Tag: Ed Cherry

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JazzWrap on Jared Gold “Golden Child”…

jazzwrap.blogspot.com

Rolling along in a funkier groove than his previous quartet outing, All Wrapped Up, Jared Gold returns right on time with another soul jazz gem–Golden Child. This time in a trio session with Ed Cherry (guitar) and Quincy Davis (drums). It’s like John Patton, Wes Montgomery and Billy Higgins been have locked in a room with a large chest of soul classics to get them through the night.

Opening with a charged up version of Sam Cooke’s “A Change Is Gonna Come,” Gold keeps the soulful impact of the impassioned ballad but adds a fire and urgency that makes the piece his own. Cherry’s guitar provides the romantic element, while Davis applies the groove beat that makes for an uplifting opener to a journey that is about to sizzle.
At times this feels like a raw version of Medeski Martin Wood. It’s the grit and the groove without the dramatics. That’s a good thing on Golden Child. It leaves you squarely focused on the tune. “14 Carat Gold”  is the trio in a blues mood with a few twists and turns created through Gold’s unique and varied lens. His improvised lines about two thirds in are smokin’. He really has a way of turning the organ into more than just the funk/blues instrument it’s sometimes associated with. His lines feel like they were performed first on the piano (which I’m sure was not the case)–they are crisp, inventive and flowing.
With “Pensa Em Mim,” Gold projects a soft gospel tone that soothes and creates a jubilant Sunday morning vibe. Gold’s organ rises and falls while Cherry and Davis distribute colourful touches around the edges. It’s somber but with a joyous undertone. “Times Up” crackles with heavy rapid exchanges during the opener by Gold and Davis. Gold tears into the keys like it was the last performance ever. The intensity is fueled by the bebop spirit that came before but Gold projects his own vision that makes this a very dynamic piece.
Jared Gold has always been consistent on each of his sessions and Golden Child is no different. Here you get a the fire and chill but you also get a trio that sounds stellar through and through. This is not an artist that you have to start at the beginning to understand. Jared Gold is one of the exciting ones that allows you to dive in at whatever point you choose. Let’s hope you choose Golden Child as that primer.
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Richard Kamins reviews Jared Gold “Golden Child”…

steptempest.blogspot.com
There’s something about Hammond B-3 organ trios that reminds me of spring and summer, lounging on the back porch with a cool drink.  Perhaps, it’s the “burbling brook” sound some players get out of their speakers – whatever it is, the chemical reaction in my brain is quite positive.

For his 5th release on the Posi-Tone label, “Golden Child“, Jared Gold returns to the Trio setting that served him well on his 2009 CD, “Supersonic.”  Guitarist Ed Cherry is back from that date while  Quincy Davis (who appeared on Gold’s previous Posi-Tone release) mans the drum chair.The program ranges from “pop” tunes, such as “Wichita Lineman” and “I Can See Clearly Now” to jazz standards like “In A Sentimental Mood” and “When It’s Sleepy Time Down South” to 5 pieces from the leader. The disk opens with an ultra-funky version of Sam Cooke’s “A Change Is Gonna Come“, a piece that sets the tone for the entire album.  Davis is a responsive and explosive drummer, doesn’t hold back reacting to the soloist.  Cherry, who has worked with a slew of great musicians (like Dizzy Gillespie, Henry Threadgill and Hamiett Bluiett), is an equal partner in the music, either doubling the song’s theme or stretching out on a solo.  His lines blend jazz licks (a touch of Wes Montgomery octaves show up on the title track) with a strong blues feel.  This is no “lounge” band; every one digs in and gives his all.  One can enjoy the subtle shadings of Gold’s “Pensa Em Mim“, groove on the “second-line” feel of “14 Carat Gold” or bask in the sweet glow of “…Sleepy Time...”  Excellent solos from both Gold and Cherry as well as simple-sounding yet masterful percussion.  The trio’s take on Jmmy Webb’s “..Lineman” is quite funky while remaining true to the melody and mood of the original.  Cherry’s rhythm guitar work is exemplary while Davis lets loose during the organ solo – then, the drummer gives the guitarist a real “fatback” feel beneath his short yet satisfying solo. “Times Up” moves (rather successfully) into Larry Young territory, with Davis’s fiery drumming pushing, urging, coaxing his cohorts forward.

Each one of Jared Gold’s Posi-Tone recordings has something to recommend it but “Golden Child” is, arguably the best.  Even in a trio setting, the program is his most varied. You’ll like the way the Trio communicates, how their solos are substantial (and not just space fillers) and, for these ears, Gold’s handsome “burbling” organ.  To find out more, go to www.jaredgoldb3.com.

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Mark F Turner on Jared Gold “Golden Child”…

www.allaboutjazz.com

Jazz organist Jared Gold continues to make his presence known, both in name and sonically. Energizing and free yet possessed of a comprehensive knowledge of the Hammond B3 organ, he communicates with the language of giants such as Don Patterson and Chris Foreman of the Deep Blue Organ Trio. It’s been said that “either you have it or you don’t,” and Gold’s playing bears the truth of the groove onGolden Child. On his fifth recording as a leader, Gold delivers some insightful numbers. “I Wanna Walk”—a fine remake of the traditional “I Want Jesus to Walk with Me”—speaks volumes.

While the origins of the song are unclear, Gold’s trio takes the tone straight out of the black church, complete with Sunday morning baptismal fire. Its mid-tempo cadence is steady and works without breaking a sweat as Ed Cherry’s guitar pours out soulful riffs and Quincy Davis’ kit percolates the beat. Gold is also feeling the heat, his Hammond grinding into the bone marrow, pedals dropping a funky bass line and raspy keys singing notes that soar to the heavens. “I Wanna Walk” has a reverse sentiment to Marvin Gaye’s “Inner City Blues,” whose famous lyrics include “makes me wanna holler and throw up both my hands.” Gold’s B3 shouts are joyful.

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SaxShed review of Jared Gold “Golden Child”…

saxshed.com

Jazz organist Jared Gold just released his CD Golden Childfor Posi-Tone Records on March 27th, 2012. The energetic trio features Gold on organ, guitarist Ed Cherry and Quincy Davis on drums.

“Organist Jared Gold sets his standards high and arrives in style with his latest release “Golden Child.” Serious listeners will be delighted to simply sit back and dig the music when Jared brings all the right stuff to this groovy and hard-hitting date. While the focus and crux of “Golden Child” rests squarely upon the shoulders of Mr. Gold and his B-3 organ, the strong showings of guitarist Ed Cherry and drummer Quincy Davis also provide their melodic highlights and consistently exhibit the kind of strong rhythmic support that always keeps the session in the pocket. With an exciting program of musical selections from a wide range of styles, from the funky and familiar to the soulful and original, “Golden Child” certainly exceeds expectations as a swinging collection of performances that jazz enthusiasts can bank on with confidence.” – Posi-Tone Records

Although this recording does not feature or even include a saxophone, I still feel it worthy of mention. Jared Gold’s previous offering on Posi-Tone featured saxophonist extraordinaire Ralph Bowen. You can read that review here. The absence of Bowen on Golden Child may be conspicuous to saxophone lovers however the trio of Gold, Cherry and Davis is absolutely complete within itself.

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SomethingElse! reviews Jared Gold “Golden Child”…

somethingelsereviews.com

Coming off the magnificent All Wrapped Up, Jared Gold is back just under a year later with Golden Child. A program that alternates standards with his originals, Golden Child is another parade of Gold’s advanced B3 articulations. Whereas on Wrapped he delved more into knotty arrangements and modalisms atypical of organ jazz, he returns to the organ/guitar/drums attack used on the prior Out Of Line (2010). As on that record, Gold creatively reworks the covers which again mines both the pop (“A Change iIs Gonna Come,” “Wichita Lineman”) and the jazz (“When It’s Sleepy Time Down South,” “In A Sentimental Mood”) canons, plus a old spiritual (“I Wanna Walk”, Youtube below). Backed this time by Ed Cherry (guitar) and Quincy Davis (drums), the leader’s playing style still carries over some of the redolent approach he used so effectively on last year’s offering but remains a strong performer when he’s in the Dr. Lonnie Smith frame of mind, as he is for the Ellington tune. Though not as ambitious, there’s plenty good about Golden Child to make this a fine listening experience.

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The Jazz Word on Jared Gold “Golden Child”…

thejazzword.blogspot.com

A greased-up organ trio version of Sam Cooke’s civil rights cry “A Change is Gonna Come” may seem a little far-fetched. In the hands of Jared Gold, however, the tune’s melodic character shapes a thoughtful arrangement, full of soulful character. The same can be said of the organist’s take on Johnny Nash’s pop staple “I Can See Clearly Now.” With the aid of veteran guitarist Ed Cherry and drummer Quincy Davis, Gold takes on these familiar covers and more, along with his own pieces, to deliver a forward-thinking approach to the organ combo sound with blues-based roots intact.

The group concept is evident throughout Golden Child, at times reminiscent of Chicago’s Deep Blue Organ Trio with Cherry and Davis unrestrained in their contribution to the music’s direction. The hard driving groove of the title track and energized treatment of “Wichita Lineman,” which leaves little trace of Glenn Campbell, are memorable moments. Other session highlights include the swinging and uncharacteristically bright tempo given to Ellington’s “In a Sentimental Mood” and the burning original “Times Up.” On both tracks Gold and Cherry demonstrate a dazzling no-nonsense approach.

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Here’s the first review for Jared Gold’s new CD “Golden Child”…

www.criticaljazz.com

As cliche driven as this sounds…Jared Gold is indeed the “Golden Child.”
Organ trios seem to be finding their stride once again with some bordering on the type of organ you heard at the local skating rink while growing up and others being high standard hard hitting dates where the band reacquaints you with the land of rhythm and groove and session rests comfortably in the pocket.
Jared Gold’s Golden Child is the epitome of the searching musician, a musician finding his own unique voice through extending his harmonic exploration while making his own groove even tighter. Jared Gold kicks off with “A Change Is Gonna Come” and re fries the soul of the legendary Sam Cooke which is further proof you can make a good thing better. Organ trios are notorious for doing their own riff others classic material, picking up their check and calling it a night. Jared Gold contributes five solid original tunes here that if it were not for a working knowledge of the tunes listed it may be difficult to determine where one hit stops and a Gold original takes over as evident with the Gold tune “Hold That Thought.” A slight Larry Young influence on this tune pushes past the norm and the rhythmic reinforcement from guitarist Ed Cherry and the finesse of drummer Quincy Davis adds just the right amount of flavor and pop to infuse a swing that is uniquely Gold’s. The trio assembled is built on variety with shifting dynamics and working without a harmonic net, Jared Gold is working his own sonic high wire act and with virtually flawless results. Avant-gard texture takes the Johnny Nash classic “I Can See Clearly Now” from the potentially sonic trip wire to a syncopated blues infused exploratory of B3 funk and it is a beautiful thing. Gold and Cherry work their voicing in tandem for an absolute gem. A similar approach is taken with the Glen Campbell performed classic “Witchita Lineman” and the results are stellar. Another Gold original of note would be “Times Up” were meter and harmonics are shifted on the fly and Gold’s virtuoso performance is indeed designed to make the jazz purist sit up and take immediate notice.
An eclectic set of tunes that are handled with a myriad of influences and arrangements transforms what could easily be the mundane and technically proficient into the artistically gifted of a relatively new shooter in the world of modern jazz.
Jared Gold is one of the more gifted talents on the horizon today. More than technically proficient and artistically gifted, Jared Gold is a musical visionary whose musical stock is indeed an arrow pointing straight up!
Tracks: A Change Is Gonna Come; Hold That Thought; I Can See Clearly Now; Golden Child; Wichita Lineman; 14 Carat Gold; I Wanna Walk; Pensa Em Mim; In A Sentimental Mood; Times Up; When It’s Sleepy Time Down South.
Personnel: Jared Gold: organ; Ed Cherry: guitar; Quincy Davis:drums.
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Glide Magazine reviews “Out With It” and “Supersonic”…

www.glidemagazine.com

Jared Gold/ Supersonic (Posi-Tone): Emphatically traditional, the keyboardist seems fiercely loyal to the sound of a guitar drums and Hammond B-3 organ trio as first conceived by Jimmy Smith. Yet Gold and company don’t sound static or academic anywhere on this CD, The Beatles: “In My Life” included. On the contrary, there’s a freshness in their playing, the sound  of musicians discovering the the beauty and deceptive simplicity of a classy jazz sound. it’s gratifying to hear the contemporary likes of  Lennon/McCartney compositions set in the context of jazz tradition, boldly rendered as a means of giving the musicians a workout.

David Ashkenazy/ Out With It (Posi-Tone): While the version “I Want You” here is an intense tour de force, David Ashkenazy and company jump right into action on this album with ad adventurous run through of Wayne Shorter’s “Children of the Night.” Covering Stephen Foster as well as Lennon/McCartney is further testament to an element of courage that permeates this entire effort. The inclusion of Beatles material lives up to its durability and flexibility as well as its mainstream fame, during instrumental arrangements develop their own character.

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Listener’s Notes – From the CD Stack: Gold, DPOQ….

http://markehayes.blogspot.com/2010/08/listeners-notes-from-cd-stack-gold-dpoq.html

Listener’s Notes – From the CD Stack: Gold, DPOQ

by Mark E Hayes
It’s time to pick my favorites from the stack of CD’s that’s been piling up over the summer.  Week-to-week, I receive an awful lot of music to review, so here’s the deal.  Any new release gets a quick hearing on the stereo in the study, which might lead to a full rip onto my laptop, which is followed by a sync to my iPod.  If a new release makes it to the iPod, it means I’m going to be listening to it everywhere.
The one album I queued up most often was organist Jared Gold’s Supersonic (Positone 2010). Gold — the musician, NOT the goth fashion designer— has played with Dan Pratt, Randy Napoleon, and Avi Rothbard, but many people will likely know Gold’s work from guitarist Mark Stryker’s excellent 2007 release, The Chaser.  On Supersonic, Gold roots himself in the classic organ trio combo, with Ed Cherry on guitar and McClenty Hunter on drums.  Every track on the album has its rewards: uptempo numbers are clever and funky, ballads are cool and soulful, and interplay between band members is balanced. I’m sure I’m not alone in my deep appreciation of the opening track, a brisk reworking of John Sebastian’s theme from Welcome Back, Kotter. With an opening like that, Supersonic grabs you from the start and doesn’t let go.  A thoroughly groovy time.

Gold provides support in the second release from the Dan Pratt Organ Quartet, Toe The Line (Positone 2010) , a thoroughly confident second release from the saxophonist’s group, which is rounded out by trombonist Alan Ferber and drummer Mark Ferber.  Powerful and precise, both Pratt and Alan Ferber carry every tune forward with a clear sense of working together, then playing off each other when the moment calls for it.  Gold and Mark Ferber fill the remaining sonic space masterfully — no easy task given the challenging nature of Pratt’s compositions.  The excellent playing aside, what is most remarkable about Toe The Line is the writing.  Aside from the Ellington tune, “The Star Crossed Lovers,” every song is a Pratt composition.  From the angular bebop opening of “Minor Procedure,” to the Monk-ish “Doppelganger,” to the whimsical “Uncle Underpants,”  and to the souful, gorgeous “After,” Pratt has put together a range of songs that leaves little doubt as to the prowess of his songwriting skills. Toe The Line gets better each time you listen — on the strength of the songs.

 

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Jazz Journal Review of “Supersonic”

April 2010
Jazz Journal 63 No. 4,
Brian Morton

It takes some moxie to start with a John Sebastian tune and then to programme something by Coldplay, who are to jazz favourites Radiohead what Dr Peppers is to moonshine whiskey, but Jared Gold is a confident young man and a thoroughly musical fellow who knows a strong melody when he hears it. The organist has been making a splash on the New York scene for a while now and his debut Posi-Tone CD ‘Solids And Stripes’ was one of last year’s standout organ-jazz records. Here, though, Gold doesn’t have the support of saxophonist Seamus Blake. He’s very much featured on his own, though with Ed Cherry in the line-up, there’s additional interest. The Sebastian song probably won’t ring too many bells or sound too many alarms and no sooner has it wheezed out than Gold’s own Makin’ Do lifts the rating higher still. He’s not yet a fully confident composer, with something of the tyro’s habit of messing with a simple idea in order to make it more complicated. That doesn’t necessarily work and an older and more experienced craftsman might have ironed out the extraneous detail on Times Are Hard On The Boulevard, Battle Of Tokorozawa and Home Again. In the absence of liner notes on the promo, I can’t tell you what the middle one signifies to Jared Gold, but the scrap in question was back in the 14th century, so it’s not particularly personal. I thought Can’t Take My Eyes Off Of You bordered on schmaltz, but loved the Beatles tune and the sen- sitive Angel Eyes, and didn’t baulk at the Coldplay cover, which was done before I realised what it was. Gold’s good and will get better still. The bonus here is Cherry, whose own recording career seems not to have built on the high promise of his early 90s stuff on Groovin’ High, but who always delivers intelligently and with feeling. Posi-Tone is on a bit of a roll.