No Small(s) Thing

More new CDs from Smalls Live. Two that I am enjoying today.

Rodney Green Quartet, "Live at Smalls" (Smalls Live 2013), with Green on drums, Seamus Blake on tenor sax, Luis Perdomo on piano, and Joe Sanders on bass. Four leaders, four masters working as a team. Perdomo is one of my favorites and his play is infectious and driven, but in fact the real driving is done by Green on the drum set and Sanders full throats bass. Seven extended tracks allow everyone their time in the limelight without excessive noodling. Great.

David Berkman, "Live at Smalls" (Smalls Live 2013) fettering Tom Harrell on trumpet, Ed Howard on bass, and Johnathan Blake on drums. Berkman is one of those pianists that should have a higher profile, off of CDs like "Live at Smoke" (Challenge 2009), "Leaving Home" (Palmetto 2002) and most recently a solo CD "Self Portrait" (Red Piano Records 2012). Here he teams with the inestimable Tom Harrell on the frontline on six pieces including a special "Body and Soul" and "Sweet and Lovely." Harrell modulates his sound beautifully and never overwhelms the rest of the contributions of the team, and Berkman comfortably takes his place as both leader and when comping. Another hit for Berkman and for Smalls.




Two others also were just released, one a solo outing by guitarist Peter Bernstein, the other a sextet led by trombonist Frank Lacy.

Qiuet Piano Times: David Berkman and Larry Goldings

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Two very similar CDs in concept and sound, Larry Golding's "In My Room" (BFM Jazz 2011) and David Berkman's more recent "Self-Portrait" (RPR (Red Piano Records) 2012) provide an intimate look at two pianists alone with their piano and their thoughts. Both feel as if the pianist was sitting at home at his piano, late at night, wineglass on the piano top, and randomly playing some favorites or simply playing interesting morsels of creative improvisations. They are relaxed, low-keyed songs, charming in their extreme simplicity and in many cases enduring melodies. Berkman plays a lovely "Sweet and Low", "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes", and "Just in Time" among his 13 chestnuts, interspersed with four improvised sketches; Goldings plays four improvised interludes among his 18 pieces, with the other 14 given over to some standards, some more recent songs, and a few surpirses. Highlights on the Goldings' CD are Joni Mitchell's " All I Want", "Everything Happens to Me" and the Beatles "Here There and Everywhere"; surprises are "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" and "Beautiful Dreamer."

These are quiet discs for quiet listening but are not just background music either. Each artist knows how to embellish a tune, and how to create charming imrovisations around it as well. Goldings' music is perhaps a bit richer in tone with more fully formed chords; Berkman is more sparse with his notes but no less lovely to sit back and listen to. There are no wow pieces or moments for these artists; they are simply setting a simple and beautiful mood for the listener. So sit back, relax with your own glass of wine, and enjoy the intimacy with them.