as a leading voice in modern jazz. Besides being a critically acclaimed composer and bandleader, he has worked with many notable artists such as Joni Mitchell, Chaka Khan, Lou Donaldson and countless others.

Charette is a Hammond endorsed, SteepleChase and Posi-Tone recording artist. In 2013, Charette released Borderline(Steeplechase), his sixth as a leader and was rated with 3 ½ stars inDownbeat. His recordings have been dubbed as “Reliably burning” by Jazz Times and he has been called a “Master of space and time” by WGBO. In the Spring 2014, Charette will releaseThe Question That Drives Us and Square One for SteepleChase and Posi- Tone respectively.

This year, Charette has been playing very successful engagements in NYC, Los Angeles, Detroit, Cleveland, New Orleans, Spain, Indonesia, Czech Republic and Germany. He also just placed 2nd in the 2013 Downbeat Critic’s Poll for “Rising Star: Organ” for the second year in a row.

Mr. Charette is an active educator. In addition to writing for Keyboard MagazineDownbeat, andMuzikus, he teaches master classes all over the world, and is on the faculty of the Czech Summer Jazz Workshop at Jezek Conservatory in Prague. He also has a new Hammond Organ instructional video on mymusicmasterclass.com and is featured prominently on two new Mel Bay instructional DVDs by Rodney Jones and Sheryl Bailey.

Outside of music, Brian is passionate about chess and White Crane kung fu, which he holds a black sash.

Instrument(s):
Piano and organ.

Teachers and/or influences?
Kenny Werner and Charlie Banacos.

I knew I wanted to be a musician when…
I was three and would wander down to the piano, open a book called Folk Songs to a two page song called, “The Great Wall.” I would stare at the animated picture of the Great Wall of China with people walking, merchants selling, and a horse drawn ambulance while improvising for hours.

Your sound and approach to music:
I play jazz but I would have to say I’m more of a rocker in my approach. I can be very angular and aggressive in the way I play. I try to balance this with extensive use of space and compositional devices. The solos in my groups are often very short and the motives of the pieces can be very minimal and trance inducing.

Your teaching approach:
I try to show students how to spend time practicing only things they are weak in. After they identify the problem, I tell them to only focus their practice on one weak area at a time until they really internalize the concept they are working on. For example, I had one student practice only in the key of Ab minor for a month. At the end of the month, the student always sounded amazing when we got to an Ab chord change and before had always stumbled over the chord.

Your dream band:
I already have two dream bands with the trio and sextet. I do have a fantasy of playing piano duos with Chick Corea. I would also very much like to play with Roy Haynes.

Road story: Your best or worst experience:
One time, 20 years ago, I was playing in Brussels. The King of Belgium had just died a few days before. We were playing in a very big festival with about 8,000 people. There were huge video screens on the side of the stage. The singer picked up a picture of the king that had just died from a cigarette machine backstage and held it up to the audience. There was a camera on him and all the people started to cheer. The road manager on the side of the stage started to wave his arms furiously to put the picture down. The singer gave the road manager the bird and told him to relax. Unfortunately, one of the cameras was on him, and all 8,000 Belgians saw was a big middle finger in front of the picture of their beloved king. They threw rocks and beer at us for an hour. We made the news and left very quickly the morning after the show never to return.

Favorite venue:
My favorite place to play is Small’s in NYC. It has the best vibe of any jazz place I have ever been. I also feel so supported by Spike Wilner and the whole gang at Smalls.

Your favorite recording in your discography and why?
My favorite recording is definitely my new Posi-Tone record Square One. I feel like this is best sounding and looking recording I’ve ever made. I’ve been friends with Marc and Nick at Posi-tone for quite a while. We planned this record for about two years and the musicians, photographer, and graphic designer were very thoughtfully chosen. Yotam Silberstein and Mark Ferber are great friends and play my music like they wrote it themselves. I also love the sound of the organ in Michael Brorby’s studio. Nick is amazing at mixing, and Marc is great with producing, radio and press. I feel like we make a great team and I have very high hopes for the future with Posi-tone.

The first Jazz album I bought was:
Jimmy Smith, Unfinished Business (Mercury, 1978).

What do you think is the most important thing you are contributing musically? 
I think I sound very different than the other jazz organists. I have the tradition in there for sure, but my compositions with the sextet and new trio recording are very unusual and very easily identifiable. I’m so influenced by rock music and world music. I think my writing reflects that and is very eclectic sounding. I also play in a different harmonic system sometimes. I often use the concepts of Olivier Messiaen in my playing and writing and I know of no other jazz organist using this system.

Did you know…
I hold a black sash in White Crane Kung Fu. I was also deaf until the age of nine.

CDs you are listening to now:
Matt Mitchell, Fiction (Pi, 2013);
Tigran Hamasyan, A Fable (Verve, 2011);
Grant Green, Grantstand Blue Note, 1987);
Kenny Dorham, Quiet Kenny (New Jazz, 1991);
Vijay Iyer, Tirtha (ACT, 2011).

Desert Island picks:
The Beatles, White Album (Apple, 1968);
Deep Purple, Machine Head (Warner Brothers, 1972);
Hank Mobley, Soul Station (Blue Note, 1960);
Kiss, Alive II (Cassablanca, 1977);
Emerson String Quartet, Debussy-Ravel String Quartets (Deutsche Grammophon, 1995).

How would you describe the state of jazz today?
I think jazz is in a great place. There are tons of great artists, especially in NYC. I feel very inspired by my peers and I love to listen to their music and get new ideas about my own writing and playing. I am friends with Sam Yahel, Jared Gold, Pat Bianchi and all of the NYC organists. I love to listen to their albums and live gigs. Because their level of artistry is so high, it pushes me to get better also.

What are some of the essential requirements to keep jazz alive and growing? 
I think we have to make music that communicates to real people, not just musicians. That’s not to say that it can’t be complicated. I think people are actually pretty smart. I feel like a lot of jazz music is very selfish though, and the cats can be a little dark. This turns people off to the music. I think if we, as artists, thought more about communicating to our audience, many more people would be interested in jazz albums and concerts

What is in the near future?
I have two albums out this month, a trio recording, Square One, on Positone Records and a new sextet recording for SteepleChase called The Question That Drives Us. I have a CD release for the trio recording in March 12 at Smalls at 9:30pm in NYC with Yotam Silberstein and Mark Ferber. I’ll be on tour in the Midwest and Northeast for the next two weeks. I’ll also be on tour all throughout Europe for three months. My website has my full itinerary http://brian-charette.squarespace.com/

What’s your greatest fear when you perform?
My greatest fear is that my instrument won’t work, or that it will play a minor third higher like it did in Thailand.

What song would you like played at your funeral?
“Nowhere Man” by The Beatles.

What is your favorite song to whistle or sing in the shower? 
“You’ll never Find” by Lou Rawls. I’m always singing it.

By Day:
I have never worked!

If I weren’t a jazz musician, I would be a:
A gardener or martial arts instructor.

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Dan Bilawsky reviews several new Posi-Tone Releases for AAJ…

http://www.allaboutjazz.com

Some labels release a few records a year; some put out a record every month or two; and then there are those, like the Los Angeles-based Posi-Tone Records, that prefer to push even more music through the pipeline.

As 2014 came into being, Posi-Tone began an ambitious release schedule, putting out a new album every few weeks. Those who cover jazz and follow the scene intently can’t seem to turn around these days without bumping into one of their discs. Everything from groove dates to post-bop parties to beyond-the-norm entries fly under the banner of this small-but-thriving label. Here’s a look at four from the ever-growing Posi-Tone pile.

Brian Charette
Square One
Posi-Tone
2014

Organist Brian Charette has appeared as a sideman on several albums for this imprint, but Square One is his leader debut for Posi-Tone. He works with the tried-and-true organ trio format here and it suits him well.

Guitarist Yotam Silberstein and drummer Mark Ferber join Charette for what starts out solid and turns into a hell of a ride. The first few tracks on this one almost almost seem like a warm-up, as the band finds its footing with funk-to-swing fun (“Aaight!”), pays respect to Larry Young(saxophonist Joe Henderson’s “If”), and pleasantly waltzes on by (“Three Martina”). All of this material comes together well, but sparks don’t always fly. That all changes when the band finds its stride with The Meters’ “Ease Back.” That track, which comes at the midpoint of the album, starts the winning streak. Everything that follows is superb. Ferber’s snare drum groove on “A Fantasy” makes the song, Silberstein pulls out some Lionel Loueke-esque sounds on “Things You Don’t Mean,” and the whole band becomes strikingly unhinged during “Ten Bars For Eddie Harris.”

Charette’s ability to hunker down into a groove, look to the outer limits, or switch between the two at a moment’s notice helps to keep listeners on their toes during this delightful and occasionally daring date.

Jared Gold
JG3+3
Posi-Tone
2014

Jared Gold, like Charette, has never subscribed to old school organ orthodoxy. He’ll give the past its due, but he works in the present. This is his seventh album in seven years—all released on Posi-Tone—and it finds him fronting an augmented organ trio, with three horns added to the mix. These other voices don’t dominate the program, but they do get to step out on occasion, round out the sound of the group, create some harmonic heft, and add some secondary colors to these pieces.

The album opens on Gold’s slow swinging “Pendulum,” guitarist Dave Stryker’s crackling “Spirits,” and Julian “Cannonball” Adderley’s gospel-inflected “Sermonette,” complete with some baritone saxophone preaching from Jason W. Marshall. The attention then shifts to the core trio during a take on James Taylor’s “Shower The People” that shifts focus from nuanced texture painting to slick-and-slippery funk. Drummer Sylvia Cuenca steals the show on a burning “No Moon At All,” trumpeter Tatum Greenblatt steps up to the plate on “I Just Can’t Stop Loving You,” and alto saxophonist Patrick Cornelius gets to shine on Gold’s lively-and-bouncy “Fantified.” This mostly-covers set finishes with two more, as a smoking “Cubano Chant” and comfortable “Charcoal Blues” finish things off in style.
Steve Fidyk
Heads Up!
Posi-Tone
2014

Drummer Steve Fidyk is best known for his sideman and studio contributions, writing for Modern Drummer magazine, and work with the Taylor/Fidyk Big Band. Here, he makes his bones with the Posi-Tone gang by fronting a quintet that features a pair of heavy-hitters—trumpeterTerell Stafford and saxophonist Tim Warfield. The program contains four Fidyk originals, two numbers from guitarist Shawn Purcell, and three covers.

Heads Up!, like the aforementioned Charette album, doesn’t start out with the most distinctive music on the disc. It’s the first cover—”Make Someone Happy”—that, strangely enough, gives Fidyk’s music its own identity. A muted Stafford draws focus as Fidyk’s brushes glide along below. From that point on, most everything makes its mark. Purcell’s guitar and Regan Brough’s bass join together for the Charlie Parker-ish “Might This Be-Bop,” which is also bolstered by Fidyk’s brushes, and Stafford picks up his flugelhorn for an uncommonly slow and beautiful take on “I Can See Clearly Now.”

Fidyk’s most notable originals—”The Flip Flopper,” a funky tune with some memorable guitar work from Purcell, and the warm-hearted “T.T.J.”—come later in the album, but it’s Cole Porterthat has the final word; Fidyk and company finish with a metrically-altered “Love For Sale” that’s pure fun.

Tom Tallitsch
Ride
Posi-Tone
2014

Saxophonist Tom Tallitsch focuses on his own music on his second release on Posi-Tone and fifth date as a leader. He throws in David Bowie’s “Life On Mars” and Led Zeppelin’s “Ten Years Gone” for good measure, but the other nine tracks are all of his making.

Tallitsch proves to be a commanding player throughout Ride, but it’s the sidemen that help to bring out the best in the music. Rock solid players like pianist Art Hirahara and bassistPeter Brendler help to keep things running smoothly, guest trombonist Michael Dease brings the heat, and Rudy Royston, the seemingly ubiquitous super drummer, adds some wattage to Tallitsch’s tunes. Royston’s in high spirits on the title track and he drives the hell out of a few other numbers.

While the faster material always carries excitement with it, Talitsch’s strongest pieces aren’t the burners. “Rain,” which Tallitsch accurately frames as “gospel country,” the Brazilian-tinged “El Luchador,” which gives Dease a chance to shine, and the bluesy “Knuckle Dragger” all leave more of a lasting impression on the ear.

Tracks and Personnel

Square One

Tracks: Aaight!; If; Three For Martina; People On Trains; True Love; Ease Back; Time Changes; A Fantasy; Yei Fei; Things You Don’t Mean; Ten Bars For Eddie Harris.

Personnel: Brian Charette: organ; Yotam Silberstein: guitar; Mark Ferber: drums.

JG3+3

Tracks: Pendulum; Spirits; Sermonette; Shower The People; No Moon At All; I Just Can’t Stop Loving You; Fantified; Cubano Chant; Charcoal Blues.

Personnel: Jared Gold: organ; Dave Stryker: guitar; Sylvia Cuenca: drums; Patrick Cornelius: alto saxophone; Jason Marshall: baritone saxophone; Tatum Greenblatt: trumpet.

Heads Up!

Tracks: Untimely; Last Nerve; Make Someone Happy; Might This Be-Bop; I Can See Clearly Now; The Flip Flopper; The Bender; T.T.J.; Love For Sale.

Personnel: Steve Fidyk: drums; Terell Stafford: trumpet, flugelhorn; Tim Warfield: tenor saxophone; Shawn Purcell: guitar; Regan Brough: bass.

Ride

Tracks: Ride; Life On Mars; Rubbernecker; Rain; The Giving Tree; Ten Years Gone; El Luchador; The Myth; Knuckle Dragger; The Path; Turtle.

Personnel: Tom Tallitsch: tenor saxophone; Michael Dease; trombone; Art Hirahara: piano; Peter Brendler: bass; Rudy Royston.

 
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StepTempest on Brian Charette “Square One”…

http://steptempest.blogspot.com/2014/03/bring-on-heat.html

In conversation with Brian Charette as he and drummerJordan Young were in a car recently on their way from Cleveland to Cincinnati (Mr. Young was driving), the organist told me that his training on the B-3 came under the heading “trial by fire.” Trained as a pianist (and having played gigs with the likes of Houston Person and Lou Donaldson while in high school), he moved to New York City and one of his first jobs was as on organ. He made it through without embarrassing himself but went right out and bought an organ, rented a space and practiced long hours.

Over the past 2 decades, he has worked with Joni Mitchell, Chaka Khan and Bucky Pizzarelli (and many more) plus spends a good chunk of the year in Europe.  He has issued 7 CDs as a leader with 8 + 9 just being released including his new Sextette CD, “The Question That Drives Us” (Steeplechase) and his debut as a leader on PosiTone Records titled “Square One.”  It’s the latter one we’ll look at here (and save the former for next week.)

Square One” finds the Meriden, CT, native in the company of Israeli-born guitarist Yotam Silberstein and the great drummer Mark Ferber.  The trio had played numerous gigs together so, by the time they entered Acoustic Recording in Brooklyn, NY, they were ready to hit.  Most of the tracks were recorded in 1 take (the session took less than 4 hours) but nothing sounds incomplete.  Ferber swings with abandon throughout giving both Charette and Silberstein an excellent cushion to solo over.  Also, the organist’s bass pedal footwork provides even more depth.  Charette also mentioned in our conversation that he is always prepared before entering the studios and the vast majority of his songs have strong melodies while being smartly arranged. Best of all, this music is really a lot of fun (in keeping with the leader’s attitude in life.)  Opening with the funky “pop” of “Aaight” that almost immediately drops into a “swing” groove and back again, “Square One” keeps one guessing.  There are  2 “cover” tunes, the hard-driving “If” (composed by saxophonist Joe Henderson for organist Lary Young’s 1956 Blue Note Lp “Unity”) and the New Orleans groove of “Ease Back” (a tune composed and recorded in 1969 by The Meters). On the former track, Ferber really digs in and pushes mightily while, on the latter, the trio speeds the piece up from the original making even more danceable (dig those chunky rhythm guitar lines and “clicking” phrases from Silberstein.)

Other highlights include the “otherworldly” sounds of “Things You Don’t Mean” (a tune with a wicked groove) and the hard-rock modality of “A Fantasy” (great guitar work) and the insistent forward motion of “Yei Fei” (a piece most reminiscent of Larry Young’s work).  “Three For Martina” has a lovely melody line and the interaction of the organ with the quiet, spare, guitar interjections stands out.  The program closes with “Ten Bars For Eddie Harris” with Ferber’s charging drum work blazing the way for Silberstein’s fiery guitar lines and Charette’s spirited organ work.  The drummer gets to let loose for 30 seconds before the “church-y” organ chords and squalling guitar leads back to a super-charged final repeat of the opening theme.

In the afore-mentioned conversation, Brian Charette said that “Square One” was his favorite recording especially because of the excellent work of recording and mixing engineer Nick O’Toole (co-owner of PosiTone).   O’Toole really captures Mark Ferber’s splendid drum work and all 3 instruments are equal in the mix.  If you still have a case of the “winter blues”, put this CD in the machine and let it rip good and loud.  I’m quite sure you’ll be smiling before long.

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Bop-n-Jazz on Brian Charette “Square One”…

www.criticaljazz.com

Brian Charette is the new sound for the organ, Square One is not back to basics but instead ground zero for the future of one of the finest organ players in the world.
Brent Black / www.criticaljazz.com
Make no mistake that Brian Charette is a leader and far from a newbie and while the term “session player” is incredibly unfair if not inaccurate, Brian would probably tell you his diverse musical background is perhaps key to his forward thinking compositions. Square One is far from a blast from the past yet there is a smoldering Larry Young meets Joey DeFrancesco feel that is pulled off not as a riff but as a forward thinking visionary working as the by product of his own artistic experiences. Brian Charette is an artist. This is straight ahead organ infused with a contemporary soul. The sound of New York.
The organ trio can be feast or famine. Truth be told I have not heard an organ trio that I could not appreciate on “some” level with the catch being some better than others. Square One gets bumped up to “better than others!” Joining Brian we have critically acclaimed guitarist Yotam Silberstein and rock steady drummer Mark Ferber. The end result of Square One is an intimate collective with a burning soul. Brian paints with a broad and deep harmonic brush with the end result as the mythical three dimensional sonic depth of field.
Colors you can hear.
Yotam Silberstein and Mark Ferber are far from accompanists and instead integral parts of a rare harmonic synergy captured in such a stripped down ensemble. Covers here are minimal, don’t need them. “If” from Joe Henderson and “Ease Back” from the Meters fit hand in glove alongside Charette originals such as “True Love” and “Ten Bars For Eddie Harris.”
Brian Charette’s compositions are tight, soulful and harmonically inventive. Some reviews write themselves. But humor me…
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Dusty Groove on Will Bernard “Just Like Downtown”…

http://www.dustygroove.com

The Posi-tone label is turning out to be one of the best sources for old school Hammond sessions these days – and this sweet set from guitarist Will Bernard is great proof of that fact! Bernard plays with a tight sense of line and color that really takes us back to some of our favorites from the 60s – like Grant Green or Kenny Burrell – and he’s set up here alongside some excellent Hammond from Brian Charette, who has a great ear for mixing up playful phrasing and a more powerful groove – a bit like Jack McDuff on late 60s Prestige, but very much his own bag too! The group’s also got tenor and bass clarinet from John Ellis, and drums from Rudy Royston – and titles include a cover of “Dancing Days”, plus “Dime Store Thriller”, “Go West”, “Sweet Spot”, “PM Gone”, and “Route 46”.

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Dan Bilawsky reviews Will Bernard “Just Like Downtown”…

http://www.allaboutjazz.com

Guitarist Will Bernard has been connected to a number of singular groups and individuals, from the Monk-to-funk outfit known asT.J. Kirk to New Orleans drumming giant Stanton Moore to multi-instrumentalist Peter Apfelbaum’s boundary-pushing Hieroglyphics Ensemble, but a common denominator exists in his strongest work with each one: Bernard’s best is always rooted in the groove. He has an no-fuss way of establishing and/or inhabiting the rhythmic currents of a song and he puts that skill to good use, once again, onJust Like Downtown.

This quartet date finds Bernard fronting a highly capable—and flexible—foursome. Together, they tackle original soul jazz (“Dime Store Thriller”), Led Zeppelin (“Dancing Days”) and Richard Rodgers (“Bali Hai”). Some pieces are brisk and driving (“Sweet Spot”) and others like to linger for a while (“Little Hand”), as Bernard and company simply let the music float on by. Most of these musical offerings get to the point right away, but a sense of mystery is occasionally in the air as things coalesce (“Bali Hai”) or blow slowly in the Frisell-ian breeze (“P.M. Gone”).

Bernard’s buddies deserve a good deal of credit for bringing his music to life. They sound good when working from the same playbook as the leader (“Dime Store Thriller”), but they sound greatwhen one person’s contributions are thrown into sharp relief; John Ellis’ swaggering bass clarinet riff, for example, enlivens the jaunty “Go West,” and drummer Rudy Royston delivers a tornado of a performance on the choppy “Safety In Numbers,” which also features a beast-of-a-solo from Bernard. Organist Brian Charette—the fourth piece of the puzzle—is the one most responsible for adding color to the project. He brings all manner of sound—both earthy and alien—into the picture.

Just Like Downtown possesses an immediately likeable, unforced quality. The music simply flows when Will Bernard and company get going.

Track Listing: Dime Store Thriller; Go West; Sweet Spot; Dancing Days; Little Hand; Safety In Numbers; Bali Hai; Route 46; P.M. Gone.

Personnel: Will Bernard: guitar; John Ellis: tenor saxophone, bass clarinet; Brian Charette: organ; Rudy Royston: drums.

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SomethingElse reviews Will Bernard “Just Like Downtown”…

http://somethingelsereviews.com/2013/08/21/will-bernard-just-like-downtown-2013/

Coming over to the Posi-Tone label for his latest creation was bound to mean that the restless funk-jazz guitarist Will Bernard was going to make a different kind of record…again. Bernard’s B3 organ fixation continues but not a whole lot else carries over from last year’s funky Outdoor Living. Instead of Wil Blades on Hammond, we get Brian Charette. Simon Lott is swapped out for Rudy Royston. And Bernard gains a front line foil by adding saxophonist John Ellis. But in spite of this talent-loaded roster, the big deal about the impending Just Like Downtown is that Bernard doesn’t so much want to groove like before. He wants to swing.

Even the CD cover of a nattily-attired Bernard topped off with a pork pie hat shouts “swing.”

Unlike a lot of his records, the Grammy-nominated fret master isn’t really trying something new; Just Like Downtown is a back-to-my-jazz-roots affair. Given that, he’s dead serious in approaching it with not only reverence but also with his own personality. Which means it grooves, anyway, like “Dime Store Thriller,” that finds Bernard and Ellis playing smoky lines in unison while Charette easily slips between comping and leading. Bernard’s single note lines are all about the riding the groove, but he also likes to rub a little bit of dirt on it.

Bernard wrote “Dime” and all but two of the other eight tunes in this batch of recordings, and though much of it is blues-based, the songwriting avoids the predictable twelve-bar fare. “Sweet Spot” swings hard, with Royston’s drums just about jumping out of the speakers. Ellis’ sax delivery is red hot and smooth at the same time. “Safety In Numbers” is a hot tune, too, that Bernard stuffed with dense bop articulations. On this song, as well as on the sizzler “Route 46,” Barnard’s linear attack visits Pat Martino territory.

Ellis pulls out the bass clarinet for a few numbers, an instrument rarely used in organ jazz but he makes it sound like a natural fit. “Little Hand” is a hushed number where that lower octave clarinet’s tone works great in this setting, especially in the way Ellis applies the right sentiment to it. It’s also featured in “Bali Hai” from the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical South Pacific, and the burly tone is nearly that of a baritone sax. Meanwhile, Bernard can be heard playing his trademark swampy, slide-like note bending.

The other cover might appear to be a left-field choice, too: “Dancing Days,” from Led Zeppelin’s Houses Of The Holy tune. The Bonham beat is retained as well as the melody, but something about Charette’s B3 and Bernard’s soft-toned guitar than nonetheless manages to transform the song into a greasy blues-jazz number. Bernard has played a Zeppelin cover or two in Stanton Moore’s band, so he already knew his way around the band’s repertoire in the jazz sense pretty darned well.

Bernard’s jazz sense gets in a good workout all over Just Like Downtown. With a supporting cast of Ellis, Charette and Royston, he found yet another way to stoke fans of guitar/B3 jazz.

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Music and More reviews Will Bernard “Just Like Bernard”…

http://jazzandblues.blogspot.com

Guitarist Will Bernard presents a fine album of soulful modern jazz in the company of John Ellis on tenor saxophone and bass clarinet, Rudy Royston on drums and Brian Charette on organ. “Sweet Spot” has an upbeat tempo with nice saxophone and snappy drumming. Ellis’ sound is tightly wound and a bit gritty, perfect for this setting. Solos for organ and guitar are featured before everyone comes together to end the tune in a hard driving motion. A repetitive groove builds tension on “Dancing Days” and this organ focused song is a great feature for Charette. Bernard’s guitar sneaks in, building a funk rhythm and stepping out for a fine solo. After a complicated and choppy opening, “Little Hand” has Ellis stretching out over organ and drums with a focused solo while the organ keeps pushing the pace. Bernard then steps forward, with an appealing Grant Green like tone taking center stage. After a bubbling organ feature, Ellis leads the tune to close with a strong statement of his own. “Route 46” develops a groove from the bass pedals of the organ and the saxophone builds things up to the point where Bernard can assert himself with some intuitive and nimble guitar playing. The whole band becomes one and drives this tune home with strong and powerful swing. Jazz fans who revere the guitar and organ records that were a staple of the Blue Note and Prestige catalogs of the 1950’s and 1960’s will find a lot to enjoy here, the subtle propulsive groove of this music is well played and accessible.

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Midwest reviews our latest releases….

http://midwestrecord.com/

POSI-TONE
WILL BERNARD/Just Like Downtown: This tasty guitarist takes plenty of the spotlight for himself but he leaves enough room for Brian Charette to pump that greasy organ sound so much so that you can be excused for thinking this is B3 date if you hear it without knowing what it is. Swinging throughout, this four piece combo delivers the real deal and never let’s things ever sink below smoking. Hot stuff for real jazzbo although they might just let hipsters in for a taste. A winner.
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NICK HEMPTON/Odd Man Out: Hempton’s playing here reminds me of a time Gerry Mulligan was teaching a master class at a university. There was a look of grudging admiration on his face when one of the student players just knew how to turn it up and turn it loose. I see that look again listening to this date. Hempton is a real cooker that can play the notes, play around the notes, play around with the notes and spread such good vibes in the process. A real swinger throughout, this is simply a killer date that expands the lexicon of modern jazz and makes it sound so cool in the process. Don’t miss it.
8112

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http://www.criticaljazz.com

Will Bernard can play the phone book and his Posi-Tone debut Just Like Downtown proves it!
Brent Black / @CriticalJazz
Will Bernard is far from a newbie but his debut release from Posi-Tone cuts a fresh new musical path for this virtuoso guitarist that gets no where near the ink he deserves. Nine tracks with seven stellar originals and two incredibly eclectic if not surprising covers add for one of the most solid six string outings for the year.
 
To start, no one covers Led Zeppelin in a guitar 4tet format and if they do then “Dancing Days” is probably not their first pick from their legendary discography. Some artists you don’t cover and not because their music is the holy grail or part of what I refer to as the cultural keys to the kingdom but because their music simply does not make the transition to the improvised format found here. “Dancing Days” is turned into an odd metered deceptively funky ditty that stays with you. Bernard is joined by organ phenom Brian Charette who provides the perfect harmonic counterpoint and the tune simmers effortless along. Will Bernard takes the somewhat minimalist approach is his clean angular playing with no notes wasted but a direct lyrical sense of purpose. “Safety In Numbers” is a delightfully syncopated and engaging off metered original featuring veteran reed titan John Ellis, another under appreciated talent if there ever was. Drummer Rudy Royston is one of the best half dozen drummers on the planet and using the tired phrase “in the pocket” would be the classic undersell here. “Bali Hai” from the movie South Pacific is a melodic exploratory with texture and an deceptively haunting modern folk infusion of impressionistic wonder. The bass clarinet work from Ellis serves as somewhat of a virtual second melody line running below the surface at points during this expansive reharm. The tunes is completely reinvented with one of the most skillful arrangements of a cinematic masterpiece that can be found.
 

This is music with meat on its bones. Not the same tired 4tet format where Wes Montgomery, Jim Hall or perhaps Pat Metheny riffs are banged out by a master technician. Instead we find Will Bernard giving a master class on just what modern jazz guitar is about when approached by an artist whose depth is seemingly only matched by his fearlessness as a lyrical free spirit. Will Bernard compositions will stand the test of time as well as any modern jazz guitarist working today.  
An absolute must.