Christine Jensen - Harbour

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Size: 155,4 MB
Time: 67:42
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2024
Art: Front

1. Passing Lion's Gate (12:48)
2. Swirlaround ( 9:32)
3. Wink (10:29)
4. Surge ( 8:18)
5. Harbour (11:32)
6. Cascadian Fragments ( 9:35)
7. Fantasy On Blue ( 5:24)

Canadian Saxophonist and composer Christine Jensen has led a distinct voice to the creative jazz scene for the last twenty-five years with her large and small ensembles. She is set to release her third jazz orchestra album Harbour (2024) which follows previous releases Habitat (2013) and Treelines (2010). It features her Montreal-based orchestra, along with guest soloists NY-based Ingrid Jensen on trumpet and electronics, Gary Versace on piano, Chet Doxas on tenor saxophone, Jon Wikan on drums and Montreal-based Steve Raegele on guitar. This album captures over a decade of her compositions and commissions, with her sister’s improvisations infused throughout.

“I think of this collection of songs as my commissioning series, with each piece marking time since the beginnings of life for my daughter. I chose the title Harbour because I think its place of shelter on the water, a respite before the new migrations that await on land. This ensemble of family and friends represents that feeling to me, as we all came out of so much turbulence to land together in a room, where my music could take flight. The musicians that I had the privilege to perform and record with took all this to another level and brought their own characters in through their masterful sounds and improvisations. This time around, I can’t be more thrilled with the magic that has surfaced, from the sculpting of forms to the performances that are so lovingly interpreted.”
https://www.jazziz.com/new-releases/harbour/

Personnel: It features her Montreal-based orchestra, along with guest soloists NY-based Ingrid Jensen on trumpet and electronics, Gary Versace on piano, Chet Doxas on tenor saxophone, Jon Wikan on drums and Montreal-based Steve Raegele on guitar. This album captures over a decade of her compositions and commissions, with her sister’s improvisations infused throughout.

Harbour

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Joel Harrison - Anthem of Unity

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 2023
Time: 50:22
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Size: 116,3 MB
Art: Front

(8:16) 1. Anthem Of Unity
(4:35) 2. Survival Instinct
(5:30) 3. The Times They Are A-changin'
(5:08) 4. Today Is Tomorrow's Yesterday
(7:55) 5. Doxy
(4:21) 6. Migratory Birds
(8:31) 7. Parvati
(6:03) 8. Mohawk Valley Peace Dance

American guitarist/composer Joel Harrison showcases the pragmatic eclecticism that characterizes his music on Anthem of Unity, his 25th album as a leader. The disc features phenomenal rhythmic pulsations engendered by legendary drummer Jack DeJohnette, the adventurous melodicism of saxophonist Greg Tardy, and the extra harmonic color of organist Gary Versace, who, together with Harrison, creates colorful groove-centered tapestries.

Inspired by the influential late guitarist Mick Goodrick, the title track opens the album as an enjoyable concoction of funk, rock and Americana. The anthemic theme reveals a mild temperament but the solos by Tardy and Harrison are pure fire. In a similar tone but with a more incisive post-bop attack, “Survival Instinct” features another otherworldly tenor statement and the excellent underpinning of DeJohnette, who assures that his drum fills shine with a special energy.

Only two of the eight tracks that compose this work weren’t penned by Harrison, namely, “The Times Are A-Changin’” and “Doxy”, by Bob Dylan and Sonny Rollins, respectively. The former, a protest folk tune, waltzes smoothly with jazzy colors; the latter, served with jazz and funk ingredients at the base, boasts its heavenly melody with transparency and a laid-back groovy feel.

“Migratory Birds” develops in five and at some point places a heart-reaching flute at the center in unison with guitar, whereas “Today is Tomorrow’s Yesterday” swings energetically with casual post-bop fling. Before bringing the album to a close with “Mohawk Valley Peace Dance”, a blues rock incursion with a saucy wah-wah guitar solo on top of a dub substratum, Harrison offers “Parvati”, a rousing fusion with a great melodic theme, chromatic shifts, and a drum intro that’s quite interesting to hear.

Versatility abounds in a record that, not reaching the levels of America at War (Sunnyside, 2020), consistently satisfies. https://jazztrail.net/blog/joel-harrison-anthem-of-unity-album-review

Personnel: Joel Harrison: guitar; Greg Tardy: tenor saxophone, flute; Gary Versace: Hammond B-3 organ, piano; Jack DeJohnette: drums.

Anthem of Unity

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Dave Pietro - The Talisman

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2024
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 68:09
Size: 156,5 MB
Art: Front

(6:08) 1. Essence
(6:26) 2. The Windmills Of Your Mind
(8:11) 3. Auriga
(7:19) 4. The Talisman
(8:15) 5. Alexandra
(7:05) 6. Yvette
(7:31) 7. Eternal Optimism
(7:46) 8. Until The Day
(9:24) 9. Adagietto From Symphony No. 5

Things kick off here in classic hard bop guise finding US altoist Dave Pietro fuse with trumpeter Scott Wendholt the rhythm section steered so consummately by Billy Drummond. Pietro's first album for Danish label Steeplechase, tunes include originals, a version of Michel Legrand's timeless 'The Windmills of Your Mind' and I didn't see this coming at all a beautiful version of Mahler’s 'Adagietto' from his 5th symphony.

Pianist Gary Versace is very listenable throughout I'd pick out his soloing on 'Auriga' and on the introduction to the Mahler, while bassist Jay Anderson adds gravitas to the stand-out title track so well. Pietro is more a modernist than you'd think at first glance, essentially steeped in the language of bop and beyond, and knows exactly what he wants to say with it. He has very persuasive tone on a subdued ballad like 'Alexandra' and again melds so well with Wendholt on 'Yvette'. Recommended. SG https://www.marlbank.net/posts/dave-pietro-the-talisman-steeplechase

Personnel: Dave Pietro - (alto saxophone) Scott Wendholt - (trumpet) Gary Versace - (piano)

The Talisman

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Dan Balmer - When the Night

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 2023
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:32
Size: 46,6 MB
Art: Front

(5:33) 1. Wes (For my favorite)
(4:23) 2. Seattle
(6:33) 3. When the Night
(5:25) 4. Round and Round
(5:30) 5. Lifesize Bright (For the Man from Missouri)
(6:23) 6. Love Ballad (Two words say it all)
(4:05) 7. It Felt Like Drowning (My last divorce song)
(5:29) 8. The Wander Years (Ages 1-100)
(7:06) 9. Never Leave (A Song of Worry and Hope for us all)

When the Night is Dan Balmer’s first album in over five years, and it is a highly anticipated release from jazz fans around the Pacific Northwest. The album features a stellar cast of two of the finest musicians from the New York City jazz scene, Gary Versace on Hammond organ and Rudy Royston on drums. In the true spirit of the PJCE Records label, all of the tunes on the album are newly composed pieces by Balmer.

The album’s title track, “When the Night,” is a haunting and beautiful country-pop ballad that showcases Balmer’s lyrical guitar playing and his knack for writing memorable melodies. Two busts on the Mt. Rushmore of jazz guitar are honored in Balmer’s compositions. While “Lifesize Bright” bears a more obvious resemblance to a Metheny-esque tune, “Wes” has an indie rock vibe and liberal use of guitar effects. The tunes on the album are varied in tempo, vibe, and style. They all fit together nicely as a complete statement, but there are stand-out tracks as well. Though it starts with somber solo guitar, “Seattle” turns into a lilting anthemic piece that features dovetailing solos between Balmer and Versace. “It Felt Like Drowning (My last divorce song)” is rife with energy and Balmer’s impressive technique is on full display throughout.

In Balmer’s words:

This album is the latest installment in my effort to create original music that is emotional, interesting, enjoyable, and personal. Both Gary and Rudy immediately understood the music, its goals, and brought their voices to the project. My music covers a wide range of styles and influences and Gary and Rudy proved more than up to the task of bringing each song to its own particular best result.

I’m excited and pleased with the music we made. It justified my trip to New Jersey to record and I feel the end result is everything I was hoping for emotionally, artistically, and technically. Their virtuosity “served” the music and the outcome was even better than I hoped for! https://pjce.org/album/dan-balmer-when-the-night/

Personnel: Dan Balmer, guitar; Gary Versace, organ; Rudy Royston, drums

When the Night

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Andrew Rathbun - The Speed of Time

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2023
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:56
Size: 135,8 MB
Art: Front

(6:48) 1. The Speed Of Time
(6:21) 2. Could It Be
(6:40) 3. Widen the Doorway
(7:19) 4. Wandering
(8:31) 5. Fast 5th
(7:01) 6. Velocity Unknown
(8:32) 7. Still A Thing
(7:39) 8. Tooth and Nail

Not one to avoid concepts and ambitious outings, Andrew Rathbun's to-date masterpiece, The Atwood Suites (Origin Records, 2018), explored the poetry of his countrywoman, writer Margaret Atwood. In 2023, he tackles time.

Time is a funny thing. Its perceived speed is malleable. It tends toward an increasing velocity as one moves into middle age and beyond. It can crawl at a snail's pace (during a root canal treatment, for example) and it can race ahead with wild abandon that raucous party under the stars around the swimming pool when the good cheer is flowing on a tidal bore of beer and wine. The Canadian saxophonist's 2023 release, The Speed of Time, an all-Rathbun batch of originals, uses the standard jazz quartet a saxophone and a rhythm section to examine the slippery concept.

First, familiarity with the backstory and the thoughts that inspired the music are not necessary. This is inspired by modern jazz in a quartet setting by four seasoned journeymen Gary Versace on piano, John Hébert on bass and Tom Rainey in the drummer's chair like Dexter Gordon or Sonny Rollins used to make. Or, to bring things into the now like saxophonists George Garzone or Virginia Mayhew make. Rathbun's tone is burnished, ringing and resonant. His articulation brings up unexpected phrasings. The title tune, that opens the disc, rides in on Hebert's implacable bass lines. Time is moving ahead at a brisk pace that pauses for Versace's sweet and lovely piano declaration, before a shift into a torrid horn/bass/drums segment. Versace sneaks back in with some spare chording. Momentum gathers.

On the other hand, "Could It Be" moves ahead at the pace of the flow of molasses in a Toronto winter. It is dark, the atmosphere foreboding. Rathbun's tenor sax is anguished. "Wandering?" finds Rathbun on his soprano sax, searching, time perhaps suspended, and "Tooth and Nail" sounds like a band of brothers scuffling down the alleyway on Rainy's ramshackle drums, throwing elbows and jockeying for position for what? Who knows. Time bumping and stumbling ahead, Rathbun sounding like the voice of reason in the melee.
An excellent album that can sit nicely on the shelf beside some of the great ones by Rollins and Gordon. By Dan McClenaghan https://www.allaboutjazz.com/the-speed-of-time-andrew-rathbun-steeplechase-records

Personnel: Tenor Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone – Andrew Rathbun; Bass – John Hebert; Drums – Tom Rainey; Piano – Gary Versace

The Speed of Time

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Maria Schneider Orchestra - Sky Blue

Styles: Big Band
Year: 2007
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:09
Size: 144,8 MB
Art: Front

(13:28) 1. The 'Pretty' Road
(10:00) 2. Aires de Lando
( 9:34) 3. Rich's Place
(21:57) 4. Cerulean Skies
( 8:08) 5. Sky Blue

There's a reason that composer/bandleader Maria Schneider calls her large ensemble an orchestra. The term "big band suggests a number of inherent expectations relating to historical tradition. Schneider's group may be configured like a big band five reeds, four trumpets, four trombones with an expanded rhythm section but the music she writes delves into territories considerably farther afield. Sky Blue is a logical follow-up to her Grammy Award-winning Concert in the Garden (ArtistShare, 2004), but there's been significant evolution as well.

Even more ambitious than its predecessor, Sky Blue doesn't completely leave behind the South American influences heard on Concert. The Peruvian-informed "Aires de Landro manages to mask its rhythmic complexity beneath a lush lyricism that's explored fully by clarinetist Scott Robinson. Robinson may be the primary soloist, but here as on the rest of Sky Blue the ensemble players manage to interpret Schneider's detailed arrangements while bringing their own personalities to every chart.

That's an important differentiator for Schneider's orchestra, made all the more significant considering that only seven members of an ensemble ranging from seventeen to twenty-one pieces are afforded delineated solos. Guitarist Ben Monder's subtle presence is often something more felt than heard, but it adds unmistakably to the ambience of pieces like the Americana-rich "The 'Pretty' Road, the closest thing to a conventional song form that Schneider's written, yet possessed of an orchestral depth made all the more vivid by Ingrid Jensen's remarkable trumpet and flugelhorn solo.

"Rich's Piece is, not surprisingly, a solo vehicle for tenor saxophonist Rich Perry, but this nine-minute tone poem is bolstered by pianist Frank Kimbrough's intuitive colors and Jay Anderson's fluid and sensitive bass work. Schneider's voicings and her choice of instruments to layer them seamlessly ebb and flow alongside Perry, sometimes becoming dramatically dominant, elsewhere underpinning Perry with sublime understatement.

But it's the episodic, 22-minute centerpiece "Cerulean Skies that elevates Blue Sky to masterpiece. Awash with complex colors and shifting ambiences, it begins in rich abstraction with a variety of bird sounds almost all created by members of the orchestrabefore settling into a sumptuous mix of counterpoint, polyrhythm and evocative melodism, setting the stage for a lengthy tenor solo from Donny McCaslin, who builds to near fever-pitch. Dissolving again into the ethereal, Gary Versace's accordion solo is as much texture as it is melody, with Kimbrough gradually shifting towards another folkloric Americana section initially rubato but finally propulsive for altoist Charles Pillow's vivid closing solo.

Like Vince Mendoza quite possibly the only other artist writing for large ensembles today with as distinctive a voice Schneider's not without precedent. But while past innovators like Gil Evans and Bob Brookmeyer figure in who Schneider is, she's long since transcended those and other influences. Sky Blue is an album of remarkable depth and beauty an expansive, imagery laden experience, from an artist who's ready to be considered in the same breath as those who've been so important to her own development. By John Kelman
https://www.allaboutjazz.com/sky-blue-maria-schneider-artistshare-review-by-john-kelman

Personnel: Steve Wilson, Charles Pillow, Rich Perry, Donny McCaslin, Scott Robinson (sax, flauti e clarinetti); Tony Kadleck, Jason Carder, Laurie Frink, Ingrid Jensen (trombe e flicorni); Keith O'Quinn, Ryan Keberle, Marshall Gilkes (trombone); George Flynn (trombone basso); Ben Monder (chitarra); Frank Kimbrough (piano); Jay Anderson (basso); Clarence Penn (batteria); Gonzalo Grau, Jon Wikan (cajon e percussioni); Gary Versace (fisarmonica); Luciana Sousa (voce).

Sky Blue

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Maria Schneider Orchestra - Data Lords (Disc 1), (Disc 2)

Album: Data Lords (Disc 1)
Styles: Big Band
Year: 2020
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:58
Size: 121,6 MB
Art: Front

( 9:41) 1. A World Lost
(13:37) 2. Don't Be Evil
(10:17) 3. CQ CQ Is Anybody There?
( 8:11) 4. Sputnik
(11:11) 5. Data Lords

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Album: Data Lords (Disc 2)
Time: 43:06
Size: 99,1 MB

( 5:45) 1. Sanzenin
( 5:42) 2. Stone Song
( 9:04) 3. Look Up
( 3:59) 4. Braided Together
(11:11) 5. Bluebird
( 7:22) 6. The Sun Waited For Me

The skillfully designed cover art tells part of the story; a leaf half as nature intended the remainder, a circuit board doppelganger. The pastoral soundscapes associated with the music of Grammy-winning composer/bandleader Maria Schneider belie her activist alter-ego. An outspoken critic of copyright protections, prejudicial revenue schemes and the abuses of "big data," Schneider has authored op-eds and testified before the US Congress. She ventures onto unfamiliar terrain, coalescing her passions on a masterwork double album, Data Lords.

The two discs are respectively designated as "The Digital World" and "Our Natural World" and the first CD opens with the ominous "A World Lost." Ben Monder's brooding guitar and Richard Perry's tenor sax preside over rumbling brass; the piece is as dark as the title suggests. Monder's electric guitar becomes an emblematic figure in a substantial portion of the digitally-focused disc. "CQ CQ, Is Anybody There?" is based on the low-tech forerunner of the digital world; Schneider's engineer father was a ham radio operator.

The piece features Donny McCaslin on tenor saxophone and Greg Gisbert on trumpet, with electronics, a rarity in Schneider's recordings. The two set up a clash between organic and enhanced sounds. A harbinger of the competition for technological dominance is manifested in the shadowy "Sputnik" where Scott Robinson's baritone sax takes center stage. The title track closes the first disc with an appropriately chaotic and conflicted warning of the potential risks of an AI dominated world.

Returning to more familiar ground, "Our Natural World" is not a divestiture from the concept but solace from the intrusion of mechanization. The striking "Sanzenin" is a meditative reflection on the Buddhist gardens in Ohara, Japan. Gary Versace's accordion evocatively soars above the low reeds. Schneider further lifts the spirits with the lavishly textured "Look Up" with Marshall Gilkes' inspired trombone interwoven with pianist Frank Kimbrough. Schneider builds on her visual observations of nature in the eleven-minute "Bluebird" and the second-disc closing piece "The Sun Waited for Me." Both of those, hopeful and energized arrangements are in the vein of her work on The Thompson Fields (ArtistShare, 2015).

Schneider found her inspiration to take a larger risk in working briefly with David Bowie on his final studio album Blackstar (ISO Records, 2016). The post-production version of the single "Sue (Or in a Season of Crime)" caught Schneider off guard but also opened her mind to new ideas. Data Lords was commissioned by the Library of Congress and premiered at the Library in 2016. Schneider has described the project as "very dark, chaotic, and intense." By comparison to her other releases, it's true but that account shouldn't be off-putting to her fans. Data Lords is often gorgeous and always intriguing. It is Schneider's best collection to date and sure to end up on most of the appropriate year-end lists. This is intoxicating music and highly recommended. By Karl Ackermann https://www.allaboutjazz.com/data-lords-maria-schneider-orchestra-artist-share

Personnel: Composed By, Conductor – Maria Schneider; Accordion – Gary Versace; Alto Saxophone, Clarinet, Flute, Alto Flute, Piccolo Flute – Dave Pietro; Alto Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone, Clarinet, Flute, Alto Flute – Steve Wilson (2); Bass – Jay Anderson; Bass Clarinet, Contrabass Clarinet, Baritone Saxophone – Scott Robinson (2); Bass Trombone – George Flynn (2); Drums, Percussion – Johnathan Blake; Guitar – Ben Monder; Piano – Frank Kimbrough; Tenor Saxophone – Rich Perry; Tenor Saxophone, Flute – Donny McCaslin; Trombone – Keith O'Quinn, Marshall Gilkes, Ryan Keberle; Trumpet, Flugelhorn – Greg Gisbert, Mike Rodriguez (9), Nadje Noordhuis, Tony Kadleck

Data Lords (Disc 1),(Disc 2)

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Dave Scott - Song for Alice

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2023
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 69:36
Size: 159,7 MB
Art: Front

(15:51) 1. Ralph Retired
(10:33) 2. Song For Alice
(12:48) 3. Indifference
( 8:29) 4. Venus At Dusk
( 9:00) 5. KC Swingin'
(12:52) 6. Indistinct Chatter

New York scene’s stalwart composer and trumpeter Dave Scott has been leading three separate groups for more than a decade. On this his 7th SteepleChase album Dave chose his quintet as an ideal vehicle for his new compositions intended to provide free improvisation for each performer to spread his wings to the fullest.https://www.jazzmessengers.com/en/94697/dave-scott/song-for-alice

Personnel: Dave Scott - (trumpet); Rich Perry - (tenor saxophone); Gary Versace - (piano); Johannes Weidenmuller - (bass); Mark Ferber - (drums)

Song for Alice

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Gary Versace - Time Frame

Styles: Post Bop
Year: 2022
File: MP3@320K/s
oyston Time: 59:37
Size: 136,9 MB
Art: Front

(8:38) 1. Cold Duck Soup
(9:32) 2. Distant Call
(7:14) 3. Red Cross
(6:51) 4. Faro
(8:52) 5. Panda Blue
(7:49) 6. Sweet Surprise
(3:56) 7. Evidently
(6:41) 8. One Year From Today

Since basing himself in New York City in June of 2002, jazz organist, pianist, and accordionist Gary Versace has quickly become one of the busiest and most versatile musicians on the scene, often featured in bands led by musicians such as John Scofield, John Abercrombie, Maria Schneider, Matt Wilson, Lee Konitz, Eliot Zigmund, Scott Wendholt, Joe Magnarelli, Danny Gottlieb, Seamus Blake, John Hollenbeck, Andy LaVerne, Adam Nussbaum, Brad Shepik, Ingrid Jensen, Tim Ries and many others.

Versace was voted a "rising star" on the Hammond organ in the last three Downbeat critics polls, and was the subject of a feature article in the July 2004 issue of Keyboard magazine.

Versace has been a featured soloist on several critically acclaimed recordings of recent years: accordionist on Maria Schneider's Grammy-winning recordings "Concert in the Garden" and "Sky Blue" and as the pianist on John Hollenbeck's Grammy-nominated large ensemble recording, "A Blessing."

Over the past five years, Versace has appeared as a leader for the Criss Cross and SteepleChase labels, and as a sideman on over 50 recordings with artists on various labels including Palmetto, ACT, Omnitone, Songlines, Pirouet, High Note, Justin Time, ArtistShare, Fresh Sound, Kind of Blue, and many others.

As a pianist, Versace performed in a two-piano recital with Marian McPartland, and in April of 1999 appeared on her acclaimed National Public Radio program, "Piano Jazz." McPartland has called him "...endlessly inventive...(Versace) really has an extraordinary talent."

Gary Versace has a masters degree in music performance from the Eastman School of Music, and spent eight years as a tenured associate professor in the jazz studies department at the University of Oregon. He remains active as a clinician and guest soloist both nationally and around the world.
https://www.allaboutjazz.com/musicians/gary-versace/

Personnel: Piano – Gary Versace; Bass – Jay Anderson; Drums – Rudy Royston

Time Frame

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Michael Feinberg - From Where We Came

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 2020
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:38
Size: 130,1 MB
Art: Front

(7:15) 1. Louisville
(5:27) 2. Cairo
(3:39) 3. Tryon
(9:39) 4. Pontiac
(8:34) 5. Hamlet
(9:00) 6. East St. Louis
(4:37) 7. Tokyo
(8:23) 8. Nogales

At the dinner table or in the studio, there are many subtle methods to interject a staunch conversation starter. Or you can always burst into the room with your hair on fire. Veteran soprano saxophonist Dave Liebman, he of many rich and complex lines past, here opted for the latter approach. After bassist and leader Michael Feinberg opened the record with a mood leveling bass intro, Liebman grabbed the attention of his younger generation bandmates in the Feinberg composition "Louisville," named after the birthplace of the great Muhammed Ali. Said bandmates, in addition to Feinberg, tenor saxophonist Noah Preminger, pianist Gary Versace and drummer Ian Froman responded with intelligence and verve.

In all, eight songs, all composed by Feinberg, are consummate vehicles for expressive interplay and open-ended conversation. Feinberg named all the tunes after the hometown of his musical and athletic heroes. He also wrote all these pieces with his personnel in mind. He gets the best out of all of them by creating passages that employ responsive windows. Compositional depth is very much at the core of From Where We Came.

That said, the quintet takes it over the top by continually firing on all cylinders. Feinberg is no doubt the glue. However, we need not get stuck on that point, as his fluency enriches the interaction. Froman is, as well, much more than pocket perfect. He deftly moves the conversation through transitions and is impactful in facilitating his mates. Often heard as a third member broadening the rhythm section, Versace also adds timely and intuitive remarks to the ever-growing conversations. Liebman and Preminger take this session to a whole other level. Preminger's exuberance, coupled with his learned chops, bring both excitement and insightfulness to the party. Fueled in the moment by Liebman's blaze and intensity, Preminger joyfully rises to the occasion. Liebman lit the spark at the outset and pushed his improvisational bliss forward throughout. He brought his full and expansive arsenal with him...and didn't leave any on the table.

As for the song titles, "Cairo" (Geogia) is the birthplace of legendary Jackie Robinson. "Tryon" (North Carolina) honors Nina Simone. On "Pontiac" (Michigan) you hear Froman taking a run at the peppered swing of Elvin Jones. Every member of the band has a connection to the incomparable drummer. Feinberg once fronted a band called the Elvin Jones Project and Liebman played with Jones in the early 1970s. John Coltrane is dually honored with "Hamlet" (North Carolina). Miles Davis grew up in "East St. Louis" (Missouri), but championed here are trumpeter Russell Gunn and drummer Terreon Gully who also grew up there. Feinberg had the opportunity to see them both on a weekly basis in Atlanta while in high school. "Tokyo" was written for film scorer Ryuichi Sakamoto and with "Nogales" (Arizona) Feinberg pens and plays in memory of Charles Mingus. A well paired and well-prepared quintet present a dense forest of musical interaction and conversational integrity. They covered a lot of ground, geographically, historically, and musically. A substantial listening and thought provoking experience.~ Jim Worsley https://www.allaboutjazz.com/from-where-we-came-michael-feinberg-steeplechase-productions

Personnel: Michael Feinberg: bass; Dave Liebman: saxophone, soprano; Noah Preminger: saxophone, tenor; Gary Versace: piano; Ian Froman: drums.

From Where We Came

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Kate McGarry + Keith Ganz Ensemble - What to Wear in the Dark

Styles: Vocal and Guitar Jazz
Year: 2021
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:48
Size: 145,7 MB
Art: Front

(5:08) 1. Dancing in the Dark
(7:49) 2. Barrytown
(7:31) 3. Both Sides Now
(5:52) 4. God Moves on the City
(6:48) 5. The 59th Street Bridge Song (Feeling Groovy)
(4:15) 6. Desperado
(5:45) 7. On the Road to Find Out
(7:26) 8. Anthem
(4:47) 9. Here Comes the Sun
(6:23) 10. It Happens All the Time in Heaven

Let us start with a nod to Steely Dan, the rock/jazz group headed up by Walter Becker and Donald Fagen, a pair of tunesmiths who hit a career zenith in the early 1970s with albums like Can't Buy A Thrill (1972), Countdown To Ecstasy (1973), Pretzel Logic (1974) and Aja (1974), all on ABC Records. The group drew in top jazz artists to help craft their albums saxophonists Wayne Shorter and Tom Scott, guitarists Larry Carlton and Lee Ritenour, drummers Steve Gadd and Rick Marotta shaping high-polish productions featuring catchy melodies and cerebral lyrics to form up their pop/rock artistry.

Taking a tangent off from this digression we run into vocalist Kate McGarry's What To Wear In the Dark. Comparisons to Steely Dan? Beautiful production, meticulous arrangements and a bunch of top notch jazz players Gary Versace on keyboards, Ron Miles on cornet, Clarence Penn on drums, Keith Ganz of the Keith Ganz Ensemble on guitars creating the backdrops for McGarry's pure-toned everywoman deliveries on tunes mostly familiar, shaped into often unconventional readings of (again, mostly) pop/rock tunes of the 1960s and 1970s.

McGarry offers up her distinctive take on Steely Dan's "Barrytown," Paul Simon's "The 59th Street Bridge Song (Feelin' Groovy)," The Eagles' "Desperado" and George Harrison's "Here Comes the Sun." She picks her composers well, opening with the one Great American Songbook tune of the set, "Dancing in The Dark," featuring a spare arrangement with Gary Versace's sighing accordion playing prominently in the mix.

McGarry has the rare ability to deliver a tune with remarkable immediacy like she is singing it just for you. She sings "Barrytown" with a bounce in her step, with a hopeful self assurance, a clear-eyed aplomb. On Joni Mitchell's "Both Sides Now" McGarry's delivery is angelic, the harp (actually Keith Ganz' acoustic guitar) in a perfect, heavenly simpatico with the singer's inward-looking vocal.

Then there is "Life, I love you," a line from Paul Simon's "The 59th Street Bridge Song (Feelin' Groovy)." It is one of Simon's happiest tunes. McGarry opens with a minute long, rapid fire rant (penned by pianist Hal Galper) about the travails of the working jazz artist, backed by Ron Miles' scratchy cornet complaint, before shifting into the simple melody in which she sings that "Life, I love you," line, drawing, apparently, on the balm the tune served up for her during difficult times.

The set wraps up with "It Happens All The Time In Heaven," penned in part by McGarry, from "The Subject Tonight Is Love" by poet Daniel Ladinsky. Again, she sings just for you, with a beautifully spare and crisp arrangement featuring Versace on organ and Ganz on acoustic guitar, closing up a masterfully-produced, highlight-filled recording. By Dan McClenaghan https://www.allaboutjazz.com/what-to-wear-in-the-dark-kate-mcgarry-keith-ganz-ensemble-resilience-music-alliance

Personnel: Keith Ganz: guitar; Kate McGarry: voice / vocals; Ron Miles: cornet; Gary Versace: piano; Obed Calvaire: drums; Sean Smith: bass, acoustic; Clarence Penn: drums; Becca Stevens: voice / vocals; Erin Bentlage: voice / vocals; Michelle Willis: voice / vocals; Christian Euman: drums; James Shipp: percussion.

What to Wear in the Dark

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Eli Degibri Trio - Live at Louis 649

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2008
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 74:53
Size: 171,7 MB
Art: Front

(10:28)  1. NY-TLV-NY
(11:08)  2. Every Time We Say Goodbye
(10:41)  3. Gypsy
(13:30)  4. Pum-Pum
( 8:47)  5. I Fall in Love Too Easily
(11:36)  6. Shoohoo
( 8:41)  7. Colin's Dream

Over the years, the phrases "organ/tenor group," "tenor/organ group," and "organ/sax combo" have often been synonymous with soul-jazz. When soul-jazz fans hear the words "organ" and "tenor" in the same sentence, they immediately think of all things funky; they immediately think of Stanley Turrentine's work with Shirley Scott or Gene Ammons' encounters with Jack McDuff and Johnny "Hammond" Smith. But one shouldn't forget about the post-bop innovations of Larry Young, who moved organ groups beyond soul-jazz and paved the way for everyone from Barbara Dennerlein to John Medeski. And on this live album, one hears a tenor/organ trio that has nothing to do with soul-jazz and everything to do with post-bop. The tenor saxophonist is Eli Degibri (who is also heard on soprano sax) and the organist is Gary Versace; rounding out the threesome is drummer Obed Calvaire. This 74-minute CD was recorded in August 2007 at Louis 649, a small club in Lower Manhattan's Alphabet City section (which was notoriously dangerous in the 1970s and 1980s but became quite gentrified during New York City's Rudy Giuliani/Michael Bloomberg era). Degibri could have easily embraced a sax/bass/drums format at Louis 649 but the fact that he went the organ route instead was a good thing, because this release is a worthwhile example of a post-Jimmy Smith approach to tenor/organ jazz. The trio's performances are hardly groundbreaking by 2007 standards; Young's groups were doing this type of thing 40 years earlier. But the performances are solid, albeit derivative, on the Tin Pan Alley warhorses "I Fall in Love Too Easily" and "Every Time We Say Goodbye" as well as Degibri originals that include "Shoohoo," "Colin's Dream," and the moody "Gypsy." Although not a five-star masterpiece, Live at Louis 649 is a respectable document of Degibri's sax/organ encounters in downtown Manhattan. ~ Alex Henderson http://www.allmusic.com/album/live-at-louis-649-mw0000794666

Personnel: Eli Degibri  (saxophone); Gary Versace (organ, Hammond b-3 organ); Obed Calvaire (drums).

Live at Louis 649

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Andrew Rathbun - Character Study

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2018
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 61:20
Size: 141,5 MB
Art: Front

(6:08)  1. The Golden Fool
(6:49)  2. Team of Rivals
(8:49)  3. Alphabet Deaf and Forever Blind
(7:09)  4. His Quiet Determination
(7:09)  5. Etcetera
(9:28)  6. The Long Awakening
(6:40)  7. Character Study
(9:05)  8. Turmoil

Jazz saxophonist Andrew Rathbun was born and raised in Toronto, in 1991 earning a Canada Council for the Arts grant to study in Boston, where he attended the New England Conservatory under the tutelege of Jimmy Guiffre and George Russell. Playing and recording with artists including Jeff Hirshfield, Kenny Wheeler, John Abercrombie and Ingrid Jensen, from 1994 to 1997 Rathbun also taught at the University of Maine before moving on to the Amadeus Conservatory in Westchester, NY; his solo debut Scatter Some Stones followed in 1999. The experimental True Stories came out the next year, offering two Margaret Atwood poems set to music. The heady and complex Sculptures was released two years later.~ Jason Ankeny https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/character-study/1444115015

Personnel:  Andrew Rathbun -  tenor saxophone; Tim Hagans -  trumpet; Gary Versace -  piano; Jay Anderson - bass; Bill Stewart - drums

Character Study

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Kate McGarry, Keith Ganz, Gary Versace - The Subject Tonight Is Love

Size: 141,0 MB
Time: 60:39
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2018
Styles: Jazz Vocals
Art: Front

01. Prologue The Subject Tonight Is Love (1:16)
02. Secret Love (5:00)
03. Climb Down - Whiskey You're The Devil (6:44)
04. Gone With The Wind (4:16)
05. Fair Weather (7:58)
06. Playing Palhaço (4:43)
07. Losing Strategy, #4 (2:57)
08. My Funny Valentine (6:20)
09. Mr. Sparkle What A Difference A Day Made (5:05)
10. She Always Will - The River (7:39)
11. Indian Summer (6:54)
12. Epilogue All You Need Is Love (1:40)

The ancient Greeks spoke of love's many forms, codifying and distilling the essence of every one in detailed thought and language. Each of those documented variants rightly differs from the others, yet the keen mind can certainly discern that all of them basically stem from the same roots: connectivity and understanding. In something of a musical parallel, this outing presents as an exploration, cataloguing, and summation of love in many states. While different aspects of the topic at hand are examined within each track, all are in agreement in their adoption of its foundational pillars.

The trio of vocalist Kate McGarry, guitarist Keith Ganz, and multi-instrumentalist Gary Versace is ideally suited for these investigations of the heart, telescoping each song's core value(s) while also expanding on their meaning. In doing so, this tightknit group proves that it's as perceptive as they come. McGarry may serve as the primary focal point, but this album remains a statement of artistic fellowship between all three of these artists.

The title track—a recitation of a concise work from 14th century Persian Poet Hafiz—serves as a brief scene-setter of a prologue, but the first proper number comes in the form of "Secret Love." This reflection on clandestine bonding proves to be one of the standout tracks on the album, evolving into a soul-searching statement on finding one's inner passion(s). Opening with hush-hush ideals before easing into a buoyant zone featuring a joyous guitar solo from Ganz, it hits every mark its meant to while shining a light on a few that were heretofore unseen. McGarry follows that up by calling to her Irish ancestors on "Climb Down," a slow, spare, and bluesy evocation that moves through humid air. That five-and-a-half minute work stands firmly on its own, yet it resonates on a deeper level when it segues into an Irish folk song—"Whiskey You're The Devil"—with guest Obed Calvaire's martial snare drum calling in the distance.

Those first three numbers make it clear that these simpatico spirits don't deem any single source sufficient for uncovering or expressing love's magic and mysteries; the material that follows, likewise, speaks to varied origins and vantage points. "Gone With The Wind" touches on elegiac sentiments while countering them with suggestions of sunny swing and a light-and-loose departure, Egberto Gismonti's "Playing Palhaço" presents new lyrics from Jo Lawry and deals with love's reality apart from its appearance, "My Funny Valentine" is given a glistening facelift through Ganz's reharmonization, and McGarry's "Losing Strategy # 4," benefitting from Versace's coloristic contributions, investigates the topic of retribution and damaged love in the most heartbreaking of tones.

This album is full of emotional ups and downs, serving as a true reflection of life's rollercoaster, but the ever optimistic epilogue—a brief stroll through "All You Need Is Love" graced by Ron Miles' horn—closes things out with a welcome dose of optimism. That exit is a lesson to the masses in these troubled times about how to move forward, and this album is a gift to us all from a trio with something real and true to express. ~Dan Bilawsky

Personnel: Kate McGarry: vocals, piano (7); Keith Ganz: acoustic guitar, electric guitar, acoustic bass guitar; Gary Versace: piano, keyboard, organ, accordion; Obed Calvaire: drums (3); Ron Miles: trumpet (12).

The Subject Tonight Is Love

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Jonathan Kreisberg - New For Now

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:09
Size: 128.6 MB
Styles: Guitar jazz
Year: 2005
Art: Front

[8:18] 1. Gone With The Wind
[5:41] 2. New For Now
[7:42] 3. Stardust
[5:45] 4. Peru
[6:37] 5. Five Bucks A Bungalow
[9:02] 6. From The Ashes
[5:30] 7. Ask Me Now
[7:31] 8. All Or Nothing At All

Jonathan Kreisberg (G); Gary Versace (Hammond B3 Organ); Mark Ferber (D). Recorded October 13, 2004 in Brooklyn, NY, USA by Max Bolleman.

Jonathan Kreisberg's second outing for Criss Cross features the versatile guitarist's working organ trio with Gary Versace at the Hammond B3 and Mark Ferber on drums. The forward looking group demonstrates its considerable knowledge of the jazz tradition while subtly stretching melody, harmony, rhythm and texture to push the music into the future.

The date delivers fresh, inspired interpretations of three Great American Songbook classics along with Thelonious Monk's Ask Me Now and four impressive originals, that demonstrate the leader's prowess as a composer of intelligent songs that swing in a new direction

New For Now mc
New For Now zippy

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Andy LaVerne Trio - Intelligent Design

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2006
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:07
Size: 138,0 MB
Art: Front

(6:06)  1. Short Story
(6:59)  2. Ultra Sound
(6:05)  3. Note Worthy
(6:21)  4. Upside
(7:57)  5. Remembrance
(6:52)  6. Ambrosia
(6:20)  7. Tsunami
(6:25)  8. Can You Glue Do This
(5:58)  9. Intelligent Design

Certainly not your household name by any stretch of the imagination, pianist Andy LaVerne is nonetheless a particularly adept pianist who has worked with many jazz legends over the years including Stan Getz, Frank Sinatra, Michael Brecker and Lionel Hampton. He's also a respected educator and has been largely documented on almost forty dates as a leader for the Danish SteepleChase imprint, including Intelligent Design. It is an out-of-the-ordinary ensemble that LaVerne assembles for the date at hand, although this particular trio has one previous album under its belt, recorded for another label. In hindsight, it's surprising that the piano and organ format has been so rarely utilized in jazz because it makes so much sense. The B3 is able to provide a bass line and a unique textural counterpoint that can complement as well as step forward. Seeing that Gary Versace is an accomplished pianist as well as a B3 practitioner, he makes the perfect foil for LaVerne because he knows how not to get in the way when Andy's up front and his own improvisations are highly musical statements that transcend the instrument itself. A unique group make-up or concept itself does not alone make for a great album and, had LaVerne decided to go for standards or a "grits and gravy approach, it might have actually been the downfall for this set. Instead, it's Andy's superb originals that supply the fodder for this most rewarding collection. The lively bop of "Note Worthy possesses a melody that vaguely sounds familiar, but speaks in its own distinct manner. By contrast, a piece like "Tsunami has more of a through-composed flavor to it, floating and brooding with a darker sense of drama. Somewhere in between is the chipper "Upside, a good primer on how important drummer Danny Gottlieb's musical contributions are to the overall success of this venture. Really one of the most welcomed surprises of the season, Intelligent Design lives up to its name as one of LaVerne's best efforts thus far and one of the finest jazz releases of the year. ~ C.Andrew Hovan https://www.allaboutjazz.com/intelligent-design-andy-laverne-steeplechase-records-review-by-c-andrew-hovan.php

Personnel: Andy LaVerne: piano; Gary Versace: B3 organ; Danny Gottlieb: drums.

Intelligent Design

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Eliot Zigmund - Breeze

Styles: Jazz, Post-Bop 
Year: 2008
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:30
Size: 131,9 MB
Art: Front

(6:49)  1. School Night
(8:00)  2. Homeland
(6:35)  3. I Wish I Knew
(7:24)  4. After
(6:21)  5. Breeze
(4:23)  6. From the Bottom Up
(4:22)  7. For Scott
(9:09)  8. Mathew, In Three
(4:23)  9. Where are you Now?

Recently I've been listening to Breeze, drummer Eliot Zigmund's 2008 release on the SteepleChase label. In part my interest in the recording stems from catching a couple of Zigmund's sideman gigs at The Turning Point Café in Piermont, NY. On those occasions I couldn't get a handle on all of the things that felt right about his playing. And describing some of the highlights in a live performance review didn't come close to capturing the essence of his style. The elements that initially intrigued me about Zigumnd's drumming came into clearer focus on three of the record's nine tracks, "School Night," "Homeland" and "Mathew, In Three." Zigmund is a refreshing change from the ever-growing number of trapsters who rule with an iron fist. There's a shadowy, indirect side to his playing that makes for an interesting contrast to his more assertive, straightforward traits. He functions very well at low dynamic levels, utilizes a minimum of strokes, avoids clutter, and often implies rather than explicitly states the beat.

Zigumud's style encompasses grace and grit you often hear both qualities in the course of just a few bars. He excels at listening, responding to and complementing tenor and soprano saxophonist Mike Lee, pianist Gary Versace and bassist Phil Palombi. Aside from playing a supportive role his drumming makes sense on its own terms. When Zigmund is at his best, you rarely notice his technique and execution. Instead, you feel his effect on the music and realize that he projects a distinct personality in ways that don't necessarily draw a lot of attention.The head of Mike Lee's composition, "School Night," the disc's opening track, is a prime example of Zigmund's resourcefulness. Utilizing every component of the drum set, he steps up and takes his place alongside Lee's tenor, yet never sounds particularly busy. Throughout the course of the swinging, thirty-two bar tune, Zigmund delineates time, plays substantial portions of the melody by way of accents on the snare, toms, bass drum and cymbal, and offers a number of stimulating comments. On the bridge his repetitive two and three stroke fills to the snare and tom-toms blithely bounce away from the melody and create a shuffle-like feel.

Zigmund's comping during Lee's solo actively shapes the music. Snare accents some nimble, others chomping interact with and work their way around Lee's somewhat deliberate lines. In the instances when the saxophonist becomes verbose, the drummer's commentary all but disappears. Working at a dynamic level below Palombi's bass line, in the early stages of Versace's improvisation Zigmund's snare tap dances and his cymbal sizzles. He then handles the pianist's brief upheavals in different ways. During one of Versace's adamant passages the drummer offers firm snare strokes in near unison and tops them off with a brief, scrambled fill. Another eruption elicits light, carefully placed snare accents followed by the broad hiss of the cymbal and stout hits to the snare and bass drums. During Versace's slow, dream-like introduction to his composition "Homeland," Zigmund deftly executes neat pecks to the cymbals, brief buzz rolls, and single strokes to the snare. All are played at a very low volume. 

He's not just accompanying the pianist; there's an element of independence which makes the music a little larger and a little more certain. Offering only a hint of a steady pulse, his drumming is neither random nor schematic. It's all the more effective for what's left unsaid. Any more strokes would be too busy; any less would run the risk of sounding disjointed or haphazard. At times during Lee's solo on his "Mathew, In Three," Zigmund is a model of restraint, gently patting the cymbal and adding the occasional well-placed accent. Often several bars go by in which he barely makes a ripple. In other instances Zigmund transforms the lovely waltz into something a lot more vigorous. Rim shots sound like a nail gun; the kick drum resembles a boot stomping on a wood floor. There's more than one fill in which impudent strokes are jammed into tight spaces. During these periods, the insistent, somewhat stiff quality of his drumming always swings. ~ David A.Orthmann https://www.allaboutjazz.com/eliot-zigmund-eliot-zigmund-by-david-a-orthmann.php

Personnel: Eliot Zigmund (drums); Mike Lee (tenor sax; Gary Versace (piano); Phil Palombi (bass)

Breeze

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Ralph Alessi - Quiver

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2016
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:27
Size: 129,5 MB
Art: Front

(2:57)  1. Here Tomorrow
(5:18)  2. Window Goodbyes
(6:56)  3. Smooth Descent
(6:46)  4. Heist
(9:49)  5. Gone Today, Here Tomorrow
(6:14)  6. I to I
(5:17)  7. Scratch
(7:05)  8. Shush
(4:14)  9. Quiver
(1:47) 10. Do Over

Quiver finds trumpeter Ralph Alessi and his quartet in a lyrical, reflective mood. Alessi describes the atmosphere in the recording studio as "pensive," a quality that imbues this music. The group includes most of the players from Alessi's acclaimed ECM leader debut Baida (2013). Drew Gress (double-bass) and Nasheet Waits (drums) return, with Gary Versace taking the piano chair in place of Jason Moran. Tempting to ascribe the differences between the two sessions to the pianists, but I think it has more to do with the material and the interaction of the whole band. "Here Tomorrow" opens the set with a brief legato meditation, and the mood for much of the album is established from the start. Versace often begins the pieces with an unadorned statement of the harmony, and doesn't even take a solo until the third track, "Smooth Descent" (which is also a bit more up-tempo). "Heist" breaks the mold by opening with solo trumpet, but it makes room for another piano solo and a bass solo from team player Gress. At almost ten minutes "Gone Today, Here Tomorrow" is the longest selection, and it too contains more moderate up-tempo music, finally giving Waits an opportunity to cut loose a bit. While there's no burning here, it certainly is not all taken at rubato or ballad tempo. "Scratch" is built upon an ostinato, following some lovely piano playing on "I to I." "Shush" combines all of the previous musical elements by beginning rubato. building to an energetic middle section, then closing with a repeating pattern. Only the closer "Do Over" provides a large contrast, as the band plays the only really up-tempo tune in the program while Waits solos all the way through. It's far too short, and it's a shame the record doesn't contain a bit more of this kind of playing. The variety would have been welcome. But while it's a generally low-key session, it's full of beautiful playing and empathetic group interaction. ~ Mark Sullivan https://www.allaboutjazz.com/quiver-ralph-alessi-ecm-records-review-by-mark-sullivan.php

Personnel: Ralph Alessi: trumpet; Gary Versace: piano; Drew Gress: double-bass; Nasheet Waits: drums.

Quiver

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Steve LaSpina - Play Room

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 2006
File: MP3@256K/s
Time: 64:07
Size: 117,5 MB
Art: Front

( 6:56)  1. Play Room
( 9:04)  2. Do The Math
(13:35)  3. Suite: It's Just Crazy-It Never Ends-That Explains It
( 3:19)  4. Melissa
(10:08)  5. On The Run
( 8:51)  6. Ashcroft Avenue
(12:11)  7. Just Because

Juggling a whirlwind schedule as a musician, father and student means that bassist Steve LaSpina is always in constant motion. Play Room is a selection of original compositions that comment on the recent state of affairs in his life. The music is lively, contemplative, playful and always involving. The title cut serves as the album's mission statement, placing avant-garde sensibilities within a bop framework. Dave Ballou and Billy Drewes banter mischievously on trumpet and soprano sax, and Gary Versace barks on the Hammond B-3. The shifting time signatures contribute to the overall feeling of spontaneity.  "Do The Math is a more conventional mid-tempo tune, with LaSpina's pizzicato and Versace's excellent piano complementing each other. The three-part suite ("It's Just Crazy -"It Never Ends -"That Explains It ) begins slowly, with LaSpina's dolorous plucking and measured playing by Drewes and Ballou. The suite gathers steam, then opens the valves to the most straight-ahead playing on the album, highlighted by Drewes' gritty tenor sax.

The album pauses for breath with "Melissa, a heartfelt duet by LaSpina and Versace, dominated by LaSpina's robust pizzicato. Then it's back on the treadmill with "On The Run, where Drewes' fluttering soprano works with Ballou's Harmon-muted trumpet. "Ashcroft Avenue continues the dynamism between Drewes and Ballou (on flugelhorn here), with some splendid piano from Versace. LaSpina's arco on "Just Because sounds like a man explaining why he's down on his luck, with Versace's initially nuanced and eventually spiraling organ serving as a sympathetic audience. And that's the trademark of Play Room: throughout the album the musicians don't seem to be playing their instruments as much as having a series of organized, spirited conversations. ~ Terrell Kent Holmes https://www.allaboutjazz.com/play-room-steve-laspina-steeplechase-records-review-by-terrell-kent-holmes.php
 

Personnel: Steve LaSpina: bass; Dave Ballou: trumpet, fluegelhorn; Billy Drewes: saxophone; Gary Versace: Hammond B-3 organ, piano; Jeff Hirshfield: drums.

Play Room

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Joel Harrison & Anupam Shobhakar, Multiplicity - Leave The Door Open

Styles: Guitar Jazz
Year: 2014
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:09
Size: 136,6 MB
Art: Front

( 9:50)  1. The Translator
( 7:04)  2. Leave The Door Open
( 8:06)  3. Madhuvanti
(11:27)  4. Mulitplicity
( 6:20)  5. Spoonful
( 3:19)  6. Kemne Avul
( 3:24)  7. Turning World
( 3:48)  8. Devil Mountain Blues
( 5:46)  9. Deep River

If but a single word must describe guitarist/composer Joel Harrison it's restless; one look at his discography, from his "breakthrough" Free Country (ACT, 2003) to the 19-piece big band of Infinite Possibility (Sunnyside, 2013) and it's clear that this Guggenheim Fellowship Award winner isn't content in any one place for long. Leave the Door Open may be his first album of 2014 and yet another departure, this time exploring an improv-heavy kind of world music sourced from the East and West in collaboration with Indian sarodemaster Anupam Shobhakar but there's another album on the horizon that focuses on Harrison the guitarist (Mother Stump, coming on Cuneiform in May), and yet another already in the can, equally different, and looking for a label.  Harrison's work is always collaborative, but other than covering classic songs from the past, more often than not the guitarist is the sole composer. Leave the Door Open is, then, another anomaly in a career filled with them: a recording that splits compositional duties with Shobhakar in a group called Multiplicity, in addition to bringing in some unique interpretations of an old blues standard, one rearranged piece each from the American and Indian traditions, and a collaborative composition from the two leaders. It's a heady brew that doesn't so much find a meeting point where East and West meet as it does blow the door open between the two, allowing the music to seamlessly ebb and flow from and towards both sides, creating something that's the sum total of both but equally reverent to their individual touchstones.

As ever, Harrison's choice of band mates is astute: the ever versatile keyboardist Gary Versace brings harmonic abstraction and rich color, few able to touch his ability to get past the Hammond organ's soul-drenched jazz tradition and employ it in a more purely textural fashion adaptable to any context; bassist Hans Glawischnig's associations may, more often, be better known than he is, but whether playing in trio with Donny McCaslin or exploring Puerto Rican plena music with Miguel Zenon, he's proven a flexible and creative anchor; drummer/tablaist Dan Weiss may be the most intrinsically suited, having studied Indian music extensively, migrating a traditional tabla solo to drum kit on Tintal Drum set Solo (Chhandayan, 2005). Guests include saxophonist David Binney, who elevates Harrison's opening epic "The Translator" with a solo that picks up where Versace's combination of virtuosity and thematic construction leaves off, shooting it into the stratosphere as the pianist, Glawischnig and Weiss provide the extra boost. But Multiplicity really belongs to Harrison and Shobhakar, whether exploring the meshing of Shobhakar's microtonally capable sarode with electric guitar (Harrison's dark-hued title track); turning to Eastern linearity (Shobhakar's "Mudhuvanti"), the composer's solo building to a whirling dervish of a climax only to later engage in an incendiary, set-defining duet with Weiss; or re-harmonizing bluesman Willie Dixon's classic "Spoonful" into a lyrical ballad where Shobhakar's viscerally bent notes blend seamlessly with Harrison's National steel guitar slide.  With Harrison and Shobhakar's stylistic confluence, intuitive interpretive skills and compelling compositional abilities, Leave the Door Open is a Harrison project that, hopefully, won't be a one-time affair. ~ John Kelman https://www.allaboutjazz.com/leave-the-door-open-joel-harrison-whirlwind-recordings-ltd-review-by-john-kelman.php
 

Personnel: Joel Harrison: electric, National steel, acoustic and baritone guitars; Anupam Shobhakar: sarode; Gary Versace: piano, Hammond B-3organ, accordion; Hans Glawischnig: acoustic and electric bass; Dan Weiss: drums, tabla; David Binney: alto saxophone (1, 3); Todd Isler: percussion (6, 8); Bonnie Chakraborty: voice (6); Chandrashekar Vase: voice (4).

Leave The Door Open

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