Mulgrew is Back and I Am Mad About this CD!

I am a mad Mulgrew Miller fan, with a large collection of his work in trios, solo, and with Wingspan, beginning with "Keys to the City" (Landmark 1985) right through to "Live at the Kennedy Center Volume 2" (MaxJazz 2007). His range on the keyboard, from the Tyneresque structures to the delicacy of his balladry is always impressive, and goes well with his taste in material, from standards to his own compositions.

So I am pleased to see that he has returned to recording once again as guest soloist with Kluver's Big Band on the CD "Grew's Tune" (Stunt 2012), which appeared this past summer to what appears to be little fanfare thus far.

This is a new setting for Miller, and adds yet another dimension to his discography. His trio out front -- himself with Morten Lund on drums and Morten Ramsbal on bass -- is powerful, and supported elegantly by an outstanding band of Danish jazz professionals under the leadership, for the last time before retirement, of Jens Kluver, conductor.

Kluver's Big Band started out in 1977 under the leadership of Jens Klüver. Since his retirement this past year, the band has now become the Aarhus Jazz Orchestra.  The Aarhus Jazz Orchestra is a professional big band with an international artistic level. It is based in Aarhus, Denmark, and has been sponsored by the Danish Arts Council since 1988, which was a great boost to the band’s success. Most of the repertoire is composed and/or arranged for the band, and many are the soloists, composers and arrangers who have provided their singular jazz expression to audiences and band members alike. Musicians like Thad Jones, Clark Terry, Joe Henderson, Abdullah Ibrahim, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Carmen Bradford, Deborah Brown, Lee Konitz, Joe Lovano, Bob Mintzer, Byron Stripling and Kenny Werner have all performed with the band.

Kluver selected six of Miller's compositions and turned the arrangements over to three individuals, and the results are great. Too often soloists get swallowed up by the band behind them, but in this case Miller's trio is clearly front and center with outstanding turns on each piece. "Thinking Out Loud" gets the CD off to a great swinging start, and after Miller there is a wonderful tenor sax solo by Michael Bladt before the entire band swings like mad through the piece. There is no way to pick any single performance out as exceptional -- all of them have great solo features from Miller's trio and others from the band. On "Return Trip", the more mellow second piece, Miller takes the last solo after Jakob Buchanan on trumpet and Claus Waldlaw on tenor. "Samba D'Blue" is next and is a fun romp with a latin beat. Then "Grew's Tune" and "Hand in Hand", and finally there is Miller's lengthy opening solo on the last piece,  "When You Get There". Miller provides an outstanding, bluesy seven minutes of piano viruosity to start it, and it makes a great close to the live concert as the trombone of Stefan Ringrive picks up the same mid-tempo blues with Miller comping behind him, and then Miller returns to take it out with the full band for a rousing finish.

Glad to see that Miller is back on the scene and performing and recording  great stuff. This is a fabulous CD with great variety among the six songs, and those who generally shy away from big bands should have no reservations about adding it to their collection. First rate play all the way around, and plenty of Mulgrew at his best.

So Much New Music!

Tons of good stuff in the last couple of months that I have not written about. Some big CDs from big names -- Brad Mehldau, Houston Person, Lee Konitz and friends, Anat Cohen, The Bad Plus just to name a few-- that I would recommend any time, but also a lot of CDs from some noteworthy but lesser known, or even in many cases unknown and new players. So without further ado, I have selected a few CDs from players you may have heard of to report on in this post, to be followed with others in succeeding days or weeks.

I'll start with two veterans, Marc Johnson and Eliane Elias, who have released an absolutely exquisite disc, "Swept Away" (ECM 2012). Johnson on bass and Elias on piano are accompanied by Joey Baron on drums and a very lyrical and somewhat subdued Joe Lovano on tenor saxophone. Eleven pieces of which ten are by Johnson and/or Elias, everyone lyrical and deeply moving, with stronger melodies and standard rhythms, and more richness than many might associate with ECM recordings. It kicks off right away with the title piece and, after the piano interoduces the song, a long and lovely solo passage by Johnson. the piece sets the mood of the disc -- romantic but not cloying, rich textures, and elegant. As a trio the group is great, and when Lovano joins in sublime. Lovano melds beautifully into the group sound, with a restrained, smooth tone. This is an elegant, must listen CD that will please anyone who likes the classic form and sound of a piano trio playing originals.  

Next, not new but new to me, and still pretty much down the middle with more well-known tunes, a European master of the bass, Mads Vinding, joins with two other masters of whom I recently wrote, Enrico Pieranunzi on piano and Alex Riel on drums for the CD "The Kingdom (Where Nobody Dies)" (Stunt 1997) and the trio delivers a bravura performance. This is not a CD with a lot of surprises or unusual touches, just one with three masters of their instruments playing some standards -- "Someday My Prince Will Come", "My Foolish Heart", "I Remember Clifford" -- and some Pieranunzi compositions with all of the class and grace one would expect from them. The three blend seemlessly and while Pieranunzi leads the compositions from his bench, watch for some nice soloing byVinding, particualry on "My Foolish Heart." Riel is subtle but always maintains firm control over the tempo from the back. Really wonderfully relaxing music, first rate.

Roberta Piket is a name well known in New York jazz circles, a veteran player and teacher and marvelous pianist with several recordings to her name. On her latest, "Solo" (Thirteenth Note Records 2012) she does just that, playing eleven pieces from a number of sources, including two she penned herself. Other compositions are by such luminaries as Thelonious Monk, Billy Strayhorn, Chick Corea, Wayne Shorter, Marian McPartland, and Sam Rivers, and by the names alone it is clear that these solo explorations are wide ranging, from standards to free jazz. Piket makes the most of the compositions and opportunities, beginning first with a very subdued and beautiful playing of "I See Your Face Before Me," but not before she interduces it with the opening left-hand bass notes from Eric Satie's Gymnopedies. Monk affords her great flexibility for the next two pieces, one her own composition modelled upon the freedom he displayed in his work which allows her some free rein across the keyboard, some unusual harmonies and a range of dynamics; and one interpreting the classic "Monk's Dream" in a very gentle fashion. Assured, relaxed, and creative, Piket demonstrates a sense of restraint on some of the most beautiful compositions, like "Something to Live For" (Strayhorn) to allow the song to speak for itself; and a fertile mind for improvisation on others as she takes tunes such as "Nefertiti" (Shorter)  and "Litha" (Corea) to new places through her explorations. I have many of her earlier CDs, but this one stands out as she expands her vocabulary with this solo outing. Piket's explorations are marvelous and easy on the ears, never too much "in your face", making this a CD that can be appreciated by traditionalists as well as moernists alike.

The next disc worth listening to definitely takes listeners out of the box and into the area of modern creative jazz. The duo of Michael Bisio (bass) and Matthew Shipp (pianist) jointly composed, or in some cases freely improvised, the seven pieces on this recording, "Floating Ice" (Relative Pitch Records 2012). Shipp is the better known of the two players and throughout his body of work has demonstrated his interest in exploration of sounds, both of his instrument as well as of duos, trios, and beyond. Melodies are more angular and shifting, rhythms varied, and the two freely combine soothing harmonies with dissonance within the same pieces. But both also demonstrate a keen ability to play together, to supporting one another, and to trading off solos effortlessly in search of their perfect sound. Interestingly, the liner notes do not distinguish written forms and improvisations, and simply describes the music as magic. Shipp jumps right in with "Floating Ice" a two handed exploration of the lower octaves of the piano with a lot of clustered chords under a running right hand melody line. There is no real tune here, just fantastically interesting blends, sometimes dissonant, sometimes harmonious, sometimes legato and gentle, and at other times heavily played and forte. Bisio takes over midway thorugh the piece and his bass solo is far from traditional but interesting as well. The music is really hard to describe accurately as it moves quickly from passage to passage, heavy hands to light touches, strong melodies to impressions, etc. Sometimes Shipp is too far out there for me --- his duet "Cosmic Lieder" (AUM Fidelity 2011) with Darius Jones is just one example that is too modern for my taste -- and sometimes his experimentation hits me right, like the recent "Elastic Aspects" (Thirsty Ear 2012) or "Art of the Improviser" (Thirsty Ear 2011), both trio CDs with  Bisio.  Here is one that hits the sweet spot for me -- experiemental, different, and yet structured enough to appeal to my sensibilities.

Finally, moving back towards the middle once more, we have Scott McLemore, an American ex-pat drummer living in Iceland, whose new CD is  "Remote Location" (Sunny Sky Records 2012) is a tribute to his various homes -- Virginia, New York, and Iceland. McLemore is accompanied by an all-star group of Icelanders, the best known of whom is Sunna Gunnlaugs on piano. The others are Oskar Gudjansson on tenor sax, Andres Thor on guitars, and Robert Porhallsson on bass. McLemore wrote all 11 pieces, which are very lovely, subdued impressionistic gems. I feel a great kinship to the music, not only because it is lovely, appealling music, but also becaause I feel a kinship to Charlottesville where my kids went to college ("Charlottesville" is the fifth track), to nearby New York City, and to Iceland, where we visited last year and expect to visit again soon. Just an unbelievable place of natural beauty, wonderful people, and amazing open space. McLemore captures all of our emotions about all of the places he cites with lovely melodies and great soloists. His own play is subdued but omnipresent as color, setting tempos, or creating accent points along the way. This is recomended to you as modern creative in-the-pocket jazz by a seamless quintet. And by the way, Iceland truly has an amazing jazz scene for such a tiny place, has an annual jazz festival that draws from Northern Europe in particular, and has a new concert hall that is magnificent.

So there we have it, five CDs of note, from the inside music of Vinding/Pieranunzi/Riel and of Johnson/Elias to the outside sounds of Bisio/Shipp. All very good, I hope you will try some and that you enjoy.

He's the Riel Thing: Alex Riel (Another Lesson in Looking Beyond the Leader too)

It's easy to use puns in the title of this post, as Riel does it with his album titles -- Get Riel, The Riel Thing, Riel Time, the Real Deal. But anyway you slice it, he is the real deal, an outstanding Danish drummer with a long history of recordings, a terrific pedigree of players he has worked with, an impressive discography, many awards..... and barely any visibility in the United States.

And frankly, I didn't have him on my radar until recently, certainly not as a leader, but once I did I went back and found that I do have many of his outings in support of some first rate leaders. From that point I went out and located a number of his CDs and am vastly impressed by them.

Riel is a musical icon overseas and particularly in Denmark, where a book on his life in music was published in 2010. It contains his musical journey starting with the little boy who listened to Louis Armstrong while drumming along on a scooter helmet, to the seasoned musician now regarded as one of the most influential European drummers of all time.

Alex Riel was born in 1940 in Copenhagen, Denmark. His career began in the mid-sixties as house drummer at the Club Montmartre with Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen and Tete Montoliu or Kenny Drew. He accompanied a wide range of visiting musicians such as Ben Webster, Dexter Gordon, Kenny Dorham, Johnny Griffin, Don Byas, Donald Byrd, Brew Moore and Yusef Lateef; and recorded with many of them. In 1965 Alex Riel released his first recording as a leader, and was chosen as the "Danish Jazz Musician of the Year".  In 1965-66 Riel toured Europe as a member of the Bill Evans Trio.

Alex Riel has played as a sideman on several hundred jazz recordings with names such as Stan Getz, Chet Baker, Ben Webster, Kenny Dorham, Dexter Gordon, while increasingly recording as a leader with contemporary stars such as Jerry Bergonzi, Michael Brecker, Kenny Werner and Mike Stern.

His live recording "The Riel Deal" (1996)  received a Danish Grammy for “Best Jazz Recording of the Year”. He received another award, the "Django d'Or 2001" in the category “Master of Jazz”. For several years Alex Riel has played in piano trios led by Danish bass ace Mads Vinding with pianist Carsten Dahl.  In 2004 Alex formed his own trio with Danish bass Jesper Lundgaard and the young pianist Heine Hansen.

So, without further ado, here are the CDs I have purchased recently, with some comments, along with a few that I had in my collection with other leaders.   

"Get Real" (Cowbell Music 2008) features Riel on drums, with Kenny Werner on piano and Pierre Bussaguet on bass. Anything with Kenny Werner to me is going to be great, and this does not disappoint. The music is straight-forward but freshened by both Werner's inpired improvisations and Riel's command of the kit in setting out a solid platform as well as some clever use of the cymbals, brushes et al to create some interesting dynamics. Some standards like "Always" and "If I Should Lose You", some songs penned by the members of the trio, and one semi-classical diversion "Polovetsian Dance" by Borodin. All first takes, all inviting music. "Riel Time" (Cowbell Music 2008) expands the trio concept, which has Riel and Werner at the core and the veteran Jesper Lundgaard on bass with the outstanding U.S. saxophonist Jerry Bergonzi. This is a live recording of the group and the enrgy lifts the music to even higher levels. The band plays a number of Bergonzi originals and the result is explosive music with a great sense of group interplay and dynamics. Very fresh music, perhaps a bit more outside because of the live setting and Bergonzi's writing, but truly energized and spell-binding. "Celebration" (Stunt 2000) is a live recording at the Copenhagen Jazz House celebrating Riel's 60th birthday, and features the trio of Riel, Werner, and Lundgaard once again. This classic group covers a range of standards and a classical piece credited to J.S. Bach, "Siciliana." Songs like "In Your Own Sweet Way", "Bye Bye Blackbird", and "On Green Dolphin Street" get extended  play, allowing for not only great group interplay but also for extended extrapolations and improvisations of the tunes. Werner turns "Autumn Leaves" into a classical rondo for a while before returning to its jazz roots, a lovely piece of improvisation. Werner of course is the major player on the piano, but there are strong plucked and bowed solos from Lundgaard, and Riel is always there keeping time, maintaining the rhythms and supporting the others, and taking solos that are diverse in their use of the various elements of the kit. He takes a short but powerful solo during "Bye Bye Blackbird." Familiar tunes played by talents such as three men possess makes for a nice listen, even if there are no great surprises or new territories to be covered. Just a great jazz trio having a good time, and you will too. "Alex Riel  DSB Kino" (Stunt 1998) is a very special piece of upbeat, classic swing jazz featuring Harry "Sweets" Edison on trumpet along with the piano trio of Riel, Roger Kellaway on piano, and Mads Vinding on bass. Edison was 83 at the time of the recording but sounds strong throughout as the group tackles a set of classics like  "Ain't Misbehaven", "Lover Man" and Dizzy Gillespie's "Tour de Force" with terrific energy. This is the most upbeat of the CDs mentioned in this post. "Just Friends" opens the set with an uptempo swing tune and each player brings energy and bounce to the tune. Vindings bass solo, Kellaway's bouncy, light touch, and Riels strong pulse and short bursts make this a great opener. The promise is kept throughout as Edison leads on each tune with his classy trumpet play, generally followed by the classic touch of Kellaway and then Vinding. This disc is pure fun.   Alex Riel clearly knows how to put a band together and how to lead it from the back, as he demonstrates on the discs above. You can hardly go wrong with masters like Werner, Kellaway, Vinding, Carsten Dahl, NHOP, and Lundgaard as your trio partners. And then throw in Edison, Bergonzi and on other discs a number of other notables including Michael Brecker, and you have an outstanding discography that needs more attention in the U.S.  And for toppers, look at this list of CDs he has played on as a supporting member and realize that this is a small subset of his total works, being just some of those I have in my collection:   Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen: Friends Forever (Sony 2005) Jesper Thilo & The American Stars: vol 1 (Storyville 2005) Jesper Thilo & The American Stars: vol 2 (Storyville 2005) Dexter Gordon: Misty (SteepleChase 2004) Johnny Griffin and the Great Danes (Stunt Records 2002) Mads Vinding Trio: Six hands, Three Minds, One Heart (Stunt Records 2000) Chet Baker:The Legacy (Enja 1987) Herb Geller Orchestra: An American in Hamburg (Atlantic 1975) Ben Webster Quartet: My Man (SteepleChase 1973) many more Herb Geller Orchestra: Rhyme and Reason (Atlantic 1975) With names like Dexter Gordon, Ben Webster, and Johnny Griffin as leaders, not to mention the less well-known but wonderful Jesper Thilo CDs and the sounds of the veteran Herb Geller, it is a wonder that Alex Riel is not a household name around the world. For those who like straight jazz played by the best, try Alex Riel soon.

Italian Jazz: Roberto Gatto, The Man Behind the Kit

Rea, Sellani, Basso, Pieranunzi...the first four of my Italian series was begun during the summer, and has been on hiatus for quite a while.

Today, I am picking it up again with drummer extraordinaire Roberto Gatto, clearly the go to drummer for much of the past three decades among Italian jazz players. Gatto has an exhaustive list of leader discs, but even a greater number of CDs as the beat behind those great names listed above as well as many others. One clear reason for his position in the pantheon of drummers is his great flexibility -- he can get out in front and drive a band with the best of them, he can drop bombs when needed or back off and provide quiet but insistent support, or he can be a colorist playing whispering brushes and gentle sticks. He is adaptable to a range of music, as will be seen in the discography presented here, and he writes great tunes, be they lyrical romantic themes, jaunty  swing songs, or simple modern creative jazz.  I've yet to come across a disc with Gatto playing hat I have not enjoyed, whether as the leader or as a member of some awesome groups.

Gatto was born in Rome in October 1958, so he turns 54 this month. He began playing professionally  in 1975 with the Trio di Roma, a superstar group in the making with Danilo Rea on piano and Enzo Pietropaoli on bass. Since then, he has built a solid reputation and large portfolio playing all over the world. His own groups are characterized by the first class techniques of himself and his support players, along with a sterling ear for composition, for the subtleties of timbre, and by a warmth typical of his mediterranean roots.

Roberto Gatto is one interesting and original drummer and composer. A list of his collaborators is a who's who of jazz: as a sideman, he has played with Dave Liebman, Phil Woods, James Moody, Barney Wilen, Ronnie Cuber, Michael Brecker, Joe Lovano,  Curtis Fuller,  Cedar Walton, Tommy Flanagan, John Scofield, John Abercrombie, Bobby Hutcherson, Joe Zawinul, and Pat Metheny. As a leader he has recorded fifteen albums with many of the first names in Italian jazz: Enrico Pieranunzi, Franco D'Andrea, Stefano Bollani, Enrico Rava, Paolo Fresu, Rosario Giuliani, Gabriele Mirabassi among others.  

Of the 15 as leader, his first, which I do not have, was made in 1986 with Michael Brecker, "Note" (Gala 1986).  Heck of a way to start a recoding career. Of the remaining fourteen, I have  seven.
 

"Improvissi" (Gala 1989) was his third recording, with co-leader Danilo Rea on piano, and some quiet supporting strings in the background on selected tunes. I have already praised Rea in an earlier post, and here the outstanding pianist and drummer play an assortment of songs covering jazz interpretations of classical music, highlighted by "The Moldau" by Smetna and Debussy "La Lotta." As would be expected, Gatto provides a delacate touch on the disc, mostly colorations with brushes and light high hat work. There is one solo percussion piece on which Gatto gets to demonstrate his use of his complete kit, an interlude between the duets. This is not an essential disc to hear, but is a very lyrical and lovely set mostly notable for Rea's piano.

Gatto says in his liner notes to "Rugantino" (CAM Jazz 2001) that he had been struck in 1978 at age 20 by the music to the movie "Rugantino", which was composed by Armando Trovaioli. The popular folk-style music of the movie had stuck with him for years, and in 1999 he began to assemble a group to undertake this project, with the blessing of the composer himself. Working with the arranger Paolo Silverstri, he put together an amazing group from among the best Italy had to offer: Enrico Rava, Enrico Pieranunzi, Gabriele Mirabassi, Rosario Giuliani, Luca Bulgarelli, Gianluca Petrella and others came together with the Orchestra Roma Sinfonieta to create this masterwork. Opening with an overture, just as one would hear at a Broadway show, one immediately is drawn into the drama and emotions that infuse the entire score. Ravae and Pieranunzi are clearly the masters of their instruments, but the saxes of Giuliani, the trombone of Petrella and clarinets of Mirabassi, all leaders in their own right, are equally magnificent. This is Gatto's vision beautifully realized by world class players, and a delight to listen to for those who like the concept of a jazz score, with lots of ensemble play along with selected solos that jump from the speakers. Gatto here was the facilitator and while his drumming is omnipresnet setting time, pushing certain sections along, and coloring others, it is the entire band itself that is the star. Great music throughout, a tour de force of orchestral interplay. Should not be missed if this type of group and music is your cup of tea.

"Traps" (CAM Jazz 2007) displays another facet of Gatto, as a composer of 9 of the 10 tracks on this disc. Gatto also has a chance to stand out more on this quartet disc, with Daniele Tittarelli on alto and soprano saxes, Luca Mannutza on piano, and Luca Bulgarelli on bass. Gatto demonstrates a passionate, nuanced, and lyrical style in his writing, which provides wonderful opportunities for his bandmates to shine, particularly Tittarelli on his alto sax. Gatto clearly also has a playful side, as demonstrated in the jaunty title tune. "Traps" is a terrifically upbeat bounce with a simple but very effective little tune captured first by the bright sound of the alto and later the piano. Gatto provides the timekeeping and uses his full arsenal with snares, toms, high hats and cymbals creating the movement that makes this an outsatnding, cheerful tune. Going back, the first two pieces, which precede "Traps", demonstrate the lyrical side of his writing, starting with long and lovely legato lines for  the piano and sax and gentle whispers from the drumset. Later Gatto's compositions "Octagonal" and "Monkish" are just that, a bit more angular or jagged, with appropriate spaces and jaunty melodic lines. This is an outstanding CDs of Gatto's work. 

That next CD is "The Music Next Door" (Emarcy  2009) and it is killer, with Tittarelli again on the saxes, Rosario Bonaccorso on bass, and two of the biggest shining stars in Italian jazz, Stefano Bollani on piano and Paolo Fresu on trumpet. The quintet clearly demonstrates the highest degree of musicianship possible. From their long relationships from many other ensembles and records, they also demonstrate their abilities to hear and complement each other, and demonstrate outstanding ensemble play.  The music is a bit livelier than "Traps", with Gatto's six originals more upbeat, giving him a greater opportunity to lead from the back. The group plays in the great tradition of quintets like this, with opening statements of the tunes followed by each player taking a turn on solos before a return to ensemble play. The tunes themselves are nicely composed, the harmonics easy on the ear and tuneful -- this is modern creative jazz with its legacy clearly steeped in tradition. Gatto is omnipresent setting the pace, coloring the tunes, or pushing the beat, but is never in your face -- he is never bombastic, and doens't need to prove his mettle by being out front. A great turn for everyone and terrific play by Fresu and Pieranunzi make this a must listen if you want to hear Gatto's conceptions at their best.

As noted above, Gatto clearly is part of the great tradition of drummers dating back into the 50s and 60s, and he demonstrates his debt to one of them with two tribute discs, "Remembering Shelly" (Albore Jazz 2009) and "Remembering Shelly 2" (Albore Jazz 2010).  Again using a "standard" quintet reflective of the groups of Shelly Manne, he has Giuseppe Bassi on bass, Luca Mannutza on piano, Max Ionata on sax, and Macro Tamburini on trumpet. These are live recordings played at the same sessions, and include several songs that were from Manne's "book" along with a couple of Gatto orginals done in the same vein. These are two wonderfully upbeat, swinging bop discs, with Gatto's steady hand given full rein to play in the Manne/60s style. Strong leadership and timekeeping, steady high hat and bass drum set the tempo for terrific interpretations of "Nightingale", "Fan Tan", and Speak Low" for example could have been right out of the days of Shelly's Manne Hole, with unison play as well as solos by the trumpet and sax. This is A-One hard bop in a live setting, which adds to the electricity that can be felt throughout. Two great tributes that are not slavish to the past, but rather terrific interpretations thereof.

Finally, I cannot leave Gatto without noting that he has over 50 recordings as a side man as a contributor to many other fine CDs. Of note from my collection, I would list these:

• Enrico Pieranunzi "Jazz Roads" (CAM Jazz 1980)
• Tommaso, Rava Quartet "La Dolce Vita" (CAM Jazz 2000)  
• Phil Woods "Embraceble You" (Philology 1988)
• Rava, Fresu Quintet "Shades of Chet" (Via Veneto 1999)
• Rava "The Words and the Days" (ECM 2005)
• Bollani and Gatto, "Gershwin and More Live" (Philology 2006)

Dumpster Diving: Ada Rovatti, a $2 Gem

Okay, so it wasn't dumpster diving exactly. It was sorting through boxes and boxes of bargain discs at my local record store, which sometimes pays off with little gems. (Anyone like Blake Shelton? I saw at least three of his CDs among the piles.]

I picked up this CD, "Airbop" (Apria Records 2005) by Ada Rovatti to look at. Why? First, the cover shows her with a tenor sax and I love the sound of a good tenor sax. Second, among the players listed on the back cover two were well known to me as outstanding straight jazz players, Dave Kikoski on piano and Ed Howard on  bass. Good sign -- as I have said on earlier blogs, check the line up if you don't know the name. Good sidemen don't generally play with anyone, and if they think Ada Rovatti is worth playing with then who am I to argue. So then I opened the jewel box to see what it said inside and low and behold, there were guest players, specifically in this case Randy Brecker on trumpet/flugelhorn on four tracks and Bob Mintzer on bass clarinet on one track (and I have already said I am a sucker for bass clarinet).

Now it was really interesting, so I put it on the CD player in the store, and presto, this is a really good piece of solid modern bop music. And Ada Rovatti plays with a really nice big tenor sound. Randy Brecker swings like mad on his four tracks, especially "Choose Your Life", and Mintzer is solid on "2-Bros." with a nice bass clarinet solo. The set consists of 8 pieces composed and arranged by Rovatti, plus one lovely rendering of "My Shining Hour", a Harold Arlen composition on which Rovatti plays a very expressive, smooth soprano sax. Her play here is subdued and lilting, and Kikowski comes in early with a similarly subdued improvised solo that captures the beauty of the song. The  two blow the song away, and demonstrate the virtuosity of Rovatti on a song that everyone knows. Her compositions are effective and great pieces for her playing partners to open up on, and her own mastery of the two saxes on her various solos, runs up and down the notes, and unison play makes this a standout recording. Worth hearing and probably a bargain as well if you look.

Who is Ada Rovatti and what else has she played on? That was my next question after hearing this CD so here are some notes from her on-line biography. Ada Rovatti is an Italian saxophonist from Pavia who began playing piano at an early age and only at the end of high school picked the saxophone as her main instrument. She studied at Berklee College of Music in Boston,  moved to Paris, where she played with many artists, and then returned to New York. She has performed with Les Paul, John McLaughlin, Randy Brecker, Bob Mintzer, Victor Bailey, Miroslav Vitous, Joanne Brackeen, and many others.

Her first recording as a leader was “Under The Hat”, and “Airbop” is her second release. She also appears on Randy Brecker's “34 th N Lex” (ESC Records 2003) and on John McLaughlin's “Industrial Zen” (Verve Fontana 2006). In 2009 she released “Green Factor”, which I have not heard but is described as a unique recording with a melting pot of irish/celtic/jazz/fusion influences with strong harmonies and sophisticated arrangements. She also has a band, Elephunk, with whom she has recorded as well.  

Rovatti is married to Randy Brecker and plays with his quintet.  A review from a recent tour (Jeff Nania, Metroland Newspaper, March 8, 2012) said the following:

Rovatti was endearingly referred to as “the secret weapon” by her husband and bandleader, Brecker. Her tenor sound is often dark and mysterious, but can be soulful and bluesy, or cutting and edgy. This is in contrast to her tone on the soprano, which is round and beautiful without any of the annoying edge that is so often associated with that instrument, and which even more well-known proponents of the instrument fall prey to. The interplay between Brecker and Rovatti came off with ease. They know how to accompany each other, and their interplay is truly conversational. The most original composition of the evening was Rovatti’s tune “Stuntman,” which came to a false ending, and the crowd started applauding before the group went into a 14/8 groove. Rovatti played soprano on this one, and although Brecker played the melody on trumpet, he picked up the flugelhorn for the solo.

In addition to her musical expertise Ada appeared in the movie ‘Mona Lisa Smile’ featuring Julia Roberts.

[NOTE: There are an awful lot of husband and wife jazz teams around that play some awesome music in addition to these two. Off the top of my head,  I can quickly think of Renee Rosnes and Bill Charlap, George Colligan and Kerry Politzer (Jan 9), Mike DeRubbo and Lauren Sevian (Feb 14), Geri Allen and Wallace Roney. (The dates indicate a blog post reference.)

Readers are welcome to provide more.

Try it, You May Like It: Music Inside and Out, Joe Alterman and Nik Bartsch

I like to make an effort to characterize the music I write about using adjectives or categories that are descriptive enough to give readers a sense of what to expect.

Sometimes I say music is "inside" or "down the middle" or "like a classic Blue Note sound", and hope that creates an image for readers. That music in my mind stresses melody, gentle harmonies, standards, and gentle improvisations.

Sometimes I say music is angular, full of dissonance, less about melody than rhythms and melodies than the sounds themselves, and use words like modern or abstract or improvisational. I hope that creates a clear image of fractals and free improvisations.

And then there are the shadings -- music that is based on melodies and standards but with some modern creativity, interesting improvisations, or unusual instrumentation; music that is a bit outside but not too far;  chamber jazz, that stresses colorations and gentle harmonies; or music that is totally abstract or improvised but not in an angular and dissonant way.

I do this so those who want to try new artists or new sounds have an inkling of what thay will be getting. This post covers two polar opposites in sound (to me). I hope it illustrates my thinking in action in this post,  which is to get people to pick up and listen to a new artist, Joe Alterman; pick up some new CDs by well known artists (David Hazeltine, George Cables, Harold Mabern); or to try some experimental music, go out on a limb and listen to Nik Bartsch's Ronin.

So, who is Joe Alterman, what is his music about, and will you like him? Joe Alterman is a young pianist from Atlanta who moved to New York and studied music at N.Y.U. , graduating in 2012. He says he grew up with the piano jazz greats on LPs at his home -- Garland, Jamal, Garner, Peterson, Jones and others. He worked hard to first incorporate their sounds and then to discern what made them special so he could take those lessons into his own sound. He is currently continuing with his Master's Degree at NYU, and learning from respected teachers like Jean Michel-Pilc, John Scofield, Joe Lovano and others, as well as playing at the many clubs around the city.

He has performed all over New York as well as abroad, and in 2009 recorded his first CD, "Piano Tracks Volume 1" (Self-produced 2009), a set of five standards and five originals with a true "Blue Note" fifties feel. I was lucky enought to read a bit about it then and picked it up right after it was issued.  Only 21 at the time, the CD is incredible for the maturity demonstrated, tand he sensibilities of never rushing notes and letting tunes breathe (He cites Ahmad Jamal as his hero).  He demonstrates quite a range in his play -- a bit of stride, block chording, and a strong melodic flow and swing beat. His originals include some soul-jazz, some balladry, and merge perfectly with the classics. His band is Scott Glazer on bass and Justin Varnes on drums, except for the song "First Night Home," on which it is Sam Sellinger on bass and Tiffany Chang on drums.

His second CD, "Give Me the Simple Life" (Mile High 2012) has just appeared and is a real testament to Alterman's taste, jazz interests, and abilities, and is a classic straight-ahead set that is extremely impressive. As band mates he has chosen Ahmad Jamal's rhythm section of James Cammack on bass and Herlin Riley on drums; and then he has added the classic round tones of tenor saxman Houston Person for four songs. "Georgia on My Mind" is the opener, with Person on tenor, and it is played at a faster pace than usual with a bluesier sensibility that really cooks. Moving into "Give Me the Simple Life", Alterman immediately demonstrates how well he has absorbed the music and teachings of his predessessors with a bouncy, playful and altogether charming take on the piece. This continues throughout the recording, whether covering classics like "Time After Time" with the trio or "Blue Moon" with the quartet or his own composition, "The First Night Home" with Person blowing strong. 

Alterman is solid and respectful of his roots but not necessarily a unique voice at this point, which is not to demean what is a great record that I easily recommend. He has the knowedge of what is most meaningful in the jazz tradition and a solid musical vision of who he is. His touch is reminiscent of Garland or Jones, he works carefully with his cohorts and truly listens and works with them, and has created a really lively, spirited and swinging CD. He is a young guy working to expand his vocabulary to bring the standard sound to the new century.

You can see how much Alterman fits in with the classic pianists of the 50s and 60s as well as those who are still playing today like Cedar Walton or Junior Mance by considering his CD alongside three new releases by David Hazeltine, Harold Mabern, and George Cables. All three, while breaking no new ground, provide nice additions to their discographies with these recordings: Hazeltine's "The New Classic Trio" (Sharp Nine 2012), with George Mraz and Joe Farnsworth; Mabern's "Mr. Lucky" (High Note 2012) with Eric Alexander on tenor, John Webber on bass, and Joe Farnsworth on drums; and Cables' "My Muse" (High Note 2012) with Essiet Essiet on bass and Victor Lewis on drums.

In each case you know what you are going to get --- great melodies, expressive pianism and tight trios, and in the case of Mabern some lyrical saxophone play from Eric Alexander. No surprises, just great music, some standards, some less played songs from classic composers, and some original works. These gentlemen are the direct successors to Garland, Peterson, Kelly, et al, and in the case of Mabern and Cables, go all the way back to the 60s for their starts, but they are never dull as they constantly find simple ways to freshen the music with modest changes in voicings, chord choices, tempos, and improvistions. All are welcome additions to anyone's collection.  

So all four "down the middle" CDs are great, but I encourage you to start with Alterman, the new kid on the block, who represents the bridge from the past to at least one path for jazz's future.

Now lets step outside. There are all sorts of ways to do this. Just outside are those like Jarrett, Bollani, Pieranunzi, Bley, and Mehldau, those who are deeply rooted in the conventions of the piano trio, play the melodies in their songs' heads (when not doing free composition) but are more improvisational than those who play down the middle. One can follow the formidable modernists led by Vijay Iyer, Jason Moran, or Matthew Shipp, who can play both just outside the box, way outside the box, and anywhere in between as they reinvent the language of jazz for the classic piano trio but still retain the structures. One can go towards the European chamber jazz sensibilities of Bobo Stenson, Marcin Wasilewski, Anat Fort, Ketil Bjornstad, and others whose play emphasize moods and colorations over traditional jazz rhythms and beats.  Or there are the European trios following in the footsteps of E.S.T., like Helge Lien, Michael Wollny [em], and the modernists using today's pop like Bad Plus and the Curios.

Or, one can really step far outside, at least in this blogger's opinion, and create something altogether new, unusual and almost beyond category, which is where I placed The Necks, The Portico Quartet, and Nik Bartsch's Ronin in my post of  May 14.

Today I have two additions to the Bartsch discography -- two pre-ECM CDs that I picked up in Europe, "Aer" (Ronin Rhythm Records 2006) and "Live" (Ronin Rhythm Records 2006), both of which fall right into the paradigm for their later work. I also wanted to write about Bartsch because shortly there will be another live disc, this one coming out on ECM later this month that I wanted readers to be aware of.

I like Ronin a lot but recognize it is a very distintive sound and probably pretty polarizing -- I doubt there is a middle ground here between I love them and I hate them. The music is not based on melodies, barely on rhythms, and only loosely on harmonies. It is really based instead on the atmosphere that the band creates, the colorations that they achieve, and the overall mood they set. The music is called Zen-funk by Bartsch, the composer and pianist for the group; and Ritual Groove Music, a single aesthetic vision that attempts to get maximum effect by minium needs -- another definition of what the band is about. Their influences come from funk, classical music, eastern ritual music, et al. and the music itself consists of very few phrases and motifs, which are continually combined and layered in new ways. There is unity in all of the compositions, in the way the instruments are attacked, the phrasing, and the integration of the sounds. The mood is always mellow, the sound never harsh or discordant, but the music is very different.

This is a significant sonic challenge for the listener who is looking for interesting experiences. "Aer", is a studio album and includes six Moduls, as all of Ronin's tunes are titled. It also includes Sha on bass clarinet and alto sax for the first time with the group, although he is subsequently on all of the ECM CDs. Sha adds significant texture to the sound and a second melodic instrument, along with the piano, and is particularly effective in addressing the moods that the band is seeking. The "Live" album is also interesting. Here there is no woodwind and the band is really a trio of piano/rhodes, and drums/percussion. Still the sounds are fascinating, the slow changing patterns arresting, and the moods shift as textures and colors come and go, intensify or retreat, etc.

Ronin makes a lot out of very little, and achieves its goal of creating a zen-like mood and modern ritualistic groove. This is still a piano trio, but as far from the straight and narrow as one can conceivably go. The music is soothing, the sounds are never harsh or discordant, but still this is for the adventerous listener. I find it fascinating, and when I want mellow, a perfect setting matching the mood. These two discs are easily worth the investment to those who like Bartsch or want to experience "Ritual Groove Music." But you can start with the easier to find ECM recordings and still understand what his music is like.

Think about it -- there are so many facets to jazz to listen to, to accept or reject. But listening is the only way to find out, and exploring the pathway to discovery. I hope readers will take the time to listen to these CDs and others and decide for themselves -- do I like inside or out, or both? Should I buy an established artist or a new voice? Try the sound clips, the You Tube videos, and then the CDs if you think you might like the music. It doesn't take a lot of time and effort, and the payoff may be great.

Good luck to all.

Back to My Roots: New Releases from Beyond the World of Jazz

My roots go back to the sixties, to the Jefferson Airplane and other San Francisco bands (anyone remember Moby Grape?), to the Beatles of course and all that followed them, and to the folk scene from Dylan, Baez and onward; and I still buy plenty of CDs in those genre.

Every so often I like to note new releases by the elder statespersons I still love (see earlier posts on Joe Cocker and Leonard Cohen), as well as some of the practitioners of the sound who came afterwards,  because, just like me, I am sure there are many of you reading this who were there as well. But only when the CDs are worth recommending, at least to my ears (sorry Paul McCartney -- "Kisses on the Bottom" was fluff, nice but fluff; sorry Neil Young but "Americana" was too raucous; Ricki Lee Jones, sorry but it was just too bleak; sorry Brian but the Beachboys don't have it anymore).

So, in the last few months, I highly recommend:

Judy Collins "Bohemian": She has always been number one in my folky heart, whther singing tradtional folk songs, Broadway, Dylan, Cohen, or her own songs. On this disc she has a lot of music from her traditional folk roots, from other fine writers who have been around the block, and her own compositions, and her voice is once more pure beauty.

Tedeschi and Trucks Band "Everybody's Talkin' (Live): I am in love with the husky bluesy voice of Susan Tedeschi and have all her solo Cds. It is she who makes this band glow for me. Trucks and company may be terrific at wailing the blues and playing their instruments, and they are, but it is Tedeschi that makes this the great album it is for me. Pure joy, pure energy on every track.

Bob Dylan "Tempest": Can't leave it off but I can't call it the masterpiece that others do. I like it, I like the late Dylan, but I still am living in the past with the old music and the old voice. Still, I think "Titanic" is right there as a classic and will live on forever.

Mark Knopfler "Privateering ": I always liked Dire Straits, but once Knopfler began his solo career I don't believe he has written or performed a bad song. This two-disc recording is right up there once again. His soothing voice and manner are fabulous, and his songs about everyday folks are the UK equivalent of Springsteen. Just great, simply great.

Rita Wilson  This is the "oddball" recording here. I almost feel silly putting this in the list, but the actress Rita Wilson, wife of Tom Hanks, can sing and sing well. She knows well enough not to overdo it, so the charm here is simplicity in the arrangements and her voice coupled with those great singles we all remember like "All I Have To Do", "Cherish" ,"You Were On My Mind", "River" -- its all about memories and associations (no pun intended). Terrifically fun, fluffy stuff but better than McCartney. I love the mood it puts me in.

Loudon Wainright III   Wainright has always been the oddball humorist -- remember "Dead Skunk" or "Hometown Team"? -- and the humor is still present, but more directed to the ironies of a life well lived if messy, to aging and even ruminations on death. Done with the Wainwright style of simple tunes well played and well sung, and very much a laid back performance in a traditional folky style. Its generational for some of us and hits close to the heart.

Nanci Griffith  The Texas songbird shines, with her beautiful twangy voice expressing her cares and woes on 12 beautifully crafted songs about difficulties, about anger, about things that slip away and things that explode. Sung with loving care, the simple tunes are memorable.

Shawn Colvin  Another in the line of great folk/country singers who really lays it on the line in her compositions and lyrics. Colvin has had a tough live as revealed in her biography, and her outpourings here are touching to hear. The simple production is perfect for these songs and accentuate the beauty and passion of the music and Colvin's voice.

Mary Chapin-Carpenter  We never miss the opportunity to see her live and are never disappointed. Saw her twice this year, the second time in concert with Colvin, and the two were overwhelming. My wife often talks about seeing Chapin-Carpenter in small clubs in D.C. and knowing even then she was a star. The new disc is lovely with expressive and poignant songs and lyrics and of course her beautiful voice.

And coming up soon:

Judy Collins "Live at the Metropolitan" : This isn't here yet, but it was broadcast on PBS, and will be a killer CD when it comes out, a fifty year retrospective of Collins work, some guest appearances, and some good natured banter. Watch for it next month.

Lucy Kaplansky "Reunion"  Kaplansky is another natural sucessor in the line from Collins and Baez and others, a singer songwriter of great passion with compositions that can make you mood soar or can break your heart. We never fail to see her live when she is around. As they like to say on "American Idol", she could sing the songbook and it would be exquisite. Here she is going to sing about her life, her heritage, and her family. Cannot wait -- heard a couple of the new tunes at the last concert and they were beautiful. Mother's Day is going to bring tears to your eyes.