The Deardor, Peterson Group - Portal

Styles: Guitar Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 2004
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 66:31
Size: 153,1 MB
Art: Front

( 6:46)  1. Portal
( 6:25)  2. Rhythm Tune
( 5:26)  3. Crazy Heart
( 1:46)  4. Mr Schmeil
( 8:12)  5. That's the Deal
( 6:58)  6. Blues for Dave
(11:10)  7. Invitation
( 6:01)  8. Song for Lee
( 5:59)  9. The Last Minute
( 7:45) 10. Ana Maria

With an urbane, beautifully harmonic, clean-edged sound, Portal seems an updated brand of West Coast cool, by way of the Northwest (Seattle) this time around, like a mix of Chico Hamilton's chamber bands, the fluid guitar work of Wes Montgomery, and that dry, cool approach of Paul Desmond's sax work stirred up in one groove-oriented band. Dave Peterson's guitar combined with George Cables' piano kick the harmonic mix up a notch or three on a set that depends more on the group sound than it does out-in-front soloing. "Rhythm Tune" showcases drummer John Bishop's complex and engaging percussion work; and I must admit it took a couple of spins of the disc to appreciate his stuff. He rides with the flow and doesn't call attention to himself, with a busy style that weaves all manner of textures behind the soundscape. The more I listen to other Origin discs on which he plays ( Brent Jensen/Rob Walker Quintet with New Stories ), the more apparent the importance his contribution to the group sound becomes. With the exception of "Mr. Schmeil," a two minute bass solo by Deardorf, and the closer, Wayne Shorter's "Ana Maria," the tunes are all Dave Peterson originals, full of sharp gleaming edges and shining facets and neat grooves, catchy, stick-in-the-head melodies, and a very accessible sound that reveals deeper complexities on multiple listens. It's a great group sound that rewards separate spins just to listen to each member's individual contribution. ~ Dan McClenaghan https://www.allaboutjazz.com/portal-chuck-deardorf-review-by-dan-mcclenaghan.php

Personnel: Dave Peterson--guitar; Chuck Deardorf--bass; Hans Teuber--saxophones; George Cables--piano and electric piano; John bishop--drums; Michael Spiro--percussion

Portal

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Chuck Deardorf - Transparence

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 2011
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 66:50
Size: 154,1 MB
Art: Front

(5:43)  1. Collage
(7:20)  2. Alone Together
(7:55)  3. Dear Prudence
(6:24)  4. Bruzette
(5:56)  5. Moon and Sand
(6:17)  6. De Mansinho
(3:45)  7. Sweet Lorraine
(7:45)  8. Zingaro
(6:18)  9. Creatinine
(9:22) 10. The Peacocks

An excellent outing to showcase the Northwest sound in jazz, Transparence features an outstanding ensemble of players from the region. Plus, the arrangements highlight the ability of the bass, in Chuck Deardorf's hands, to fit a variety of styles, all with the laid-back yet structured approach that is at the heart of Seattle's sound. Deardorf moves between a series of basses over the course of the album, each fitting a different sonic element. He uses a fairly standard bass for much of the proceedings, adapting it to bebop ideas or to modern jazz wanderings with equal ease. He switches to a fretless bass for a surprisingly sitar-like sound in a cover of "Dear Prudence." For a Brazilian piece, he moves to a Jaco Pastorius-like approach on an acoustic guitar-bass (essentially a massive guitar rather than a double bass), a difficult instrument to adapt to strong melodies. Surrounded by excellent players from around the Seattle scene, Deardorf manages to bring the bass to the forefront of the proceedings, but in a casual way it's never forced upon the listener, but he does enough interesting work with it that it catches the ear naturally. In other ensembles, Deardorf provides an excellent, stable bassline. Leading his own group, Deardorf brings an amazing touch and sensitivity to the sounds he can create, and puts that sensitivity to use in an excellent showcase of style and structure working together. ~ Adam Greenberg https://www.allmusic.com/album/transparence-mw0002112047    

Transparence

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