Tag: Jim Rotondi

by Derek Taylor
Contextual questions of excessive repertory fealty are largely moot in the music of Jim Rotondi. A trumpeter who’s canny style blends Hubbard-like velocity and clarity with a persuasive lyricism, his fixation on a stripes of hardbop steeped in 60s Blue Note decorum is hardly worth getting bent about, though there are those who would likely fault him for it just the same. This set couples his lubricious brass with Joe Locke’s vibes and a standard rhythm section for a nine-song program that moves along at a brisk and mannered clip from the opening incisiveness of “Bizzaro World” through the lovely tone poem closer “Not Like This”.

Locke is a veteran player versed in a set of antecedents similar to those favored by his employer. He’s also imbued with a comparable instrumental command that engages multiple mallets in the crafting of complex melodic leads. He and Rotondi make for sharply cast team in the company of pianist Danny Grissett, bassist Barak Mori and drummer Bill Stewart, all of whom unflappably fulfill their respective roles. Mori and Stewart don’t get much in the way of solo space, but each man still makes his presence known through cogent and creative support.

The set list combines a handful of originals with a small clutch of tunes culled from popular songbooks. Buddy Montgomery is the source of the title piece, a lush ballad piece bracketed by soothing ensemble statements. Lennon and McCartney’s “We Can Work it Out” is thankfully denuded of most of its pop baggage, the unison theme working surprisingly well as a blowing vehicle for the two principals. It’s a very pleasant and well-parceled program, one filled with numerous platforms for the leader and Locke to strut their chops. Again, the collaborative catalogs of Hubbard and Hutcherson aren’t too far out of mind when listening to tunes like “Gravitude” and “One for Felix”. That’s hardly a trait worth a grimace or a grouse.

by Bruce Lindsay
1000 Rainbows swings beautifully, drawing together a few original tunes from trumpeter Jim Rotondi and some out-of-the-ordinary classics that are delivered in real style by a classy quintet. The New York-based Rotondi has been in the jazz scene for more than 20 years and has an extensive back catalog of recordings as a leader. This is his third Posi-tone release as leader, following Four Of A Kind (2008) and Blues For Brother Ray (2009).

The musicians on this release are exceptional—they have a real sense of swing and a real feel for melodies, too. Vibes player Joe Locke is outstanding, whether trading solos with Rotondi or adding to the rhythmic drive of pianist Danny Grissett, drummer Bill Stewart and bassist Barak Mori.

Rotondi contributes three of his own compositions to the collection. They’re all accessible, involving, tunes but “Gravitude”—a hard-bop style, driving, up-tempo number—is the standout of the three and features excellent solos from Locke and Rotondi.

The best-known tune here is Lennon and McCartney’s “We Can Work It Out.” Rotondi’s version is more syncopated than the Beatles original, giving the song a fresh edge that’s further enhanced by Grissett’s percussive piano solo. The less well-known “1000 Rainbows” was written by the late vibes player Buddy Montgomery—Mori and Stewart lay down a strong and slinky groove on this tune, while Rotondi and Locke add distinctive solos. The most immediately enjoyable tune is Bill Mobley’s “49th Street.” The tune conjures up a real sense of a bustling New York thoroughfare, with its pacey rhythm. Stewart switches to brushes for the number, Rotondi plays some fine muted trumpet, Locke contributes a warm and uplifting vibes solo and Mori’s bass solo is chunky and fun.

“Not Like This,” written by British-born arranger Jeremy Lubbock and originally recorded by Al Jarreau, closes 1000 Rainbows in fine style. The tune opens with a brief solo from Locke before Rotondi enters to play a straightforward, sparse, melody line with great precision over Locke’s gentle vibes. No one else appears, the front-line duo is all that’s necessary to create a short but lovely performance to end a delightful and rewarding album.

Track listing: Bizzaro World; We Can Work It Out; One for Felix; 1000 Rainbows; Crescent Street; Born to be Blue; Gravitude; 49th Street; Not Like This.

Personnel: Jim Rotondi: trumpet; Joe Locke: vibraphone; Danny Grissett: piano; Barak Mori: bass; Bill Stewart: drums.

By Rickard Kamins
1000 Rainbows – Jim Rotondi (Posi-tone Records) – Jim Rotondi is a trumpeter out of the Freddie Hubbard/ Woody Shaw school with roots in Clifford Brown (his sweet articulated notes remind this listener of Brownie.) On record, he rarely ventures into unknown territory and that’s just fine because his music never sounds stale. Surrounded by veterans like Joe Locke (vibraphone) and Bill Stewart (drums) and younger players Danny Grissett (piano) and Barak Mori (bass), this program is well-played and plenty of fun for the listener.

It may take one a minute or so before you realize the band is hitting on Lennon & McCartney’s “We Can Work It Out” but it’s a smart reworking. Locke glides over the dancing drum work and fine chordal interjections from Grissett before Rotondi jumps in with an assertive solo. The title track is from the pen of Buddy Montgomery, the bassist brother of guitarist Wes and is a medium-tempo confection with a bluesy bass line and a hint of parade drums from Stewart. Rotondi stays in the horn’s mid-range for most of his long solo, really working through the changes. Locke takes over and builds his groove off of the drum patterns. Mori is rock-solid beneath the band, really filling out the sound. The trumpeter swings his socks off on the opening chorus of his original “Gravitude”, moving aside for a short vibes solo and then flying over the changes with an energetic and often fiery solo. “Born to Be Blue” sounds like the kind of music one makes on a rainy day, an smoothly played ballad with sweet solos from the leader and Grissett (Locke sits out this track.) Rotondi uses a mute for the high-stepping “49th Street”, a Bill Mobley composition replete with a dominant bass line (and strong solo), sharp, classy, brushes work and a quick knockout solo from Grissett. One of the highlights is the vibes/trumpet duo that closes the program. “Not Like This” is a heart-felt ballad that British-born arranger Jeremy Lubbock wrote for Al Jarreau. Here, Locke plays the introduction unaccompanied, his notes swirling and reverberating – Rotondi enters and delivers the melody without needless embellishments. The piece is a perfect capper to this most musical experience.

Jim Rotondi has a winner on his hands with “1000 Rainbows” – he and his cohorts may not be “breaking new ground” but this swinging session satisfies the soul. For more information, go to www.posi-tone.com.

Trumpeter and Ray Charles alum Jim Rotondi’s new album 1000 Rainbows is a brisk, no-nonsense romp through a mix of strong, memorable themes that an inspired cast – Joe Locke on vibraphone, Danny Grissett on piano, Barak Mori on bass and Bill Stewart on drums – lock onto and charge through with gusto. The opening track, Bizarro World moves from a rumble to a scamper and back and then fades out. A cover of the Beatles’ We Can Work It Out is completely disguised until the verse kicks in, the band messing with the time signature – it would be cool to see what they could do with Penny Lane. Locke takes a long chilly glasses-clinking solo, Rotondi takes his time and goes a little bluesy, then takes it up for Grissett to chill it out again.

An original, One for Felix has Rotondi opening it pensively, then Locke comes slinking in and has the room spinning in seconds flat, Grissett following in a similar vein. The title track, a Bobby Montgomery composition, has piano and bass locking into a hypnotic bossa-tinged groove, Rotondi in tandem with the vibes and then taking a couple of absolutely gorgeous strolls down to the lower registers followed by a pointillistic Locke excursion. Locke’s composition Crescent Street isn’t a New Orleans piece but instead a straight-up swing joint that motors along with some potently rapidfire playing by its author, Rotondi taking his energy level up as well. A bluesy One for My Baby-style ballad, Born to Be Blue gives Rotondi a long, comfortable and expressive solo followed with a wink and a grin by Grissett, who eventually sounds “last call,” Rotondi returning for one more after a long time at the bar. There are also two scampering swing numbers: Rotondi’s Gravitude, where Mori and Grissett push the beat as hard and fast as they can without leaving the rest of the crew in the dust, and an ebulliently bustling take on Bill Mobley’s 49th St. as well as the impressively vivid, almost rubato Not Like That, a conversation between Rotondi’s wistful horn and Locke’s otherworldly, reverberating chords. The album is out now on Posi-Tone. Rotondi’s next NYC appearance is a two-night stand with his quartet featuring Antonio Hart at Smoke on Sept. 3 and 4 at 8 PM.

By Jim Allen
When it comes to trumpeters on the NYC straight-ahead jazz scene, Jim Rotondi is strictly top-shelf. He’s been making his musical presence felt since the ‘90s, and while he’s deep into his recording career by this point, 1000 Rainbows nevertheless finds him employing an approach that’s not only tonally spotless but emotionally open, achieving a searching quality even while showing miles of sophistication. With a band that includes New York vibes legend Joe Locke and renowned drummer Bill Stewart, Rotondi blows through a batch of tunes that offer plenty of opportunity to show off both his peerless phrasing and his warm, intimate tone. “Born To Be Blue” is a cool-jazz style tune where Rotondi unleashes riffs firmly in the Chet Baker/Miles Davis tradition; the simmering title track is full of impressive improv, from both the bandleader and Locke, while a hard-bop reinvention of The Beatles’ classic “We Can Work It Out” takes the tune so far from its harmonic origins that Rotondi should have his own composers’ credit on the track. There are countless other jazz players in New York who work outside the box, but when it comes to making an impact on the inside, Rotondi offers up a world of colors all his own on 1000 Rainbows.

By John Barron

On his third release as a leader for Posi-Tone Records, acclaimed trumpeter Jim Rotondi leads a stellar quintet of New York heavy-hitters on a straight-ahead presentation of original compositions and standard fare. Featuring the unremitting vibraphone work of Joe Locke, 1000 Rainbows swings hard through up-tempo burners, ballads and laid-back funk grooves.

Rotondi and Locke are as like-minded as they come, unraveling shapely bebop- style lines full of vigor and surprise. The two, plus pianist Danny Grissett, serve up head-turning solos on Locke’s “Crescent Street,” a syncopated reworking of Jerome Kern’s “Yesterdays.” Rotondi’s up-tempo “Bizzaro World,” driven by drummer Bill Stewart, is a showcase for the trumpeter’s rounded tone and fiery technique.

The disc’s two ballads, “Born to Be Blue” and “Not Like This,” affirm Rotondi as a mature voice, informed by his agility and attuned to lyricism, while playfulness is revealed in his clever take on The Beatles’ “We Can Work it Out” and the funky title track.

A veteran of numerous big bands and a founding member of the celebrated sextet One For all, Rotondi has experience on his side. The Montana native has put in the time to develop a distinct voice, illuminated by tradition. 1000 Rainbows is a thorough representation of this exciting and consistent trumpeter.

Track listing: Bizzaro World; We Can Work it Out; One For Felix; 1000 Rainbows; Crescent Street; Born To Be Blue; Gravitude; 49th Street; Not Like This.

Personnel: Jim Rotondi: trumpet; Joe Locke: vibraphone; Danny Grissett: piano; Barak Mori: bass; Bill Stewart: drums.

By Jeff Krow
Jim Rotondi – 1000 Rainbows – Posi-Tone PR8062, 52:34 ****½:

(Jim Rotondi, trumpet; Joe Locke, vibes; Danny Grissett, piano; Barak Mori, bass; Bill Stewart, drums)

Jim Rotondi is one bad cat. He can purr on his trumpet or growl like a tiger on a hunt, whether with the collective hard bop super band, One for All, or in a quintet setting as a leader, like on his latest issue for Posi-Tone, 1000 Rainbows, where he is the sole horn. In his abilities, he so much brings to mind either Lee Morgan or Freddie Hubbard, as a take no prisoners trumpeter.

In a savvy move, Posi-Tone has paired Rotondi with vibes star, Joe Locke, on 1000 Rainbows, and the two make a great combination. Locke brings a sparkling sheen to the mix both comping behind Jim, playing his own glistening solos or teaming with pianist Danny Grissett, bassist, Barak Mori, and veteran drummer, Bill Stewart, to add percussion to balance Rotondi’s strut. Locke adds so much to a session lighting a fuse behind the other musicians and his effect is especially pronounced on both Grissett and Rotondi.

“Bizarro World” comes charging out as a strong opener. Stewart’s pulse bristles and Locke and Rotondi seem to be lit with energy. The Beatles’ “We Can Work It Out” features Locke, after the band plays several choruses of the familiar theme. Producer Marc Free and engineer Nick O’Toole again have the acoustics rock solid where Rotondi’s warm, burnished mid range talents are paired with well mixed drums, and crystal clear piano and vibe tones. Mixed and mastered at Studio 507 in Los Angeles, the acoustics are as good as you’ll find on conventional CD.

“One for Felix” initially has Rotondi’s presence felt center stage, but when Locke steps up. you immediately know he and Danny Grissett could have held the listener’s interest if Rotondi had sat out. The same could be said for most any track as the rhythm section is that tight.

Locke’s “Crescent Street” gave me a NOLA feel in its theme, and Joe really digs in mid track as the mallets fly. “Born to Be Blue” is a lovely ballad, and shows Jim’s tender side. You can imagine this tune being played late night on a third set, while looking out the window on a New York skyline. Bill Mobley’s “49th Street” benefits from Rotondi’s muted trumpet and Bill Stewart’s funky pulse. Bassist Barak Mori, gets some space to share the limelight with Grissett before Rotondi reasserts himself with Mori matching him with a steady bottom beat that he keeps up through Locke’s solo.

1000 Rainbows closes with “Not Like This” with a heavy-reverbed vibraphone from Joe teamed with Jim’s neoclassical horn lines. Just 2:49 in length it is a soft fade-out to the brightness of 1000 Rainbows. If only this light show could make its way across the country and not let the Big Apple get all the treats.

TrackList: Bizarro World, We Can Work It Out, One for Felix, 1000 Rainbows, Crescent Street, Born to Be Blue, Gravitude, 49th Street, Not Like This

By Dan Bilawsky

Trumpeter Jim Rotondi’s steady stream of solo albums and work with the collective supergroup One For All—along with his role as a jazz educator and Selmer clinician—have put him at the epicenter of the jazz world. For this, his third album on Posi-Tone Records, Rotondi rounded up some fellow Big Apple-based heavy hitters to join him, including vibraphonist Joe Locke and drummer Bill Stewart.

Rotondi tackles everything from The Beatles to Buddy Montgomery on 1000 Rainbows and, just like a rainbow covers a whole spectrum of colors, Rotondi spans a broad range of styles. “Bizzaro World” moves from a Latin groove to a double-time swing feel, introducing the trumpet and vibraphone frontline that is featured prominently throughout. “We Can Work It Out” touches on the popular Lennon/McCartney melody before moving on to serve as a platform for some impressive soloing. Locke has some rapid runs across the vibes, while Rotondi throws in a few tornado-tongued licks and pianist Danny Grissett reaches into his blues bag, during their respective solos.

Rotondi makes sure to throw a jazz waltz into the mix with his engaging “One For Felix,” while the title track—underscored by a hip, slow-strutting groove from Stewart and a bass line from Barak Mori that manages to be both nonchalant and full of attitude—proves to be an album highlight. Locke’s “Crescent Street” is full of tricky unison hits, and everybody, save Mori, gets some room to let loose. Rotondi and Locke have some terrific solo exchanges on “Gravitude,” while both Grissett and Stewart are superb in their solo spots. Rotondi provides some muted magic on “49th Street,” and Mori gets his only solo spot on the album.

While the trumpeter clearly excels on the livelier material, ballads also have their place. “Born To Be Blue” features some sensitive work from Rotondi and Grissett, but the all-too-brief take on “Not Like This”—with a gorgeous blend of vibraphone and trumpet that comes off as musical reverie—carries more impact.

In the end, this album is a story of numbers. Five superb musicians came together as one to create the nine tracks that make up the singularly superb 1000 Rainbows.

Track listing: Bizzaro World; We Can Work It Out; One For Felix; 1000 Rainbows; Crescent Street; Born To Be Blue; Gravitude; 49th Street; Not Like This.

Personnel: Jim Rotondi: trumpet; Joe Locke: vibraphone; Danny Grissett: piano; Barak Mori: bass; Bill Stewart: drums.
Read more reviews of 1000 Rainbows.

Jim Rotondi – 1000 Rainbows (2010)

by Pico

It must have been quite a journey for a life that started out in the wide open ranges of Montana and ended up in the hustle and bustle of the New York jazz scene, but trumpet player Jim Rotondi got there with an assist from the late, great trumpet player Clifford Brown. Playing at first the piano at age eight and then the trumpet at age twelve, when Rotondi got his first taste of the sweet sounds of Clifford a couple of years later, his life’s calling was cast. Having attended the highly regarded music program at the University of North Texas, Rotondi went on to win competitions and play in the bands of Ray Charles, Bob Mintzer, Lionel Hampton, Lou Donaldson, Charles Earland, Joe Chambers and Curtis Fuller. Nowadays, Rotondi leads his own group. Actually, two groups: an acoustic quintet featuring vibes player Joe Locke and an electric group. Rotondi also help to create the supergroup sextet One For All, where he shares a front line with Steve Davis and Eric Alexander.

Rotondi has been recording as a leader starting in 1997 and has released around a dozen albums. Next week comes his third for Posi-Tone Records, 1000 Rainbows. Rotondi goes with the quintet getup for this date, with Locke on vibes, Danny Grissett on piano, Barak Mori on bass and one of John Scofield’s favorite drummers, Bill Stewart, manning the kit. The mission for this record is not complicated: they are playing undiluted mainstream jazz in a tasteful, virtuosic fashion, using both Rotondi originals and some standards from a wide cross section of sources.

“Bizarro World” gets the proceedings off to a brisk start, where Rotondi’s polished and distinctive trumpet playing style is evident in both the theme and solo breaks. The 1965 Beatles hit “We Can Work It Out” is completely overhauled into a nice, mid-tempo groover, so much so that it’s not recognizable. Stewart’s drum work is exemplary throughout, and his shuffling, subtle multi-rhythms on this song exemplify why. The Buddy Montgomery tune “1000 Rainbows” is worth listening to for Rotondi’s warm, inviting tone alone.

On the quicker “Crescent Street,” Rotondi shows of some fleckless chops without pouring on too much flash, and for the evergreen Mel Tormé ballad “Born To Be Blue,” he plays with a cool sensibility that dances around the lyric lines in a fanciful way. In “Gravitude,” Rotondi engages in some lively call-and response with Locke, one of the rare instances I’ve heard one between a trumpeter and and vibraphonist. For “49th Street,” Rotondi, Grissett and Locke play the long, snaky bop line in unison, a startling display of unity. For the duo performance of “Not Like This,” Locke’s impressionistic vibes pulses are used as a backdrop for Rotondi’s inviting intonations.

With the introduction of 1000 Rainbows next Tuesday, Jim Rotondi gives us another reason to follow the career of this accomplished performer, composer and educator. This is a solid effort worthy of several spins.

cweeds.wordpress.com

Well we finally arrived after a much longer drive than necessary.  We went through Kamloops to get to Kaslo which our good friends at Google.com suggested was the quickest route.  I guess if everything goes as planned then it is the best way but a 2 hour ferry wait, terrible signage and by terrible I mean NO signage and many stop to find out where the hell we were going makes for a long journey. A 9 hour jaunt took about 12 hours.  We finally made it and everything is good!

The highlight listening wise for the trip was JIM ROTONDI’S 1000 RAINBOWS on Positone.  It took me a minute to get to it. The first attempt was foiled because despite listening on my iPod, the band leader insisted on having CHRIS POTTER’s ULTRA HANG cranked so I had to succumb to the volume and wait for a quieter moment to put on Rotondi’s new date.  It was well worth the wait.  Jimbo has the rhythm section all switched up for this date and although I can listen to Webber/Hazeltine/Farnsworth forever it was nice to hear some different cats behind Rotondi.  On drums BILL STEWART, bass BARAK MORI and piano DANNY GRISSETT and some very tasty work by vibraphonist JOE LOCKE.  I think I may have mentioned this in a previous post but Jim is always writing and is always making adjustments to his tunes.  During our tour in 2009 he was pulling out all kinds of tunes that he was thinking of playing on record dates to haer how they sounded and then the next time we would play the tune it would be  a little bit different.  He puts a lot of care and attention into his writing and it shows.  Finely crafted gems are featured throughout this record.  One For Felixis fantastic!  I really love the duo rendition of Not Like This.  It’s just Rotondi and Locke and they just play the melody.  In Jim’s words, “there isn’t really much else you need to do on this tune, playing the melody is a complete statement.” The lush sound of the vibraphone is behind Jim’s beautiful trumpet sound is phenomenal.  Danny Grissett (who will be at The Cellar in December with Jeremy Pelt) also shines throughout this date!

Okay, off the festival!