Tag: Jared Gold

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Ralph Bowen “Total Eclipse” get reviewed on Outside Inside Out…

outsideinsideout.wordpress.com

Marc Free’s Posi-tone Records is one of a handful of labels that churns out a significant number of quality albums on a regular basis.  In the past couple of months the label has sent numerous new releases my way, so today I’m hitting you with a multi-part rundown of some of my favorites.

I reviewed tenor saxophonist Ralph Bowen’s last album, Power Play, in Downbeat.  In that review I compared Bowen’s sick chops and certain stylistic elements to Brecker, and thought his soprano approach was slightly reminiscent of Branford – comparisons which earned me a reaming out in a letter to the editor, even though it was a positive review.  Bowen’s followup to that album is Total Eclipse, which features Posi-tone mainstay Jared Gold on organ, guitarist Mike Moreno, and drummer Rudy Royston.  While I stand by my review of Power Play, I find Bowen’s playing on Total Eclipse(whether on tenor or soprano) to be extremely focused, sharp, swinging and reminding me of only one player: Ralph Bowen.

Bowen penned all nine of the hour long album’s tracks.  The title track opens the album in an easy, swinging fashion, with Bowen mixing up phrase lengths, rhythms and articulation and accent patterns – slinking, sliding, and winding his way through his solo.  On his brief solo Gold mixes a slightly percussive phrases based on short note values with  longer and more held out phrases, building upon Bowen’s statement nicely.  “The Dowsing Rod” features Bowen on soprano and is one metrically tricky trip, having sections in 10, in 3 and in 4.  Moreno sounds particularly good on this track, letting his slightly reverby sound and relaxed phrasing glide over Gold and Roysten.  The penultimate cut, “Hip Check,” is a rowdy and rocking showcase for Bowen’s aggressive tenor.  Royston holds things down with a slight backbeat and forward driving cymbals and Gold backs up Bowen’s solo by mixing up long sustained chords with quick jabs.  Moreno’s solo, supported by a very active Royston, is for the most part quite understated, providing a nice contrast to Bowen’s fire.

Overall Total Eclipse is an excellent outing that displays tight group playing, swinging charts containing a ton of craft and subtle hipness, and soloists who bring a firey intensity and creativity.  If you dig other releases on Posi-tone, or are a Ralph Bowen fan, then definitely check this CD out.  And if you’re not familiar with either, this album would be a great place to start.

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Ralph Bowen “Total Eclipse” get a nice review…

www.soundsoftimelessjazz.com
With Total Eclipse, saxophonist Ralph Bowen offers his fans a program that covers a broad spectrum of styles and sounds. Bowen wrote nine songs for the recording which features accompanists Jared Gold on organ, Mike Moreno on guitar and Rudy Royston on drums. Bowen masters the complexity of sustaining his listeners’ interest with his top-to-bottom command of the tenor saxophone, important improvisations and great soloing from his bandmates. So that you can fully enjoy his version of jazz, Ralph Bowen mixes things up with several fascinating styles – from straight ahead to bebop to swing.  The title track opens the set and from beginning to end, listeners are in for a real treat. The band supports Bowen’s dramatic composition and burnished sound with technical precision that only comes from years of experience and the study of their craft.  Jared Gold’s organ solo is well-placed and as funky as he wants to be! This song is a winner. On “Into The City” you’ll hear him at his best with solid hard, blowing that shows the depths of his artistry. On “The Dowsing Rod,” his soprano saxophone depicts the title’s subject before Mike Moreno adds his guitar visions via a beautiful solo. Overall, the entire recording meets the standards set by Ralph Bowen’s previous releases and he has definitely reached new heights with Total Eclipse. Buy the CD today.
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Another fine review for David Gibson “End of the Tunnel”…

www.criticaljazz.com

If a musical chain is as strong as the weakest link this is one tight unit. With a stellar 4tet made up of Julius Tolentino on alto saxophone along with organ phenom Jared Gold and Quincy Davis on drums we have but another funk infused soulful jazz outing from David Gibson. End Of The Tunnel may be the perfect bookend to A Little Somethin’ (Posi-Tone, 2009). This formidable 4tet is beginning to take on that classic working band feel from the mid 1960’s with Gibson’s buoyant swing leading the charge.
Gold is an absolute standout on End Of The Tunnel serving as the perfect musical counterpoint for Gibson. As solid a release as you can find from Gibson or in the Posi-Tone discography there is soulful quality, an innate sound from the inner reaches of a musician that go well past playing from the heart. The cohesion between Gold and Gibson is nothing short of inspiring, especially on the more soulful tune “Preachin'” which is a Jared Gold original. The variety that embodies this release is deceptively subtle with the Herbie Hancock tune “Blind Man, Blind Man” kicking things off which may be one of the best examples of what some refer to as soul-jazz. Closing with a nice layer of texture to this outing is the Jackie McLean tune “Blue Rondo” which showcases the straight ahead lyrical swing of Davis. One of the more infectious pieces featured from Gibson is funk oriented tune “Wasabi” where again Gold is the musical yin to Gibson’s yang. Musical brothers from a different mother.
David Gibson is the living embodiment of the searching artist. Does he reinvent the musical wheel here? No…He does not have to but instead takes a soulful sound most musicians could work a career trying to find and he simply pushes the music forward with a quartet that is as tight as they come. David Gibson gives a masterclass in performance on End Of The Tunnel and proves despite reports of its demise that real swing, that groove you can use is far from dead.
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Ken Franckling reviews Jared Gold “Golden Child”…

kenfrancklingjazznotes.blogspot.com

Jared Gold, Golden Child (Posi-Tone)

By it’s very nature, the Hammond B3 organ has a funky sound, but not all of the music produced on it has the greasy “chicken shack” feel associated with the late Jimmy Smith. I love that sound, dripping with soul, but I also like the cleaner, more contemporary sound that has evolved from the work of players like Larry Goldings, Sam Yahel and now Jared Gold. The leader, backed by guitarist Ed Cherry and drummer Quincy Davis, has a mighty groove of his own when covering classics like Sam Cooke’s “A Change is Gonna Come,” Johnny Nash’s “I Can See Clearly Now,” Jimmy Webb’s “Wichita Lineman and Duke Ellington’s ”In a Sentimental Mood.” But you get to hear his full voice on Gold’s original material. The title track, “Hold That Thought” and “Times Up” stand out. The trio interplay is exquisite here.
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Peter Hum reviews Jared Gold and Tom Tallitsch…

blogs.ottawacitizen.com/

The discs below feature the fine work of organist Jared Gold, who should be on your get-t0-know list if you’re not already familiar with him…

Golden Child (Posi-Tone)
Jared Gold

jaredgold goldenchild mt Vital Organs I (CD reviews)

Attention Larry Goldings, Sam Yahel and other acknowledged contemporary jazz organ masters:  Jared Gold is nipping at your heels.

The young New York organist is amassing some formidable playing credits with the likes of John Abercrombie, Dave Stryker, Oliver Lake and Ralph Bowen. His fifth disc under his own name,  Golden Child,reaffirms that with guitarist Ed Cherry and drummer Quincy Davis, he leads a trio that has it goin’ on.

The CD consists of 11 tracks, sequenced such that Gold wrote all the even-numbered tracks, while the odd-numbered tracks are covers that range from Duke Ellington (In A Sentimental Mood) to ’60s pop and soul (Wichita Lineman, A Change Is Gonna Come, I Can See Clearly Now).

Regardless of who wrote them, the consistently potent and satisfying tracks combine to draw a clear picture of Gold’s strengths.

He’s soulful in the extreme on A Change Is Gonna Come, a top-notch disc-opener that you won’t be skipping on repeated listens. On the hippified Wichita Lineman and the quirkier I Can See Clearly Now,  Gold makes some smart harmonic revisions without losing the gist of the original tunes. He cranks up the groove on the somewhat reharmonized In A Sentimental Mood, as you can see in this clip, which features drummer McLenty Hunter rather than Davis:

The swinging’s just as strong — which is to say it’s an exhortation for foot-tapping and head-bobbing– on the minor-key tune I Wanna Walk and Gold’s own Hold That Thought.  The original Times Up is a burner that brings to mind the urgency and power of Larry Young. The grooving’s greasier in a good, New Orleans-inspired way, on 14 Carat Gold. The disc-ending When Its Sleepytime Down South is right on the money.

Throughout, guitarist Cherry is a no-nonsense foil for Gold, as economical and blues-based with his note choices as Gold can be florid and sophisticated. They and Davis are utterly in sync as they shape the flow and craft the details.

Heads Or Tales (Posi-Tone)
Tom Tallitsch

tom tallitsch heads or tales Vital Organs I (CD reviews)

New Jersey-based saxophonist and radio show host Tom Tallitsch presents eight post-bopping originals and a Neil Young cover on his latest CD, which features organist Gold raising the music to a higher level.

Swingers such as the opener Coming Around and the charging tune Double Shotdovetail nicely with Tallitsch’s burly yet breathy playing that at times features long, Lovano-esque, corkscrewing lines.  Here’s a version of Coming Around from an organ-free band led by Tallitsch: 

 I especially like the vibe on the slower, Elvinish tune Tenderfoot, the groove tune Flat Stanley and the waltzing, upbeat tune Dunes, that features a nice gradual build up front.The disc’s only cover, Neil Young’s Don’t Let It Bring You Down, is a short, minimalist reading featuring Tallisch that introduces some welcome vulnerability to the CD’s emotional range. Still, I wonder if the saxophonist could have been more expansive or ambitious with the tune.

Guitarist Dave Allen is a fluent, modern player whose advanced improvising can seem to pick up where Tallitsch leaves off — that’s to Allen’s credit, but it also seems to me that the disc could do with a bit more contrast now and again in terms of the feeling and approaches of these soloists. Mark Ferber drums with his usual spark and precision. Gold, as I mentioned, consistently enlivens the music, and his solos on Tenderfoot and Flat Stanley count as disc highlights.

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Some nice coverage for Ralph Bowen on SaxShed…

saxshed.com

Heads up SaxShed.com readers! Ralph Bowen has done it again. You can check out the newest release “Total Eclipse” from Posi-tone Records on May 29, 2012.

The press release below tells a bit about Ralph’s newest release “Total Eclipse”:

“Saxophonist Ralph Bowen reaches for new vistas andsu rpasses himself with his latest release “Total Eclipse.” Bowen plays with remarkable technical precision and a manifest knowledge of his materials. His sound is hard and extraordinarily well-centered, his articulation sharp, and his command of the tenor saxophone complete. Nevertheless, the depth of his artistry is considerable. Ralph Bowen is as substantial a musician as jazz has ever produced. The musical program covers a wide spectrum of styles and sounds when Bowen’s brilliant original compositions are presented with the able assistance of a solid group of sidemen, including organist Jared Gold, guitarist Mike Moreno, and drummer Rudy Royston. Jazz fans everywhere will swing with intense delight as Bowen soars to new heights with “Total Eclipse.”

Track List
1. Total Eclipse
2. Behind The Curtain
3. Into The City
4. The Dowsing Rod
5. On Green
6. Arrows Of Light
7. Exosphere
8. Hip Check
9. In My Dreams

Do yourself a favor and pre-order this if you can. As many of you know, I am a huge fan of Ralph Bowen’s playing. The preview copy I am listening to at the moment is burning. You only need to listen to Hip Check at 1:30 to appreciate what a wonderful technician Ralph is – a true modern virtuoso.

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Another review for Jared Gold “Golden Child”…

www.nippertown.com

JARED GOLD
“Golden Child”
(Posi-Tone)
Hammond B3 expert Jared Gold’s work as a sideman has been nothing short of sensational, and that streak continues on saxman Ralph Bowen’s upcoming release “Total Eclipse.” (More on that one in a future episode.) Gold’s own efforts as a leader, however, have been less than stellar. Thankfully, “Golden Child” breaks that streak, as all the fun and soul Gold brought to his support gigs finally made it to one of his own sessions. Sam Cooke’s “A Change is Gonna Come” gets an almost-complete reboot, maintaining the gospel feel of the original but adding a dancing attitude that celebrates that change, not mourns it. Gold’s jazzed-out take on Jimmy Webb’s “Wichita Linemen” is as far from Glen Campbell as you can get, and Duke Ellington’s “In a Sentimental Mood” has a sexy element Ellington’s original never had. Ed Cherry’sguitar is both elegant and sassy, bridging the gap between jazz and R&B, and drummer Quincy Daviscontinues to be the steady-Eddie of Posi-Tone’s stable, providing an inventive solo voice when necessary and solid support for all occasions. Put this one on the “Party Music” list for this summer’s deck-party schedule.

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A couple of new reviews for Orrin Evans and Ralph Bowen….

midwestrecord.com

ORRIN EVANS/Flip the Script: With a new trio, Evans plays piano like it’s a bebop instrument using it to anchor a straight ahead date with a lot of modern jazz overtones. Left leaning but not from the church basement, this is seasoned, high octane piano trio music that goes from racket to joyful noise to pulse pounding. Sitting down jazz for those not afraid to push the pedal to the metal, it’s loaded with the stuff hipsters should really be appreciating instead of images of what they are appreciating. Hot stuff.
8100

RALPH BOWEN/Total Eclipse: The kind of New York sax man that’s a jazzbo’s jazzbo, he’s a real player that doesn’t show up to mess around. His third for the label finds him continuing to consolidate his position at the head of the class. A straight up, straight ahead date that’s in the tradition and in the pocket, there’s some serious playing here that’s going to grab you by the ear and not let go. Well done
8097

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Critical Jazz reviews Ralph Bowen “Total Eclipse”…

www.criticaljazz.com

Swing is rhythmic feel or groove created by the musical interaction or chemistry between the performers. Swing or this “groove” manifests itself in a visceral response essentially music your feel with your hips and feel with your feet.
With a total solar eclipse the Sun’s corona can be seen shining in all directions around the moon. This glimpse of the corona is breathtaking as this is the only time the corona can be seen.
While this somewhat academic explanation may seem odd as applied to Ralph Bowen’s Total Eclipse allow the idea of Bowen as the celestial body and his first call trio that passes through this release as the breathtaking corona that highlights the intense swing of Ralph Bowen.

There are a million tenor players in the naked city with many having the ability to play the notes but not make the music. Bowen is a master technician who blows with the precision of a surgeon while drawing an intense lyrical swing from a visceral place most players can play thirty years and still not find. Shying away from the word “sidemen” we have Jared Gold on organ who is the perfect musical visionary for his role on this or virtually any other recording I have ever had the pleasure of hearing. Mike Moreno adds texture and swagger to an ensemble that are far more than just a handful of some of the better “sidemen” you can find. Moreno may well be the equivalent of sonic glue in bringing the rhythm section together. Rudy Royston is perhaps one of the most underrated drummers working the scene today. If Royston is on a release the rhythm section will be tight and the pocket will be held firmly in hand by Royston.

Opening with the title track “Total Eclipse” the straight ahead power of Bowen will hit you right between the eyes. A hard edged lyrical sense of purpose as the groove laid down by the ensemble and especially the first rate solo turned in by Gold is a thing of beauty. Seemingly working without a harmonic net this 4tet goes for it and takes no prisoners. A release of all originals can be somewhat of a musical roll of the dice but not for Bowen whose tunes can take one make to the days of Blue Note and Impulse which was when real swing was king. Posi-Tone can lay claim to a huge chunk of that crown now. The somewhat soulful ballad oriented “The Dowsing Rod” differs totally in style. While the lyrical drive is never absent the intensity is transferred nicely to a tune that showcases Bowen’s versatility not only in compositions that can go slightly more post bop influenced but in his mastery of improvisational consistency that is seldom heard. Moreno clean single note runs move deftly in and out of a tune that develops its own organic pulse and finds a musical happy place between post bop and modern jazz. “Hip Check” has Royston checking in with an opening solo that is more of an instructional guide or masterclass for those with drumming aspirations. Bowen is on fire with an improvisational firepower most tenor players struggle to pull off with this kind of intensity and direction.

While there is no doubt Ralph Bowen can swing like a beast perhaps the most captivating aspect of Total Eclipse is the variety and texture. Taking a sonic page from the ECM playbook there is an ebb and flow that allows this release to give up a little something new with each subsequent spin of disc. This is not a release for the jazz faint of heart. This is meat and potatoes swing that you can sink your teeth into. At times Total Eclipse is the perfect example of controlled sonic fury. My sincere hope this is not the last we have heard from this particular 4tet. A swing that is hard, honest and with a strong sense of lyrical direction this my friends is what swing is all about!

5 Stars

Tracks: Total Eclipse; Behind The Curtain; Into The City; The Dowsing Rod; On Green; Arrows Of The Light; Exosphere; Hip Check; In My Dreams.

Personnel: Ralph Bowen: saxophone; Jared Gold: organ; Mike Moreno: guitar; Rudy Royston: drums.

Check out these links for more information including the possibility of pre-ordering the new release.

https://www.posi-tone.com/

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Step Tempest reviews Tom Tallitsch “Heads or Tales”…

steptempest.blogspot.com

For “Heads Or Tales“, his 4th CD as a leader (and first for PosiTone Records), tenor saxophonist Tom Tallitsch convened a group that features Jared Gold (Hammond B-3),Dave Allen (guitar) and Mark Ferber (drums).  Gold’s fine organ work, paired with Allen’s strong single-note lines and supported by Ferber’s insistent percussion, truly set the stage for this music.  Tallitsch has no issue with sharing the spotlight so every player gets his due. Allen shines each time he gets to solo, no more so than on “The Lummox.”   Tallitsch’s tenor style hearkens back to the sounds of early John Coltrane and Don Byas.  You can hear a blues tinge yet he never overplays or just “blows” – his solos “sing”, even on faster tracks such as the high-speed drive of “Double Shot” or the funky, James Brown-influenced “Flat Stanley.”  The ballads, especially “Perry’s Place“, show a tone as sweet as Lester Young and melodic inventions in the manner of Ben Webster.  Yet, Tallitsch is neither a traditionalist nor a throwback.  The rhythms that Gold and Ferber create for these original pieces (the sole exception, the emotionally charged ballad reading of Neil Young’s “Don’t Let It Bring You Down“) are up-to-date without kowtowing to “trendiness.”

No need to flip a coin, “Heads Or Tales” is a winner any way you listen to it.  I continue to be impressed with Jared Gold’s versatility and Mark Ferber’s stunning percussion while Dave Allen, who has released several CDs on Fresh Sounds New Talent, adds a sound that works well with the organ and tenor (his rhythm work is also quite good.)  Tom Tallitsch has created a strong program with a group that would “burn down the house” in a club setting.