Naama Gheber - If I Knew Then

Styles: Vocal
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 21:01
Size: 48,5 MB
Art: Front

(2:43) 1. If I Knew Then
(3:33) 2. I'm A Fool To Want You
(2:10) 3. Old Mother Hubbard
(2:47) 4. Dream Dancing
(3:27) 5. The Very Thought Of You
(2:55) 6. Dream Of You
(3:23) 7. You're Driving Me Crazy

New York City-based vocalist Naama Gheber released her debut recording, Dearly Beloved (Cellar Music) in 2020, just before the global COVID-19 pandemic. With live entertainment brought to a halt, Gheber found herself with time on her hands and no way to promote her considerable talent in live performance. Israeli by birth, Gheber was an enfant terrible who ascended quickly professionally. After being trained at the Center for Jazz Studies in Tel Aviv, Gheber was accepted into the jazz program at New York City's The New School For Performing Arts, where she soon honed her craft and began performing throughout the city, accumulating valuable experience as well as critical attention. Just starting to reach professional escape velocity, Gheber recorded and released Dearly Beloved, and then the bottom fell out.

The debut recording generated positive attention, but that did not replace the singer promoting her wares in a live setting. Drawing from Cellar Group alumni, Gheber teamed up with pianist Ben Paterson, bassist Neal Miner, and drummer Evan Sherman early in 2022 to record seven compositions thoughtfully chosen to show off Gheber's freshly conservative ballad singing. Her choice of the traditional jazz piano trio allowed a sonic environment where she would not be competing with other melody instruments, a circumstance both fortunate and challenging, where Gheber had no other choice but to stand and deliver. And did she ever.

Gheber made another strategic decision to release five of the seven selections as singles monthly throughout the summer and fall with the full EP to be released in November. Reviews of these individually released songs are cited at the end of this article, leaving two songs: the title cut and "Dreaming of You" for consideration here. "If I Knew Then (What I Know Now)" was composed and published by Dick Jurgens and Eddy Howard in 1939, with their version charting briefly the same year. Bing Crosby went on to record the song on February 9, 1940, with John Scott Trotter and His Orchestra, placing the song into the canon of the Great American Songbook. Gheber displays a knack for arranging the piece, directing the trio, and its tone for the recording. Gheber's arranging proves dramatically sophisticated and Paterson manifests as empathetically aligned with the singer in providing refined and understated support and soloing.

"Dreaming of You" fits snuggly into Gheber's survey of ballad styles. Composed in 1934 by Jimmie Lunceford, the song would become a performance staple for Helen Merrill 20 years later. Here, the ballad is presented as a bass-voice duet between Miner and Gheber, one that sets a standard for swing in a confined space. The singer is in melodic command while Miner steers the harmony. Gheber sings with light shades of Anita O'Day coupled with Billie Holiday seasoned with a tincture of the corner bar from "Lush Life."

There is a place for this kind of jazz singing. It is like Brahms to Beethoven, a keeper of the flame necessary to inform new generations of how the music sounded at the beginning: simple, inventive, and stunning. By C. Michael Bailey
https://www.allaboutjazz.com/if-i-knew-then-naama-gheber-sassys-back-in-town

Personnel: Naama Gheber: voice / vocals; Ben Paterson: piano; Neal Miner: bass, acoustic; Evan Sherman: drums.

If I Knew Then

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Ben Paterson - That Old Feeling

Styles: Vocal and Piano Jazz
Year: 2018
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:28
Size: 124,8 MB
Art: Front

(5:42)  1. I'm Old Fashioned
(4:44)  2. You And The Night And The Music
(5:34)  3. Make You Feel My Love
(5:24)  4. Some Of These Days
(4:52)  5. My Ship
(4:16)  6. When I Grow Too Old To Dream
(4:17)  7. Isn't She Lovely
(5:25)  8. Say A Small Prayer
(4:53)  9. The Best Thing For You (Would Be Me)
(3:47) 10. Somewhere Over The Rainbow
(4:31) 11. Hard Times

Pianist/vocalist Ben Paterson continues the tradition of bouncy, infectious swing established by the drummerless trios of Nat 'King' Cole and Oscar Peterson, drawing upon his musical experiences in both Chicago and New York to deliver a soulful and engaging recording. Joined by longtime Benny Goodman guitarist Chris Flory and powerhouse bassist George Delancey, Ben's trio mixes sophisticated improvisation with heavy doses of the blues, ranging from well known Jazz standards to more recent popular songs. ~ Editorial Reviews https://www.amazon.com/That-Old-Feeling-Ben-Paterson/dp/B077Y9BPRZ

Personnel: Ben Paterson - Piano & Vocals; Chris Flory - Guitar; George DeLancey - Bass

That Old Feeling

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Ben Paterson Trio - Breathing Space

Styles: Piano Jazz 
Year: 2007
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 48:12
Size: 111,5 MB
Art: Front

(6:20)  1. Wisper Not
(5:39)  2. Alice in Wonderland
(5:23)  3. I Thought You Should Know
(4:01)  4. Hymn of the Orient
(4:17)  5. I Wish I Knew
(8:02)  6. Nardis
(5:20)  7. Dancing in the Dark
(3:47)  8. Manorism
(5:19)  9. Gloria's Step

If Ben Paterson and his trio had come along in a different time, they might have been tagged by Miles Davis as his backing band. In the mid-fifties, Davis was searching for an Ahmad Jamal sound, and settled in with Red Garland in the piano chair to fill that spot. Buoyant swing with the ability to segue into interludes of the light, sparkling touch is what Davis got with Garland, then the more introspective Bill Evans, and later the more effervescent Wynton Kelly. Listening to Breathing Space, the Chicago-based debut of the Ben Paterson Trio, it's no surprise that Paterson cites influences of Bill Evans, Ahmad Jamal and Oscar Peterson. The group swings easy and Paterson sparkles. Opening with Benny Golson's "Whisper Not," bassist Jake Vinsel and drummer Jon Dietemyer lay down a solid foundation and some serious swing behind pianist Paterson. It's a vibrant sound, with lots of interaction and plenty of dancey keyboard zest as well as an assertive bass solo backed by some some relaxed Paterson comping. "I Thought You Should Know," a Paterson original, has a bouncy, gregarious groove; and Gigi Gryce's "Hymn of the Orient" sizzles and pops. Miles Davis' "Nardis" finds Paterson and his trio-mates sounding very incisive and convivial. "I Wish I Knew" showcases the trio in a wonderfully wistful ballad mood; and on Scott LaFaro's "Gloria's Step," Paterson and company invite the inevitable comparison to the Bill Evans Trio of Sunday at the Village Vanguard (Riverside, 1962). Breathing Space is an assured and auspicious debut, a fine set in the classic piano trio mode. ~ Dan McClenaghan https://www.allaboutjazz.com/breathing-space-ben-paterson-oa2-records-review-by-dan-mcclenaghan.php

Personnel: Ben Paterson: piano; Jon Dietmyer: drums; Jake Vinsel: bass.

Breathing Space

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Ben Paterson - Live At Van Gelder's

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 2018
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:28
Size: 137,6 MB
Art: Front

(5:01)  1. F.S.R.
(6:48)  2. Edda
(8:22)  3. Frame For The Blues
(6:14)  4. Green Jeans
(5:35)  5. Enchantment
(3:58)  6. The Vibrator
(6:34)  7. I Remember Cliffor
(5:14)  8. The Hustler
(6:39)  9. Easy Time
(5:00) 10. Sweatin

Following up his very well-received recordings That Old Feeling (Cellar Live Records, 2018) and For Once in My Life (Origin Records, 2015), Ben Paterson enters the sanctum santorium of jazz recording, Rudy Van Gelder's Studio in Hackensack, NJ. Having collided somewhere with saxophonist/entrepreneur Cory Weeds, the two initiate an idea perfect to the pair's hard bop sensibilities and something we can hope Weeds is considering for future recordings, hopefully a Cellar Live series with much more music like this.  Weeds has fashioned his Cellar Live Label as the equivalent for hard bop as Nagel Heyer and Arbors Jazz are for traditional jazz. Paterson had to have this in mind when selecting his ten songs to play with his organ trio a Van Gelder's Studio March 22 of this year. Paterson addresses soul-jazz organ icons with funky performances of Brother Jack McDuff's "The Vibrator" and Richard "Groove" Holmes' "Sweatin.'" He then branches out to musicians known to frequent organ combos, with Grant Green's "Green Jeans" and Stanley Turrentine's "The Hustler." The remainder are devoted to hard bop proper, with Ray Brown's "F.S.R. (For Sonny Rollins)," Wayne Shorter's by way of Lee Morgan "Edda," and Benny Golson's "I Remember Clifford." Paterson is an exceptional organist, one who avoids every Jimmy Smith cliché to which lesser talents fall prey. Guitarist Ed Cherry plays with a sophisticated, round tone augmented with just a touch of reverb and echo. Drummer Jason Tiemann sounds as if he were born for organ jazz, always knowing where to be loud or not. This is not territory circuit greasy soul-jazz. It is that flavor, cleaned up ever so slightly for the concert stage. How great to hear drinking an ice-cold Vesper on a hot summer day. ~ C.Michael Bailey https://www.allaboutjazz.com/live-at-van-gelders-ben-paterson-cellar-live-review-by-c-michael-bailey.php

Personnel: Ben Paterson: Hammond B3 Organ; Ed Cherry: Guitar; Jason Tiemann: drums.

Live At Van Gelder's

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Ben Paterson - For Once In My Life

Size: 138,9 MB
Time: 59:52
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2015
Styles: Jazz: Hammond Organ
Art: Front

01. Cuban Chant (5:56)
02. I'll Close My Eyes (6:35)
03. 50 Ways To Leave Your Lover (4:13)
04. Cry Me A River (6:01)
05. For Once In My Life (7:47)
06. Decision (3:51)
07. Nutville (4:23)
08. Blues For C.F (4:47)
09. Near Miss (4:59)
10. We'll Be Together Again (4:47)
11. I've Never Been In Love Before (6:27)

For Once in My Life is Ben Paterson's fourth album as a leader but first as an organist. In his native Philadelphia—home to such giants of the Hammond as Jimmy Smith, Shirley Scott, Charles Earland and Joey DeFrancesco—Paterson was known as a pianist. He began doubling on organ while living in Chicago, and by the time he moved to New York City in 2013 was gigging regularly on organ and piano all over Manhattan, from Harlem in the north to Greenwich Village in the south. One of the reasons he made the move to organ, Paterson says, is "I get to be the bassist."

That he does. On the other hand, that doesn't mean Paterson is shy of any rhythmic support on this agreeable session, as his teammates in the trio are the splendid guitarist Peter Bernstein and drummer George Fludas, long a mainstay on the Chicago scene and someone who keeps unerring time while giving Paterson and Bernstein ample space in which to flex their creative muscles. As an organist (as he was as a pianist), Paterson eschews flash for substance, preferring for the most part to let the music speak for itself. Even though the technique is sound, there is little in the way of bombast or running the scales for swaggering's sake. Instead, Paterson shapes his solos with care, using a nimble right hand to underscore his purpose while adding expansive chords when needed.

Fludas has the first word on Ray Bryant's rhythmic "Cubano Chant," the opening theme in a program that encompasses five standards, original compositions by Paul Simon ("50 Ways to Leave Your Lover"), Sonny Rollins ("Decision") and Horace Silver ("Nutville"), and Paterson's "Blues for C.F." and "Near Miss." Besides the title selection, the standards are Billy Reid's "I'll Close My Eyes," Arthur Hamilton's "Cry Me a River," Carl Fischer / Frankie Laine's "We'll Be Together Again" and Frank Loesser's "I've Never Been in Love Before." The trio plays each one close to the vest, drawing out the harmonious assets before plumbing its more innovative depths.

Paterson imparts the melody on every number save "We'll Be Together Again," a showcase for Bernstein's burnished guitar. While he and Paterson are front and center most often, Fludas makes the most of the occasional chance to unveil his chops. The three work well as a team, and For Once in My Life marks an impressive debut for "organist" Ben Paterson. ~by Jack Bowers

Personnel: Ben Paterson: organ; Peter Bernstein: guitar; George Fludas: drums.

For Once In My Life

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Ben Paterson Trio - Essential Elements

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2013
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:02
Size: 135,7 MB
Art: Front

(5:33)  1. Golden Lady
(4:43)  2. Here, There And Everywhere
(6:18)  3. Back On Track
(3:31)  4. Around The Block
(4:14)  5. I Can't Help It
(3:43)  6. Lucky Southern
(4:19)  7. I Should Care
(4:09)  8. The Good Stuff
(5:03)  9. St. Marks Place
(3:41) 10. Mor
(5:31) 11. I've Never Been In Love Before
(3:37) 12. Hard Times
(4:33) 13. You're My Everything

An effervescent old school swing with a blues infused soul makes Ben Paterson a name to remember!  Piano trios are a tightly grouped pack of virtuoso talent where it is indeed feast or famine. While the pianist walks the harmonic tightrope of lyrical invention the often predictable release can lead to the all too common implosion of self absorbed pretentious ego gone wild, seen it a hundred times. Ben Paterson turns in a master class of swing with Essential Elements and quietly establishes himself as one of the new young lions of improvisational music. Cole Porter, Bill Evans, and maybe George and Ira Gershwin are usually found on most trio releases but Essential Elements is a well thought out exploratory on swing with a deceptively subtle blues infusion that includes tunes from Stevie Wonder, Keith Jarrett and Ray Charles. Artistic comparisons are inherently unfair while Paterson's influences on Essential Elements may run along the melodic lines of an Oscar Peterson the presentation is uniquely Ben Paterson.There is a buoyant lift to Paterson's playing that is complimented by the rhythm section of Joshua Ramos on bass and Jon Deitemyer on drums whose motto would seem to be swing hard or go home!

The trio has that uncanny ability of being able to shift dynamics on the fly while never losing that melodic sense of purpose or groove that permeates this release.  Covering pop tunes is both incredibly cliché and potentially lethal if the arrangements are not tight. "Here, There And Everywhere" is given new life while the Ray Charles classic "Hard Times" is pulled from the rich sonic color palate would seem to be the Paterson wheelhouse. Covering Keith Jarrett is a daunting task for the most seasoned of performers yet Paterson rolls through "Lucky Southern" with an understated flair that reinforces the old adage simplicity is the ultimate in sophistication. Two Paterson originals that highlight his prolific ability as a composer are "The Good Stuff" and "St. Marks Place." Ben Paterson is that new breed of pianist that is transcending some of the more traditional approaches to a classic format with a melodic swing and a blues based improvisational footing that pushes this trio right to the top of that crowded field working the New York scene. This is a throwback release, old school made into an inventive new cool presentation and hopefully just a taste of what is to come from one of improvisational music's rising stars. ~ Brent Black  http://www.criticaljazz.com/2013/12/ben-patterson-essential-elements.html

Personnel: Ben Paterson: Piano; Joshua Ramos: Bass; Jon Deitemyer: Drums

Essential Elements

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Ben Paterson - Blues For Oscar

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:24
Size: 113.1 MB
Styles: Piano jazz
Year: 2012
Art: Front

[4:41] 1. My Shining Hour
[3:16] 2. You Don't Know What Love Is
[3:55] 3. Isn't She Lovely
[3:18] 4. Dolphin Dance
[4:02] 5. On The Move
[4:53] 6. I Got It Bad And That Ain't Good
[3:45] 7. Near Miss
[3:35] 8. Blues For Oscar
[5:54] 9. Emily
[3:33] 10. Nitty Gritty
[3:05] 11. Kojo No Tsuki
[5:20] 12. It Could Happen To You

A tribute to the work of Oscar Peterson and Ray Brown, this disc features 8 tracks of duo playing with bassist Jake Vinsel, along with several solo piano tracks.

Originally from Philadelphia, Ben spent his younger years studying both classical and jazz music before moving to the great city of Chicago. There he spent years performing and working with the best musicians in town, absorbing the unique blend of Jazz and Blues that can only be found in the Windy City. Now re-located to New York, Ben is poised to bring his unique talents and style to a wider audience, combining hard-swinging grooves and melodic improvisation with an impeccable touch.

Starting in 2005, Ben was honored to work as pianist for NEA jazz master Von Freeman, performing with him regularly until Von’s passing in August 2012. Other notable collaborations include work with Bobby Broom, Johnny O’Neal, Red Holloway, Eldee young, Jerry Weldon, Peter Bernstein, Guy King, Ed Cherry, Brianna Thomas, Gregory Generet, Dave Specter, Henry Johnson, Marianne Solivan, Kimberly Gordon, Martina DaSilva, Vanessa Perea, and many others.

Blues For Oscar  

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