Jack Walrath - Heavy Mirth

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2010
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 67:39
Size: 155,2 MB
Art: Front

(6:12)  1. Bassballs
(8:36)  2. Dark Star
(9:57)  3. It Must Be A Holiday, So Why Do I Have The Blues
(5:14)  4. Cloak And Dagger
(7:36)  5. Anthropoid Epiphany
(8:45) 6. A Long, Slow, Agonizing Descent Into The Depths Of Dispair
(8:17)  7. Road Kill
(6:02)  8. Drifting
(6:56)  9. Blood

Jack Walrath has long been heralded by astute writers who recognize his willingness to experiment in his writing and playing. This 2008 session pairs the veteran trumpeter (who served with Charles Mingus, Ornette Coleman, and as a member of Mingus Dynasty) with tenor saxophonist Abraham Burton, pianist Orrin Evans, Mingus Big Band bassist Boris Kozlov, and the in-demand drummer Jonathan Blake, interpreting nine stimulating originals by the leader. The rapid-fire, insistent theme of "Bassballs" proves immediately infectious.

A spirited Latin undercurrent adds a twist to "Cloak and Dagger," with Walrath's powerful solo as its centerpiece. The jaunty "Anthropod Epiphany" has a humorous flavor, while the breezy "Roadkill" showcases Kozlov's fleet solo and Burton's full-bodied tenor. The loopy "Blood" sounds like something that Charles Mingus might have written. The bluesy "A Long, Slow, Agonizing Descent into the Depth of Despair" features Evans' delicious gospel-inflected piano, with a fine improvised vocal and a bit of playful scatting by TC III. Highly recommended. ~ Ken Dryden https://www.allmusic.com/album/heavy-mirth-mw0001983516

Personnel: Jack Walrath (trumpet); Abraham Burton (tenor saxophone); Orrin Evans (piano); Jonathan Blake (drums)

Heavy Mirth

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Ray Vega & Thomas Marriott - East West Trumpet Summit: Coast to Coast

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2023
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 48:44
Size: 112,3 MB
Art: Front

(5:18) 1. One Day At A Time
(4:31) 2. I Told You So
(5:54) 3. You've Changed
(5:14) 4. Broadway
(6:10) 5. Art Deco
(5:36) 6. Girl Talk
(4:14) 7. Quarter Nelson
(5:54) 8. Front Row Family
(5:49) 9. So Long Eric

Coast to Coast is the third East West Trumpet Summit recorded by Ray Vega and Thomas Marriott in a musical partnership that has spanned nearly three decades. The years have been kind, and when it comes to playing persuasive jazz, neither Vega nor Marriott appears to have lost a step. Marriott, a native of Seattle, and Vega, New York-born and bred, first met in 1995, and the mutual admiration and respect was immediate. Their first two albums as co-leaders were exceptional, and Coast to Coast is no less so, with the front-liners in superior form and backed by a blue-chip rhythm section anchored by celebrated drummer Roy McCurdy with the always-dependable Orrin Evans on piano and rock-solid Michael Glynn on bass.

In sum, the quintet plays engaging and listenable music that swings in the finest tradition of such renowned trumpet duos as Fats Navarro and Howard McGhee or Freddie Hubbard and Woody Shaw. For the listener, that is about as good as it gets. The material is first-class too, with a trio of bright original compositions by Marriott interspersed among as many standards and good-natured themes by George Cables, Don Cherry and Charles Mingus. The standards were penned by Carl Fischer ("You've Changed"), Wilbur Bird ("Broadway") and Neal Hefti ("Girl Talk").

Vega and Marriott give each of them a cheerful ride while Evans, Glynn and McCurdy make sure the rhythmic pulse never wavers. For listening purposes, the notes say that Marriott is heard stereo-left, Vega stereo-right, but that's largely irrelevant, as there is not much to choose between two masters whose approach to the music is by and large synchronous and complementary. No matter who is playing, the sound is luminous and clear, the ad-libs sharp and clever. The trumpets are open most of the way, muted on Marriott's charming, samba-like "Front Row Family."

Marriott's other compositions, "One Day at a Time" and "Quarter Nelson," are old-school swingers whose hustle and bustle brings out the best in everyone, as do the high-spirited "Broadway" and even Charles Mingus' "So Long Eric," which closes the album on a luminous and even-tempered note. The quintet has more fun on Cables' melodious "I Told You So" (nimble solo by Evans), Cherry's frisky "Art Deco" and Hefti's syrupy nod to idle chit-chat, "Girl Talk." "You've Changed," the only true ballad on the menu, is simply more grist for the quintet's efficiently run mill.

From start to finish, the third edition of East West Trumpet Summit is delightful to hear and appreciate, not only for Vega and Marriott's singular artistry but for the splendid choice of music and the indispensable support provided by an astute and responsive rhythm section. Notwithstanding the music's many detours, when placed in the best of hands straight-ahead jazz can be as inventive and pleasing as ever.By Jack Bowers
https://www.allaboutjazz.com/coast-to-coast-ray-vega-and-thomas-marriott-east-west-trumpet-summit-origin-records__19180

Personnel: Trumpet – Ray Vega, Thomas Marriott; Acoustic Bass – Michael Glynn; Drums – Roy McCurdy; Piano – Orrin Evans

East West Trumpet Summit: Coast to Coast

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Orrin Evans - The Red Door

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2023
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 62:21
Size: 144,2 MB
Art: Front

(4:04) 1. Red Door
(7:11) 2. Weezy
(7:35) 3. Phoebe's Stroll
(9:15) 4. The Good Life
(4:36) 5. Big Small
(3:58) 6. Dexter's Tune
(4:12) 7. Amazing Grace
(5:15) 8. Feed the Fire
(4:25) 9. All the Things You Are
(2:43) 10. Smoke Rings
(5:22) 11. They Won't Go When I Go
(3:39) 12. I Have the Feeling I've Been Here Before

A most generous craftsman, composer and bandleader, pianist Orrin Evans never fails to bring out the best of whoever he chooses to create with. The Red Door is gratefully, and gracefully, no exception to that rule.

Whatever musical setting Evans chooses to practice his sinewy, r'n'b inflected post-bop insideman, big band, trio, quartet, duo, whatever a sweet animation propels his music and buoys the players gathered around him. In this case the two core units feature bass legend Buster Williams, drummer Gene Jackson, the late Wallace Roney on trumpet and fellow Philadelphian, tenor legend Larry McKenna. The other quintet features trumpeter Nicholas Payton, saxophonist/flutist Gary Thomas, bassist Robert Hurst and drummer Marvin "Smitty" Smith.

Just as it was a standout track on his second recording with the The Bad Plus, 2019's canny and expressive Activate Infinity (Edition Records), the lead-off title track carousels into consciousness with a brassy, staccato effervescence and witticism courtesy of Payton and Thomas, that Hurst, Evans and Smith quickly wrest control from, deconstruct, then return sprightly to the dance. As Immanuel Wilkins' saxophone did throughout Evan's previous highlight reel, 2021's The Magic of Now (Smoke Sessions Records) Thomas' flute becomes the voice of the circuitous and bluesy "Weezy."

But it may well be "Phoebe's Stroll" that we remember The Red Door for in the years ahead. A jaunty, trio workout of everything that makes Evans tick his quotable, neo-pop melodicism, his patient way with time, his keen, articulate framing and sense of communal dance all in one seven plus minute slice of perfection. It's a grand gesture and sure to be a setlist perennial.

Geri Allen's antic "Feed the Fire" gets the full-on quintet treatment as Thomas and Payton play cat and mouse around Smith and Hurst's elusive current and Evans' pronounced freneticism. Ditto "Smoke Rings." With Buster Williams providing the smooth, second set of the night groove, McKenna, uncurls an entrancing, deep blue solo that defines "The Good Life." Ever a shaman of the collective, Evans brings onboard Jazzmeia Horn who, as has become custom, delivers a slyly impassioned reading of Bill McHenry's feminine forward lyric for Evans' "Big Small," which originally appeared sans lyrics on Flip the Script (Posi-Tone Records, 2012)

A substantive tribute to those whom Evans claims has gotten him to the pinnacle he inhabits right now and to those who will help him carry it forward, (including Sy Smith and Alita Moses, The Red Door is a masterful high point in a career that continues to climb. By Mike Jurkovic
https://www.allaboutjazz.com/the-red-door-orrin-evans-smoke-sessions-records__14893

Personnel: Orrin Evans: piano; Robert Hurst: bass; Marvin "Smitty" Smith: drums; Gary Thomas: saxophone; Nicholas Payton: trumpet.

Additional Instrumentation: Nicholas Payton: trumpet (1, 2, 5, 10); Gary Thomas: tenor sax (1, 5, 10) flute (2); Robert Hurst: bass (1-3, 5-8, 10, 12); Marvin “Smitty” Smith: drums (1-3, 5-8, 10, 12); Wallace Roney: trumpet (9); Larry McKenna: tenor sax (4); Buster Williams: bass (4, 9); Jazzmela Horn: vocal (5); Sy Smith: vocal (7); Alita Moses: vocal (11).

The Red Door

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Jim Snidero Feat. Kurt Rosenwinkel - Far Far Away

Styles: Saxophone And Piano Jazz
Year: 2023
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 54:09
Size: 126,1 MB
Art: Front

(6:59) 1. Far Far Away
(7:38) 2. Infinity
(7:00) 3. It Might as Well Be Spring
(6:56) 4. Nowhere to Hide
(7:52) 5. Obsession
(5:16) 6. Pat
(4:45) 7. Search for Peace
(7:41) 8. Little Falls

Far Far Away brings us ever so close to the genius of Jim Snidero. An incandescent affair built upon the pillars of new partnership and continuing collaboration, it showcases a marked consistency in craftsmanship and inventiveness that leaves no doubt as to this artist's place in the jazz firmament. Of course, seasoned listeners need no reminders about his elevated status. The vaunted alto saxophonist has been delivering dynamic performances as a leader on record for the better part of four decades, winning critics over and gaining plenty of fans with that work. Snidero's Blue Afternoon (Criss Cross, 1989) was rightly tagged as a modern classic through its inclusion in The Penguin Jazz Guide: The History of the Music in the 1001 Best Albums; he turned plenty of heads playing atop his own arresting orchestral arrangements on Strings (Miles-tone, 2003/Savant, 2021), which received the highest "Le Choc" review from Jazz Magazine (France) and saw the music and its creator cited as "belonging to a very exclusive club (Fischer, Ogerman, Sauter) of great successes in the genre"; and at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, when gigging opportunities were risky and scarce, he found a way and triumphed with Live at the Deer Head Inn (Savant, 2021), earning serious admiration and a rare 5-star review in DownBeat Magazine.

Those offerings demonstrate an extraordinary level of artistic achievement over wide spans, as Snidero successfully charted his way through vastly different territories in his thirties, mid-forties and sixties. And with many dates in his enviable discography branching out into other areas a celebration of the organ combo on Tippin' (Savant, 2007), a look at modernistic flow in Stream of Consciousness (Savant, 2013), an intrepid immersion in Korean culture for Project-K (Savant, 2020) those highlights provide just a mere glimpse of his capabilities when in command. The portrait of Snidero truly broadens with every single entry in his catalog, and that obviously includes this landmark 25th recording.

On Far Far Away, legend meets legend for an incredible journey to the outer limits. Returning to the studio after his triumphs on the stage, the renowned altoist joins forces with inimitable guitar hero Kurt Rosenwinkel. It's a pairing that's as unlikely as it is intriguing, opening the doors of possibility for the saxophonist: "For me, Kurt is one of the great jazz figures of the 21st century. His concept of sound and phrasing are so original and compelling, yet his playing is firmly grounded in the tradition. Achieving that combination is no small feat. There's just so much there that I wanted to take advantage of as a composer."

Opting to write new material tailored to Rosenwinkel's cut, Snidero eyes the horizon and what lies beyond. And in bringing back the ace rhythm section from Live at the Deer Head Inn forward-thinking pianist Orrin Evans, in-demand bassist Peter Washington and sterling drummer Joe Farnsworth he acknowledges a winning combination of musicians while refocusing their efforts: "The live record was really all about the moment 'A token of hope, a prayer for the return of live gigs,' as London Jazz News so eloquently put it. It was just getting up there, relaxing and playing tunes that would hopefully bring some joy to folks during some difficult times. With the addition of Kurt, and the focus on originals now, this album is really quite different."

Illustrating that truth right out of the gate, Snidero sets a course to the stars for the title track. The first of many pieces to capitalize on Rosenwinkel's signature sonics, it spotlights both frontline members as euphoric soloists, highlights some significant chemistry in their matchup, and provides additional space for Evans and Farnsworth to shine. Dialing things back for the follow-up the cobalt-shaded "Infinity" the quintet plays toward straight-time seduction as it crests waves of its own creation. Reflecting the very nature of the Snidero-and-Rosenwinkel partnership, those opening numbers offer contrast while proving complementary. Switching gears with a subtly reharmonized look at Rodgers and Hammerstein's "It Might as Well Be Spring," the leader delights in the opportunity to bare his soul on one of his favorite ballads. The album's lone dip into the Great American Songbook, and one of the finest examples of Snidero's sound on record, it proves to be a model of class and sensitivity.

Returning to the realm of originals, the saxophonist delivers three consecutive winners from as many angles. The bounding "Nowhere to Hide," ripe with harmonic tension and conflicting extensions, brings piquancy to the center of the picture as Snidero's pointed lead, Rosenwinkel's liquid heat and Evans' down-the-middle designs each make strong impressions. Then "Obsession" arrives, taking shape around a simmering funk feel and serving as the only one of its kind on the playlist. Dynamic comping and interplay on the rhythm side help to create arched expressions within its well constructed framework, ultimately supporting and encouraging those at the fore. Closing this trifecta of new compositions with "Pat" a blues-based gem tapping into the spirit of the legendary Pat Martino everybody takes a moment to give due respect to a dearly departed jazz guitar icon and his enduring influence.

Adopting a reflective stance in the penultimate presentation, Snidero looks to the late McCoy Tyner's ever-relevant "Search for Peace." A breathtaking ballad that gives pause to admire both music and message, it's a perfect vehicle to accentuate the leader's tender side, Rosenwinkel's singing strings and Washington's purposeful pizzicato. Then it's back to new wonders with "Little Falls," a swinging sendoff that's right in everybody's wheelhouse. Washington's walking lines and Farnsworth's ride cymbal lay the groundwork as the group's core soloists captivate through the beauty of their ideas. Demonstrating clear direction, this exit piece, much like everything preceding it, speaks to Snidero's great attention to detail with this project: "I spent quite a bit of time thinking about the band's sound while writing how to layer certain elements such as timbre, harmony and range, to both blend and (sometimes) conflict, creating more depth. It's about putting it all together while being musical and projecting warmth. That's what I value most of all." Not surprisingly, that comes through in the wondrous mix on Far Far Away. By Dan Bilawsky https://www.allaboutjazz.com/far-far-away

Personnel: Jim Snidero: saxophone, alto; Kurt Rosenwinkel: guitar; Orrin Evans: piano; Peter Washington: bass; Joe Farnsworth: drums.

Far Far Away

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Charlie Porter - Hindsight

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2021
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 60:42
Size: 139,6 MB
Art: Front

(5:49) 1. Tipping Point
(7:00) 2. Hindsight
(6:51) 3. Walking the Plank
(7:52) 4. Things Fall Apart
(7:37) 5. Requiem
(9:43) 6. In Short Supply
(5:55) 7. Going Viral
(5:32) 8. Paradise Lost
(4:19) 9. For Ellis

Portland based trumpeter/composer Charlie Porter is back, and following the trend industry wide over the past year, has released a finely crafted collection of pieces attached to a social narrative. Hindsight examines how we act in hindsight dealing with the long term societal struggles of racism, corruption and inequality. While two of the pieces feature the lyrics of Majid Khaliq and Madelaina Piazza, Porter has namaged to weave the emotional uncertainty of daily life during the Covid-19 pandemic into bittersweet melodies performed by a stellar cast.

Porter is no stranger to the abstract art of applying social commentary to instrumental composition, as this recording follows his acclaimed statement of the American condition, Immigration Nation (OA2, 2019). The two albums feature some common denominators in superb alto saxophonist Nick Biello, and the grounding presence of bassist David Wong and drummer Kenneth Salters. New to the crew is pianist Orrin Evans, vibraphonist Behn Gillece, guitarist Mike Moreno and transcendent vocalist Jimmie Herrod.

Getting down to the bones of the music, Hindsight is a fine jazz album that has two distinct chapters, and a delightful tag at the end. The opener, "Tipping Point," is a neo-bop gem that swings hard and fast, highlighted by Wong's relentless bass line. Porter's thick sound and elegant articulation is evident from the outset, as is the madly swinging Biello's otherworldly talents. The addition of Evans pays immediate dividends, as is the case throughout these nine tunes. While his solos are always an intrepid delight, his comping behind his mates enables the rhythm section to unspool freely and provide a seamless center for soloists to orbit about.

Adding Gillece to the mix for the title track, Porter offers a lovely ballad featuring a melody so beautiful, it seems as if the soloists handle it with special regard. Porter's muted solo is lush, his long tones expressing romance and melancholy. Evans shines once again, reimagining the piece with colorful chord voicings.

"Things Fall Apart" sends the album on a completely different path. Herrod's vocals are surrounded by a darker, electric fabric of sound, with the vibe set primarily by guitarist Moreno, and electric bassist Damian Erskine's Jaco-esque work. Herrod beautifully renders Khaliq's prose, and is joined by rapper Rasheed Jamal in that recitation. There is a slight disconnect in the arrangement as Jamal enters the fray in terms of phrasing, acting much like a double time solo within a ballad.

"In Short Supply" takes yet another turn, incorporating African instrumentation. Bassekou Kouyate joins on n'goni (African traditional guitar), and Mahamadou Tounkara provides amazing depth on tama (African Talking Drum). Herrod sings melody without lyrics, like a fresh wind blowing off the water.

While six of the tunes in this collection sound more like modern, post-bop jazz with traditional instrumentation, Porter is not afraid to wander into different quadrants of his imaginative compositional prowess. "For Ellis" welcomes his newborn son to the world in a very personal way. Porter's solo trumpet is framed by a choral arrangement performed by the Hallowed Halls Gospel Choir. The piece is detached from common grounding elements, left adrift and guided by Porter's gentle, yet abstract manifestations on trumpet.

Albums cobbled from work of seemingly disparate parts, can at times be seen as unfocused artistically. But having lived through 2020, an epic year of isolation we have all endured, the music on this album more seems like echoes of a mind left to the vagaries of time and space. It somehow finds a way to the listener's inner sanctum and sheds a light on that which we have all experienced collectively. It will be interesting in so many ways some decades down the road, to look back at this period of time in terms of jazz composition. With Hindsight, Porter leaves a blaze on that particular trail. By Paul Rauch https://www.allaboutjazz.com/hindsight-charlie-porter-oa2-records

Personnel: Charlie Porter: trumpet; Nick Biello: saxophone; Orrin Evans: piano; Mike Moreno: guitar; Behn Gillece: vibraphone; David Wong: bass; Kenneth Salters: drums; Damian Erskine: bass, electric; Jimmie Herrod: voice / vocals; Rasheed Jamal: voice / vocals; Majid Khaliq: violin; Mahamadou Tounkara: percussion; Bassekou Kouyate: various.

Hindsight

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Ember with Orrin Evans - No One Is Anyone

Styles: Contemporary Jazz
Year: 2021
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:10
Size: 129,6 MB
Art: Front

(4:49) 1. Reanimation (Zombie Tune)
(5:55) 2. Josephine and Daphne
(5:11) 3. No One Is Any One
(8:24) 4. Pilot Light
(3:37) 5. Glass House
(6:04) 6. Peace of Deoxygenated Sleep
(8:37) 7. Thomas
(5:26) 8. Graceful Without Grace
(4:10) 9. Chia-Sized Standing Desk
(3:53) 10. Harvey Pekar

To truly be in the headspace to appreciate the music of Ember, an understanding of the individuals making up the collective is paramount. The original compositions are not mind boggling, complex exercises brandishing the challenging dynamics of jazz composition in the 2020s. Refreshingly, the writing is open ended, containing melodies that come across as recitable mantras. The individual approaches to modern melodic improvisation within the collective memory of the musicians so easily rise to the surface of No One is Any One, in a way that is both intellectually interesting and at the same time free of intellectual distractions. The participants, including the listener, are free to explore their own intrinsic detachment and experience the sensory reception of the sound itself.

Alto saxophonist Caleb Wheeler Curtis, bassist Noah Garabedian, and drummer Vinnie Sperrazza have been down this road before. They met and began playing in 2017, with their gatherings being as much about conversation about music and values as about actual playing. In time, the trio released New Year (Outside in Music, 2018) under their individual names in 2018, and were just getting things rolling when the Covid-19 pandemic hit in March of 2020. From the outset, the members were aware of an openness and ease of expression that clearly grew from their mutual understanding of musical needs and ambitions, and shed light on a path of inspired development to come.

The natural chemistry between the three is an interesting study, with Garabedian and Sperrazza stemming from the tradition of groove- based instrumental r&b music, and Curtis more an adoptee of the jazz tradition. The union of the three is in many ways emblematic of the jazz scene growing in Brooklyn that often crosses lines of genre in joyous and innovative ways.

For their latest venture, Philadelphia based pianist Orrin Evans is added for four tracks, bringing a dimension in terms of harmony for sure, but as well spreading things out spatially within the context of the collective. Evans has had a significant impact on the creative development of Curtis' playing, both in small group settings and that of Evan's twice Grammy nominated Captain Black Big Band.

With the pandemic raging in New York, the trio began meeting outdoors in Prospect Park, their rehearsals becoming impromptu performances for a public starving for live music. The very organic quality of this recording is linked to those times of hardship that were nonetheless accompanied by a strong desire to keep things moving forward musically. The trio went into the studio in July of 2020 to record, bringing Evans into the fold.

The opening salvo, Curtis' "Reanimation (Zombie Tune),'' speaks loudly as to the identity of the trio. Bassist Garabedian holds down the bottom with a riff-rock bass line, carrying Wheeler with him in a sort of musical undertow. Garabedian leads us into his "Josephine and Daphne," a piece inspired by the film "Some Like it Hot," where the characters played by Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon adopt female personas to play in an all- female jazz band. Sperazza's title cut comes from the blues, employing its simplicity to eschew the "cult of personality." "Pilot Light" is a real time application of collective improvisation in a sense, with Curtis' detached referencing to the lead line mirrored by Garabedian's careful insertions and Sperrazza's embracing rhythms.

Evans is front and center on "Thomas," vibing the melody with Curtis. The intensity level of the record meters upward considerably, with Curtis laying down a riveting, on point solo. The dynamic and tonal range of his playing comes to full fruition, passing through moments both of sheer intensity and passive repose. Sperraza's fine work passes through the same emotions in such a way that defines his role on this recording. As Evans refers to the melody and moves on to his beautifully dynamic solo, Sperrazza is there in unbridled intensity, and is still able to reign it in with the pianist, in a titanic, symphonic splash of cymbal work.

While the collective process is stunning on this recording, what continually draws the listener in is Curtis' playing. It is strikingly interesting that in this new decade, perhaps the two most interesting alto saxophonists on the scene are both descendants of Evan's Philadelphia based "village" of musicians that move in and out of his Captain Black Big Band. Both Curtis and Immanuel Wilkins are creating groundbreaking music both as musicians and composers. While the twosome can be both caustic and genteel, Curtis has achieved a maturity and focus that manifests in his melodic approach to playing. His tunes are recitable to the listener, taking the melodies with them long after they have been heard. There is an almost ghostly presence to them. His improvised solos have the same qualities in a more unbridled sense. On the album's finale, "Harvey Pekar," those qualities are easily accessible. Curtis seems to sing on the instrument, more than playing it. Those reverberations throughout No One is Anyone are what will continue to draw the listener back time and again.By Paul Rauch https://www.allaboutjazz.com/no-one-is-any-one-ember-with-orrin-evans-sunnyside-records

Personnel: Caleb Wheeler Curtis: saxophone; Vinnie Sperrazza: drums; Noah Garabedian: bass; Orrin Evans: piano.

No One Is Anyone

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Thomas Marriott - Live from the Heat Dome

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 56:37
Size: 130,0 MB
Art: Front

(10:49) 1. Angel Of Sunlight
( 5:16) 2. Front Row Family
( 7:57) 3. The Joint Chiefs
( 4:44) 4. Chick's Lullaby
( 9:47) 5. How It Works
( 7:44) 6. H.A.L.T.
(10:19) 7. Anything Helps

Night after night, week after week, jazz performances take place in the city of Seattle that inspire the local jazz community. They take place in clubs, dive bars, theaters and concert halls, featuring national and international jazz artists as well as prominent resident artists from the dynamic Seattle jazz scene. On occasion, an individual jazz performance serves as a signpost of things to come. The September 26 performance of the Thomas Marriott Quartet at Jazz Alley was all of the above. Marriott had assembled a stellar quartet to celebrate the release of his fourteenth album as a leader, Live From the Heatdome (Imani, 2022).

The stage at Jazz Alley has seen the best of the best since its opening in 1980 as an intimate bistro in the University District. For the first six years of the club, it was common to see an artist of international prominence perform with a supporting cast of Seattle jazzers such as Chuck Deardorf, Dean Hodges, Marc Seales and Jerry Granelli among others. After moving to its more spacious digs downtown in 1986, full touring bands were and are featured, with Seattle based performances becoming less common. Over the years, there have been periods when Monday nights were reserved for the local scene, either in the form of an individual artist’s show, or a jam session that featured top Seattle players such as Hadley Caliman and Don Lanphere. Taking on Marriott’s album release was a rarity that needed support from the Seattle jazz community. That support was received in abundance with the club nearly full house.

Marriott has had a musical connection with Philadelphia based pianist Orrin Evans since a chance meeting at a jazz festival in Idaho over a decade ago. Live From the Heat Dome is the fourth release from the trumpeter that features Evans. His appearance, along with legendary bassist Essiet Essiet and sensational drummer Mark Whitfield, Jr., gave the performance a huge kickstart, with Marriott delivering a top flight performance of original tunes and a triad of well chosen standards.

The quartet started with Marriott’s “Tale of Debauchery,” extracted from his Urban Folklore (Origin, 2014) album that featured Evans on piano. On this evening, it served as a vehicle for Marriott to find his sound and cadence, serving up a long solo that began with longer tones and finished with a flurry of rapid fire runs. Evans, Essiet and Whitfield were immediately playful with the tune, something that would continue throughout the ninety minute set in plenitud.

“Front Row Family,” an ode to Marriott’s uber-supportive family over the years, was a mood changer that featured his ultra refined trumpet tonality that served as a warm invite for the audience to join in the intimacy of the moment. Essiet’s solo was a telltale sign of his unique artistry, his exquisite sound framing intricate passages and chordal brilliance. Marriott for his part appeared to be just getting started, not quite unleashing the hounds, so to speak.

“Mo-Joe,” Marriott’s homage to vibraphonist Joe Locke pushed the set forward into an uptempo, swinging foray into his post-bop, modernist leanings. His solo and that of Evans were telltale statements of their deep connection to the blues and the swing rhythm that defines the Black American art form they so ably express. Just as strongly, Evans launched into a quiet, beautifully harmonic intro to Marriott’s “Chick’s Lullaby,” serving as a beautiful interlude of quiet focus and meditative thought. In a tune dedicated to his wife, Marriott’s muted soliloquy was embracingly romantic and had a magical impact on the audience, roping them into the emotional aspect of the performance.

Essiet’s thunderous intro to Wayne Shorter’s “General Assembly,” served as a passageway to melodic freedom for the quartet, with Marriott’s searing solo setting the bar high for his positively respondent bandmates. Evans has always had a percussive aspect to his playing that has supplied a degree of separation between him and the majority of pianists in modern jazz. His solo seemed to ignite Whitfield on drums, whose focused intensity and supportive dynamics were unabashedly a highlight of the entire performance. In essence, Shorter’s thunderous composition seemed to light the fuse for the next few tunes. Easing into Vernon Duke’s classic, “I Can’t Get Started,” the quartet seemed to settle into a comfortable place with Evan’s playfully daring solo and Essiet’s beautifully pensive offering leading the way.

“The Joint Chiefs,” which appears on Live From the Heatdome, and “Both Sides of the Fence,” the title track from Marriott’s 2007 release, operated at an elevated degree of intensity and featured Whitfield’s spirited playing. Marriott and Evans exchanged glancing blows back and forth with the young drummer, the spirited response of the near capacity crowd seemingly lifting the roof off the place. The finale, Duke Ellington’s “Things Ain’t What They Used to Be,” was a fitting ending for the band, wrapping up their fourth consecutive night on a high. The foursome had spent two nights at Frankie’s in Vancouver, followed by a night in Bellingham. They had earned their repose.

Jazz Alley has never been much of a “hang” spot after a gig since the U District days when it was all of that. This evening was an exception, with an audience that represented a broad cross-section of the Seattle jazz community. It seemed everyone wanted a piece of the trumpeter, a prime indicator of the love and respect that Marriott inspires in his home town. With community elders like Julian Priester, Jim Wilkie and Marvin Thomas in the room and many of the city’s prominent jazz musicians as well, the respect factor was plainly evident. As far as the love factor, that was something felt upon entering the room, was elevated by the performance, and expressed with warm embraces post-show. For anyone that has spent any amount of time on the Seattle jazz scene, and at Jazz Alley in particular, this was a beautiful and welcoming sight. Let’s hope it portends to a re-ignited relationship between Seattle’s best jazz musicians, and its city’s most renowned stage.

By Paul Rauch https://seattlejazzscene.com/2022/09/thomas-marriott-album-release-live-from-the-heatdome/

Personnel: Thomas Marriott - Trumpet; Orrin Evans - Piano; Essiet Essiet - Bass ; Mark Whitfield Jr. - Drums

Kevin Eubanks, Orrin Evans - EEE (Eubanks-Evans-Experience)

Styles: Piano And Guitar Jazz
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 47:51
Size: 110,2 MB
Art: Front

( 6:53) 1. Novice Bounce
( 4:41) 2. Dreams Of Loving You
( 5:27) 3. I Don't Know
( 3:35) 4. And...They Ran Out of Bisquits!
( 5:18) 5. Dawn Marie
(13:02) 6. Variations on The Battle (Live)
( 8:51) 7. Variations on Adoration (Live)

Guitarist Kevin Eubanks and pianist Orrin Evans joined forces for a sympathetic duo offer designated as EEE - Eubanks-Evans Experience. These two musicians with strong ties to Philadelphia spent years honing their crafts, revealing a proclivity to expand horizons beyond pure jazz. Besides leaders in their own right, the twosome contributed as sidemen on albums of each other (Evans’ #knowingishalfthebattle; Eubanks’ East West Time Line). The guitarist is commonly associated with the bassist Dave Holland and the singer Diane Reeves, while the pianist was a member of the Ralph Peterson Quintet and groups led by trumpeter Sean Jones. He also replaced Ethan Iverson in the newfangled trio The Bad Plus.

Flowing with a relaxed vibe, “Novice Bounce” opens the record with smooth touches on jazz-funk and bossa. Written by Eubanks, this opening number collected from his first record, Guitarist (Discovery, 1982), finds him tackling it with half the tempo and electric guitar instead of the acoustic. If the ballads “Dreams of Lovin’ You” (composed by Tom Browne) and “Dawn Marie” (a tribute from Evans to his wife) - breathe and never rush, then other pieces make our heartbeat increase during their musical route by going in different directions.

The improvised “I Don’t Know” seems to squeeze two different worlds into the same sonic bubble. The artists treat their instruments with a newly discovered freedom, and the initial sense of bluesy dispersion is eased when Eubanks starts to work on the lower register, fulfilling bass duties. There are a couple more spontaneous numbers, but those don’t reach the heights of the two last tracks, both recorded live at Chris’ Jazz Cafe in Philadelphia. They are variations of Evans’ “Half the Battle” and Eubanks’ “Adoration”. The former is transformed into a mercurial fusion work by the addition of often-bluesy rock licks, a spiritual harmonic progression evocative of Pharaoh Sanders, and a groovy funk-rock strut that contracts and expands with multiple levels of intensity. The latter piece, instead, arrives in triple time, spreading out a beautiful energy.https://jazztrail.net/blog/eee-eubanks-evans-experience-album-review

Personnel: Kevin Eubanks: guitar; Orrin Evans: piano.

EEE (Eubanks-Evans-Experience)

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Orrin Evans - Easy Now

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2005
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:32
Size: 127,5 MB
Art: Front

(5:49) 1. Captain Black
(5:21) 2. BM
(6:06) 3. For DE
(8:11) 4. Don't Fall Off the L.E.J.
(5:22) 5. Easy Now
(4:21) 6. Bonus Round
(9:29) 7. Dance on the Moon
(2:12) 8. Dorm Life
(7:24) 9. Song for My Father
(1:11) 10. Don't Fall Off the L.E.J. (cont.)

For those who may have been disappointed by the Philadelphia pianist-composer Orrin Evans' recent experiments with backbeats and electric keyboards, Easy Now marks a notable return to swinging on acoustic instruments. But this new venture is primarily a tribute to the late Don Evans, a gifted playwright and educator, as well as Orrin's father.

If these compositions are any indication, Don Evans must have been complex, thoughtful, and unpredictable, perhaps a bit like the jutting measure of 5/4 time that concludes each chorus of "Don't Fall Off The L.E.J.," which is in all other aspects a fast 4/4 cooker. Actually, like most of the musicians who work in the new mainstream of today's jazz world, Orrin Evans uses composition to create modern challenges for modern impovisers. This would also include the drum thwacks that constitute part of the line of "Captain Black."

Further, the playing here is consistently top-shelf, giving these tunes a worthy presentation. Evans often plays percussively, playing clusters, even pounding the piano. But that's hardly all he does. He can play gently and lyrically, or he can spin a long, swinging line. Although he sometimes alludes to Monk, Orrin Evans is very much his own man. Saxophonist Ralph Bowen is also his own man. Heard here on alto and soprano sax rather than his customary tenor, Bowen reveals a lush, warm sound on each horn, almost as if he were trying to combine Eric Dolphy with Benny Carter or perhaps Lucky Thompson. He swings up a storm on "Don't Fall Off The L.E.J." and "Dorm Life."

Finally, J.D. Allen should be singled out for his warm, deeply moving tenor sax playing on "Song For My Father." He and Evans play the Horace Silver classic as a duet, in a stately ballad that may be the highlight of the album.~AAJ Staff https://www.allaboutjazz.com/easy-now-orrin-evans-criss-cross-review-by-aaj-staff

Personnel: Orrin Evans, piano; Ralph Bowen, alto and soprano sax; Mike Boone, bass; Byron Landham, drums. Track 9 only: J.D.Allen, tenor sax. Tracks 5, 7 only: Eric Revis, bass. Tracks 1,2,3, 5 only: Rodney Green, drums.

Easy Now

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Orrin Evans - The Magic of Now

Styles: Piano Jazz
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:40
Size: 133,6 MB
Art: Front

(13:48) 1. Mynah / The Eleventh Hour
( 5:54) 2. Libra
( 8:21) 3. The Poor Fisherman
( 8:04) 4. MAT-Matt
( 9:05) 5. Levels
( 8:42) 6. Momma Loves
( 3:43) 7. Dave

Timing is everything, the old masters teach. So pianist/composer/bandleader Orrin Evans drops the brazen The Magic of Now just in time. Just in time for the world to open up, renew its commitment, and move forward. Just in time for all to engage in those necessary conversations about civil upkeep. Put plainly, The Magic of Now is the music to lead the charge. A whirlwind of perpetual buoyancy and boundless risk aversion, the eight easeful dances defining The Magic of Now finds Evans reuniting with bassist Vicente Archer, drummer Bill Stewart, and former music camp student, 23-year-old powerhouse alto saxophonist Immanuel Wilkins for some seriously spirited interaction. Evans (who recently gave notice to The Bad Plus) and company play it full tilt and then some.

Righteous, rowdy, and riotous, joy abounds as the quartet, led by Archer and Stewart, slyly open Stewart's "Mynah" from Telepathy (Blue Note, 1997) and it immediately becomes palpable that these guys are very glad, very effin' glad, to be playing together. To be being together: Wilkins' ascending, Evans comping, and the rhythm, well it's meant to blend with little bother into the ecstatic, blow-the-roof-off, cutting party wit of Mulgrew Miller's "The Eleventh Hour." Anyone not familiar with Wilkins' rapid ride to the top of the young jazz elite need only hear the power and glory of the elders his tone and energy conjure on this track alone. So entranced is Wilkins that Evans, sensing the young'un may blow a gasket, literally wrests the spotlight away by going total Thelonious Monk at about the four-minute mark.

Which brings us to "Libra" and the distinct possibility that Evans just may have penned the anthem for the new world. Sure the tune dates back to 2006 with the trio of Evans, bassist Madison Rast and drummer Byron Landham Live In Jackson, Mississippi (Imani Records), but it doesn't resonate as deeply on that occasion as it does so effortlessly here. An elegiac, light hearted melody that won't let go brings to the fore all of Evans' soulful particulars: Percussive one moment, and poppy the next, riding a tight Stewart groove.

As if to show that he isn't only about the power of his majestic horn, Wilkins delivers "The Poor Fisherman," a knowing, reflective, shimmering ballad that Archer and Stewart whisper around as Evans plays with sentiment and delicacy. Another winner from Wilkins, "Levels" is a relaxed 5/4 that affords Evans and his former student some post bop, one-on-one time. Everyone swings intently on "Momma Loves." As if to remind us that it isn't always party time, the quartet quietly close with Evans' ruminative "Dave," making The Magic of Now a keeper from beginning to end.~MIKE JURKOVIChttps://www.allaboutjazz.com/the-magic-of-now-orrin-evans-smoke-sessions-records

Personnel: Orrin Evans: piano; Vicente Archer: bass; Bill Stewart: drums; Immanuel Wilkins: saxophone, alto.

The Magic of Now

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Sharel Cassity - Relentless

Styles: Flute And Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2009
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 47:27
Size: 108,9 MB
Art: Front

(4:01)  1. Say What!?
(6:24)  2. Still
(7:10)  3. Relentless
(4:36)  4. Call to Order
(5:20)  5. Love's Lament
(5:37)  6. Song of Those Who Seek
(5:36)  7. No Turning Back
(8:39)  8. On the Nile

Sharel Cassity's second release as a leader gives the alto saxophonist a bit more opportunity to show off her chops, as she adds both soprano sax and flute, while she also focuses extensively on her own compositions, something she omitted from her debut CD, Just for You. Though very youthful in appearance, she's a seasoned musician who started playing young, then detoured from her initial plan to finish her music education at Berklee by opting to play in New York City, where she earned a bachelor's degree at the New School and a master's degree at Juilliard. She has also toured with the all-female Diva big band and Jimmy Heath's big band. Old friend Michael Dease is once again on hand playing trombone, while trumpeter Jeremy Pelt appears on several tracks, with a top-notch rhythm section consisting of veteran pianist Orrin Evans, bassist Dwayne Burno, and drummer E.J. Strickland. Cassity begins on soprano with her delightful brisk blues "Say What?," an intricate number that inspires stimulated improvising all around. Dease, who wrote several numbers for the leader's debut date, penned the warm bossa nova"Relentless," which includes an expanded group with the leader on flute, guests Don Braden on alto flute, flügelhornist Thomas Barber (who also appeared on Just for You), and tenor saxophonist Andres Boyarsky. Cassity's emotional alto sax fits the mood of her bittersweet ballad "Love's Lament," with lush backing by Evans. Cassity doubles on soprano sax and flute (the latter only in the introduction) in Charles Tolliver's enticing, exotic "On the Nile," a harmonically rich arrangement that recalls the power of driving post-bop of the mid-'60s. This is a fine effort by Sharel Cassity, who is clearly one to watch. ~ Ken Dryden https://www.allmusic.com/album/relentless-mw0000824850

Personnel: Sharel Cassity (flute, soprano saxophone, alto saxophone); Don Braden (alto flute); Andres Boyarsky, Andres Boiarsky (tenor saxophone); Jeremy Pelt (trumpet); Thomas Barber (flugelhorn); Michael Dease (trombone); Orrin Evans (piano); E.J. Strickland (drums).

Relentless

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Jim Snidero - Live at the Deer Head Inn

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 55:33
Size: 128,0 MB
Art: Front

(0:24) 1. Band Intro by Denny Carrig
(5:58) 2. Now's the Time
(6:52) 3. Autumn Leaves
(0:32) 4. Intro to "Ol' Man River"
(6:57) 5. Ol' Man River
(7:02) 6. Bye Bye Blackbird
(6:48) 7. Idle Moments
(7:00) 8. Who Can I Turn To
(8:11) 9. My Old Flame
(5:44) 10. Yesterdays

This album documents that rarest of events from the past few months: a live jazz gig recorded in October 2020 in front of a live audience who truly and audibly appreciate what the players can do. The quality is truly excellent however, this listener did find the mind prone to wander, drawn by an irresistible temptation to start thinking about what the album represents, the circumstances in which it was made, the story it tells, rather than listening to the album itself. The economy/ecology of putting on music in small venues has always been fragile, but an album like this, and the level of craft and inventiveness to be witnessed, sets one pondering about the things which we have always assumed we could take for granted. Given that it increasingly seems that small-venue gigs might be among the last economic sectors to be “unlocked”, this album makes me want to reflect on what it will take to ensure that the people who have the community-minded instinct and the imperative to make these things happen can continue to do so. That train of thought does inevitably lead to far more questions than answers…

And there’s another reminder of how ephemeral the scene is: the Deer Head Inn in Delaware Water Gap, Pennsylvania is proud to declare itself as the country’s “oldest continuously running jazz club”. In other words, no club in the whole of the US has attained the longevity of this one. This was the venue where, more than half a century ago, a teenager from nearby Allentown called Keith Jarrett received the benefit of encouragement to try sitting in with the house band. And so he did, not just on piano, but also so I read on drums…

The instigator of the gig recorded here is Jim Snidero, an alto saxophonist originally from the Bay Area of California, now also a respected educator with a teaching post at the New School in New York. He had booked a trio of the very best to play with him on this, his first gig in more than half a year. To be reminded just how good all four of them are is perhaps the greatest pleasure of hearing this session. Above all, for me at least, that was the case for that very special bassist Peter Washington. He was a Jazz Messenger back in the mid- to late- 1980s and since then has been a sideman on literally hundreds of albums. Bassist in the trios of Tommy Flanagan and then Bill Charlap, Washington is just astonishingly, consistently, jaw-droppingly good. His solo lines always have a direction, an interest, a story, a particular personality. There is a special moment on Autumn Leaves when he is left completely on his own to solo. I had somehow hoped to be able to write at this point that the sheer authority of his playing had not just compelled the band but also the Deer Head Inn audience to be silent, to listen to him in awe, not to miss a note… but facts have a way of getting in the way of a good story: this and one other track (unspecified in the liner notes and press materials) were not actually a part of the set that night, but were recorded later in the same space, and not at the live gig. That said, it is the playing that counts, and Washington is just stupendous.

Drummer Joe Farnsworth, who once upon a time learnt from Alan Dawson who also taught Tony Williams, Terri Lyne Carrington… is, as ever, both empathetic and in the pocket. Farnsworth is unshowy but unbelievable. Harold Mabern once told me in an interview “Joe Farnsworth is probably the best drummer playing jazz” – and on the evidence of this, I would certainly not demur. More distractions…The fact that this release happens to coincide with an announcement from Orrin Evans that he is leaving The Bad Plus after three years to concentrate on other projects is another sideways thought which takes the mind away from the act of listening. Evans is on fine form here, and the sheer presence and (there might not be a better word) perfection of the Washington/Farnsworth tandem allows the pianist to relish plenty of “out” playing in a joyous, unpredictable way that always sounds fresh and interesting rather than contrived. He is also a wonderfully discreet accompanist notably in My Old Flame.

And Jim Snidero himself is well summed-up in a recent Guardian album review by Dave Gelly. Musicians evolve sometimes we can forget that obvious fact and it is indeed his ballad playing, notably on Ol’ Man River, which does draw the listener in best. There is also a neat touch that he decided to start the set with Parker’s Now’s The Time. Parker’s daughter Kim was in the audience, and her voice is audible shouting “Yeah” at the end of one of the tracks. It is a very good thing that Live at the Deer Head Inn exists. It feels like a token of hope, a prayer for the return of live gigs, of interaction, and of rebuilding communities drawn together by a passion for great live music. As the Deer Head Inn’s most famous alumnus once remarked (and with rather greater assuredness than the teenager who once played there): “Jazz is there and gone. It happens. You have to be present for it. That simple.” ~ Sebastian Scotney https://londonjazznews.com/2021/03/22/jim-snidero-live-at-the-deer-head-inn/

Personnel: Jim Snidero (alto saxophone), Orrin Evans (piano), Peter Washington, bass), Joe Farnsworth (drums)

Live at the Deer Head Inn

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Orrin Evans And The Captain Black Big Band - The Intangible Between

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2020
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 64:54
Size: 149,4 MB
Art: Front

( 6:01) 1. Proclaim Liberty
( 7:44) 2. This Little Light of Mine
( 6:24) 3. A Time for Love
( 6:55) 4. That Too
( 7:28) 5. Off Minor
( 7:56) 6. Into Dawn
(15:50) 7. Tough Love
( 6:32) 8. I'm so Glad I Got to Know You

Pianist Orrin Evans has a deep understanding of the unshakeable bond between fellowship, humanity and the creative process. That knowledge has guided him through creating a remarkable catalog of music as both a leader and sideman, along the way, experiencing the fellowship of a collective of musicians he often refers to as "The Village." The Village is indeed real, and most aptly expressed musically through the Captain Black Big Band, Evans' ensemble of anywhere between nine and seventeen players. The band sports the interpretive elasticity of a post-bop quintet, while maintaining the elegance and sophistication of a more traditional orchestral jazz setting. The band's first two releases featured the full ensemble with a rotating cast of musicians with whom Evans has performed, and in many cases, mentored. For the third release, Presence (Smoke Sessions, 2018), Evans pared the band down to nine members, and took it on the road. The result was a Grammy nomination, and perhaps more importantly, a well deserved degree of respect and recognition of the leader's remarkable legacy that now had spanned a quarter century. In addition, Evans had taken on the piano chair of The Bad Plus in 2017 and the associated time commitment to touring and recording with them. The Village was growing ever larger, at times even reaching out west as far as Seattle.

For the fourth recorded effort of CBBB, the studio at Sear Sound more resembled a family gathering, with Evans setting the vibe with food and fellowship. The warm embrace of the atmosphere was the norm when the band gathered, and this was to be no exception. Evans entered the fray with a well defined plan down to the individual musician, laid it out, and then let spontaneity take over. The approach led to many unexpected detours from the trail blazed by the leader, which of course, would be the objective. With The Intangible Between (Smoke Sessions, 2020), CBBB has found true footing in originality. On the session are players with whom Evans has played for many years, such as trumpeter Sean Jones and bassist Eric Revis, as well as newcomers such as young bassist Dylan Reis. There are bandmates that have been mentored by Evans in Philadelphia and beyond, such as bassist Luques Curtis, trumpeters Josh Lawrence and Thomas Marriott, saxophonists Caleb Wheeler Curtis and Troy Roberts, and drummers Anwar Marshall and Mark Whitfield. No matter the specific players on each track, there is a unity and intuitive sense expressed throughout. Each contributor seems to have a fearless inspiration to create individually to benefit the full collective of sound. This is expressed plainly in the title of the album itself, referring to a jumping off point into the unknown and taking on the risks that follow. The band's first two albums featured Evans' compositions arranged by other members of the band. The third featured the music of trombonist David Gibson, trumpeters Lawrence and John Raymond, and saxophonist Roberts. The new record for the first time features the arrangements of Evans himself, a different notion altogether. The opening salvo, "Proclaim Liberty," and Evan's arrangement of "This Little Light of Mine" opens the listener's ears to the possibilities, featuring fleet, imaginative orchestral sketches and fluid soloing, most notably from Evans himself. Alto Saxophonist Todd Bashore's arrangement of "A Time For Love" features elegant soloing from Jones on flugelhorn. Bashore kicks in along with soprano saxophonist Immanuel Wilkins for the more adventurous "That Too," the tune opening up the portal to what is to come.

Lawrence's mad, frenetic arrangement of Thelonious Monk's "Off Minor" features fourteen players, including four bassists and two drummers. Evans' Tarbaby band mate Revis makes his CBBB debut. Lawrence seems to view the piece, and Monk himself, as a wormhole leading from bebop to the great unknown, with marvelous results. Evans' arrangement of Andrew Hill's, "Tough Love" is joined with poetry, with Evans playing, conducting and reciting. The source of the album's title is "Love Poem," a piece commissioned by Evans from John "Doc" Holiday, whom Evans met in Philly. The piece is recited by friends and loved ones, while Evans himself recites "Yo! Bum Rushing the Door," written by his brother Todd Evans, aka Son of Black. This is not a new notion for Evans, having recited Donald Brown's "A Free Man," on his 2014 release, Liberation Blues (Smoke Sessions, 2014). Evans festoons the piece with heavy handed harmony while expressing as the voice of love, the mantra to "wake up unity, stir up charity, sober up justice." The layered effect is in a sense seamless, while at the same time darting in many directions. The message is clear, and essential. The joining of Hill's masterpiece with Evans' brilliant recitation is brilliantly powerful. The Gibson arrangement of Roy Hargrove's lush "Into Dawn," is a tribute to the late trumpeter who passed so suddenly in late 2018, marking the first of two very personal losses for the band. The tragic death of drummer Lawrence Leathers inspired Evans' loving remembrance "I'm So Glad I Got to Know You." The album ends with the vocal chant descending to a peaceful whisper. Captain Black has always traveled to wonderful places on the shoulders of a community of insight and imput. This record is no exception. The band walks on the edge of traditional and free jazz, dipping into the waters of brilliant form and exuberant liberty. The Intangible Between is most certainly a transcendent listen. ~ Paul Rauch https://www.allaboutjazz.com/the-intangible-between-orrin-evans-and-the-captain-black-big-band-smoke-sessions-records

Personnel: Orrin Evans: piano; Luques Curtis: bass; Eric Revis: bass; Madison Rast: bass; Mark Whitfield Jr.: drums; Anwar Marshall: drums; Thomas Marriott: trumpet; Josh Lawrence: trumpet; Sean Jones: trumpet; Caleb Wheeler Curtis: saxophone, alto; Troy Roberts: saxophone; Immanuel Wilkins: saxophone; Todd Bashore: saxophone, alto; David Gibson: trombone; Stafford Hunter: : trombone; Reggie Watkins: trombone; Stacy Dillard: saxophone; Jason Brown: drums; Joseph Block: keyboards; Dylan Reis: bass.

The Intangible Between

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Jim Snidero - Project-K

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2020
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 53:27
Size: 122,7 MB
Art: Front

(7:46)  1. Han
(6:49)  2. DMZ
(6:49)  3. Jeju
(5:57)  4. Mother
(5:40)  5. Jenga
(6:44)  6. Seoulful
(7:10)  7. Goofy
(6:29)  8. Han O Bak Nyun

Over the course of the past four decades, and the 20-plus albums produced under his name, Jim Snidero has carved out his rightful place in the pantheon of the music. The esteemed alto saxophonist’s explorations have proved boundless, moving from downhome atmospheres to broad reflections on the American experience, refined string settings to probing realms, and nods to totemic figures to cathartic statements addressing personal loss. Having additionally worked with everybody from Brother Jack McDuff to Toshiko Akiyoshi to Frank Sinatra, established himself as a game-changing author, and taken his music and messages to concert halls, clubs and classrooms across the globe, it might be tempting to say that Snidero has done it all. But once again, he obliterates that assertion. With Project-K, Jim Snidero breaks new ground. Absorbing and refracting varied aspects of Korean folkways, he delves into a topic near and dear to his home and heart. “Having a Korean wife, family, and friends, I’ve been immersed in Korean culture for more than 20 years,” he shares. “Between Korean history, culture and philosophy, I felt that there was much to explore musically.” Bridging his own wide-ranging aesthetic with those very traditions, Snidero turns out one of the most distinctive dates of his career.

In choosing the personnel to flesh out this music, Snidero’s decisions proved shrewd and sound. The rhythm section, comprised of pianist Orrin Evans, bassist Linda May Han Oh, and drummer Rudy Royston, brings a rare balance of sensitivity, strength, and insight to these ventures. And trumpeter Dave Douglas serves as the perfect front line foil for the saxophonist.Connections abound across that group of five Evans was a notable presence on Snidero’s Waves of Calm; Oh and Royston, both part of Douglas’ beloved quintet, were key figures on Snidero’s Stream of Consciousness and Main Street but the sixth member of the band, who proves to be the x-factor, is new to Snidero’s world. Stepping outside the box, he brought in Do Yeon Kim, a virtuoso on the zither-like gayageum. “I wanted to use a traditional Korean instrument on Project-K and the gayageum appealed to me the most. My goal was to not simply feature the instrument as a separate entity,” Snidero explains, “but to have it fully integrated within at least some of the arrangements. Do Yeon was the first gayageum player accepted into the New England Conservatory, so she was the obvious choice.”

Together, these six honor Korea’s rich heritage while expanding musical worldviews.  That’s clear from the first, as the sound of the Korean prayer bowl, traditionally used in Buddhist meditation, offers a welcome ring on “Han.” The first of six Snidero originals on the album, it’s a statement that speaks in both mournful and resilient tones. “Koreans have endured great hardship through their history, which has contributed to a uniquely Korean feeling called ‘Han.’ Difficult to describe, and very personal, Han could be thought of as a sense of deep sorrow and incompleteness tempered by endurance and acceptance,” he notes. That opener, like the feeling it describes, proves incredibly nuanced in its expression(s). But what follows the feisty “DMZ” is something else entirely. “Do Yeon’s introduction to this piece perfectly projects what has been described as ‘the scariest place on Earth’the Korean Demilitarized Zone. The piece has many harmonic conflicts, at one point with three keys being played and including the folk song ‘Arirang’ on the gayageum. The band builds a huge amount of intensity until the final, tensely quiet cluster.”

While the band’s signature sound is set by this point, moods and subjects continue to shift. “Jeju,” a pensive and peaceful journey, beautifully reflects the nature of the South Korean island lending its name to the music, while “Mother”a tribute to the artistic creativity of Koreans” that references Bong Joon-Ho’s 2009 film of the same name brings angularity and reduced gravity into the picture (along with a larger role for the aforementioned Korean prayer bowl). The jaunty “Jenga” a K-pop cover recast in 3/4offers some traded wonders while merging genres.  The witty “Seoulful” plays on volleying intentions. And “Goofy” brings the blues and a swinging sensibility to the foreground. Then it all comes to a close with “Han O Bak Nyun,” a traditional folk song enriched by Snidero’s spiritual search and wrapped up by one last bowl ring. Working together as a single entity, these musicians capture and illuminate Snidero’s vision with incredible focus and sincerity. “Dave, Orrin, Linda, Rudy, and Do Yeon were the perfect choices for Project-K,” relates Snidero. “Individually they are musicians of the highest order. As a group, we were all able to create what I believe is both unique and inspired music.” https://nouveaufluxmusic.wordpress.com/2019/10/22/intrepid-alto-saxophonist-jim-snidero-assembles-all-star-band-with-dave-douglas-orrin-evans-linda-may-han-oh-rudy-royston-doyeon-kim-on-new-album-inspired-by-korea/

Personnel: Alto Saxophone, Producer – Jim Snidero; Bass – Linda May Han Oh; Drums – Rudy Royston; Piano – Orrin Evans; Trumpet – Dave Douglas

Project-K

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Jim Snidero - Waves of Calm

Styles: Saxophone Jazz 
Year: 2019
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 49:39
Size: 114,0 MB
Art: Front

(3:29)  1. Waves of Calm
(8:54)  2. Truth
(6:13)  3. Old Folks
(6:55)  4. Visions
(5:23)  5. I Fall in Love Too Easily
(6:33)  6. Dad Song
(6:28)  7. If I Had You
(5:40)  8. Estuary

Saxophonist Jim Snidero turns his adept post-bop skills inward on the introspective, if still engaging 2019 session Waves of Calm. The album, which comes on the heels of several exuberant projects including 2016's Miles Davis-influenced MD66, and 2018's Jubilation! Celebrating Cannonball Adderley, is in part a response to his father's battle with Parkinson's Disease  a struggle that ended with his passing shortly after the album was finished. While by no means a ballads album, though there are several here including a gorgeously moving rendition of "Old Folks," Waves of Calm is a work of far-eyed rumination that leaves plenty of room for searching, harmonically creative improvisation. Joining Snidero once again is his Jubilation! bandmate trumpeter Jeremy Pelt, as well as pianist Orrin Evans, bassist Nat Reeves, and drummer Jonathan Barber. Together they play with a warmth and style that is the epitome of post-bop sophistication. In some ways, the album is a balanced mix of the influences Snidero has been investigating since the early 2010s. Both "Visions," which features Evans on Fender Rhodes, and the angular "Truth" evoke Miles Davis' late-'60s modalism. Similarly, "Dad Song" is dusky Latin groover that brings to mind the classic hard bop recordings of Horace Silver. Equally evocative is the languid title track, which pulls the listener along as if floating on a boat in a soft evening breeze. As the title implies, Waves of Calm is the sound of Snidero taking a deep, tension-relieving breath before jumping back into the flow of life. ~ Matt Collar https://www.allmusic.com/album/waves-of-calm-mw0003253530

Personnel: Jim Snidero, alto saxophone; Jeremy Pelt, trumpet (2, 4, 6, 8); Orrin Evans, piano, Fender Rhodes; Nat Reeves, bass; Jonathan Barber, drums.

Waves of Calm

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Sean Jones - Roots

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2006
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 73:41
Size: 169,7 MB
Art: Front

(1:34)  1. Children's Hymn
(7:12)  2. Roots
(6:46)  3. Divine Inspiration
(7:03)  4. God's Gift
(7:05)  5. Come Sunday
(8:03)  6. Lift Every Voice
(1:43)  7. Offering Time
(5:11)  8. Conversations
(5:19)  9. El Soul
(5:03) 10. Puddin' Time
(8:00) 11. What We Have
(5:35) 12. John 3:16
(5:01) 13. I Need Thee

With his inspired quintet, trumpeter Sean Jones goes back to his roots on this album, interpreting original music and the standard repertoire, focusing on gospel. His gorgeous trumpet tone and down-home technique are the centerpiece of the album, as they were on his previous two releases. Jones likes to express himself from a traditional point of view, offering vocal-like phrases that meld seamlessly with one another. With alto saxophonist Tia Fuller providing cohesive harmony, the trumpeter emerges as a powerful melodic force. For much of the album, Jones works with his quintet, which also includes pianist Orrin Evans, bassist Luques Curtis and drummer Obed Calvaire. His quartet interpretations of "Come Sunday and "Lift Every Voice provide warm reflections, while his duet with pianist Eddie Howard on "I Need Thee soaks up centuries of emotional spirit. Earlier, Jones' solo interpretation of "Children's Hymn opens the album with a solemn embrace that runs through the session as a guiding theme and provides comfortable solace. At times, he veers from the prayerful medium and allows spurts of meaningful celebration, as on his original "Offering Time and Evans' "Conversations, which comes loaded with rich, satisfying flugelhorn vibrations. Jones "speaks" through his horn to communicate with his audience, adding a tender touch and plenty of expression. He's open-horned for much of the session and more effective on the brighter trumpet celebrations. At the top of his game, Jones lifts tradition into the arms of all believers through a program that explores jazz's gospel roots. ~ Jim Santella https://www.allaboutjazz.com/roots-sean-jones-mack-avenue-records-review-by-jim-santella.php

Personnel: Sean Jones: trumpet, flugelhorn; Tia Fuller: alto saxophone, flute, soprano saxophone; Orrin Evans: piano, electric piano, keyboard; Eddie Howard: organ, piano; Luques Curtis: acoustic bass; Obed Calvaire, Jerome Jennings: drums.

Roots

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Orrin Evans - Grown Folk Bizness

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 1999
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 65:06
Size: 149,7 MB
Art: Front

(7:26)  1. Rocking Chair
(5:45)  2. Firm Roots
(8:02)  3. That Old Feeling
(8:48)  4. The Elm
(4:22)  5. Bernie's Tune
(5:17)  6. Volition
(9:05)  7. Rhythm-a-ning
(6:54)  8. Toy Tune
(9:21)  9. Route 80 East

It's been a few years since pianist Orrin Evans placed in the Thelonious Monk Piano Competition. All the while, he's been maturing as an artist with a nice spate of Criss Cross dates along the way documenting that development. Grown Folk Bizness is Evans' third release for the label and it ups the ante even further from what we experienced on his first two illustrative discs. This is due, in part, to the pianist's further amalgamation of his varied influences, but also the product of the heavy company the man keeps. To hold your own under the collective one-two punch of drummer Ralph Peterson is saying something. But Evans not only holds his own, he slings it right back, as the two fire off phrases at each other with deceptive panache. A front row seat to such action can be had by skipping to "Firm Roots," a seditious performance bounding with collective fireworks. An interesting point to ponder, Peterson has made a few consequential records as of late with pianist Uri Caine (the superlative and recent Blue Wail on Winter and Winter comes to mind) and the concentrated experience that came from that activity must have had some effect on his approach to the recital at hand, as both Evans and Caine tend to be forward-thinking and rambunctious players. As for his overall concept, Evans avoids the ordinary, maybe to the point of being too cagey at times, but he manages to push the music towards unexpected vistas. An obvious flight from clichés is the opening number, a solo piano take on Hoagy Carmichael's "Rocking Chair" which includes hints of stride, Cecil Taylor, and Monk all rolled into one. "That Old Feeling," which might tend to be associated with pianists along the line of Gene Harris or Dave McKenna, gets a substantial facelift in Evans' hands, a nice section in the middle developed through the use of block chords displaced to the offbeats. Then, as if to suggest that his "bag" is a capacious one, things take on an ECMish hue with a reworking of Richie Beirach's "The Elm." For some extra seasoning, saxophonists Ralph Bowen and Sam Newsome sit in on one number apiece and then team up for the concluding Route 80 East, a rollicking jam that caps off a dazzling junior effort from Evans. While the "mixed bag" approach that comes with Evans' style may seem schizophrenic at times, there's also great promise in this pianist's forward-thinking stance and fans of piano trio jazz will find more than enough sustenance here to keep this disc in heavy rotation. ~ C.Andrew Hovan https://www.allaboutjazz.com/grown-folk-bizness-orrin-evans-criss-cross-review-by-c-andrew-hovan.php

Personnel: Orrin Evans- piano, Rodney Whitaker- bass, Ralph Peterson- drums, Ralph Bowen- alto and tenor sax (tracks 7 & 9 only), Sam Newsome- soprano sax (tracks 8 & 9 only)

Grown Folk Bizness

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Kate Schutt - Telephone Game

Styles: Vocal, Guitar
Year: 2008
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:16
Size: 136,6 MB
Art: Front

(5:01)  1. Take Everything
(4:10)  2. Blackout
(6:57)  3. Open Window
(3:40)  4. Take Me With You
(8:12)  5. Who is Young, Who is Naive?
(3:56)  6. If Spring Comes Now
(4:02)  7. Fake ID
(4:57)  8. You Can Have the Sky
(6:07)  9. Our Legs Are Burning
(3:56) 10. We All Fall Down
(2:49) 11. The Actress
(5:21) 12. Love's Not Logical

Kate Schutt is a singer, songwriter, guitarist and producer living in New York City. Raised in Chadds Ford, PA, Kate was schooled in Boston, both in Harvard’s English department, where she studied the influence of jazz on modern poetry, and at Berklee College of Music, where she studied jazz guitar. A constant collaborator, Kate has worked with John Ellis (Charlie Hunter), Terri Lyne Carrington (Herbie Hancock), and Viktor Krauss (Lyle Lovett, Bill Frisell), to name only a few. In 2007 & 2009 Kate was the John Lennon Songwriting Contest Winner in the Jazz Category and received the ASCAP Plus Awards for Jazz Composition from 2006- 2009. https://www.kateschutt.com/about/

Personnel:  Kate — electric guitar, vocals;  Terri Lyne Carrington — drums;  Orrin Evans — piano;  Duane Andrews — acoustic guitar;  Marc Rogers — bass;  Chris Brown — B3, clavinet, Wurlitzer;  Damian Erskine — bass on tracks 3, 5;  Denis Keldie — accordions on track 5;  Andrea Zonn — viola on track 6;  John Ellis — saxophone, clarinet, bass clarinet;  Alan Ferber — trombones;  Shane Endsley — trumpet, flugelhorn;  Grégoire Maret — harmonica

Telephone Game

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Orrin Evans and the Captain Black Big Band - Presence

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2018
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 77:13
Size: 177,5 MB
Art: Front

( 9:29)  1. The Scythe
( 8:27)  2. Question
(10:37)  3. Onward
( 3:15)  4. When It Comes
(10:03)  5. Flip the Script
(11:53)  6. Trams
(13:07)  7. Answer
( 8:58)  8. Presence
( 1:19)  9. When It Comes (alternate take)

You have to wonder how many outlets a restless creative like hard bopping pianist Orrin Evans needs to fully express himself. Twenty-five or so albums into a legacy that finds him as the newest member of The Bad Plus after years of riffing and ripping it up with The Mingus Big Band, experimenting with soul/jazz Luv Park; solo successes Faith In Action, (Posi-Tone, 2010); The Evolution of Oneself (Smoke Session, 2014) and various collaborations, Evans still has a talent bursting with ideas that he channels through the explosively celebratory Captain Jack Big Band. Named after his father's favorite pipe tobacco, even a scaled down Captain Black on Presence brings to the bandstand a veritable village of Evans' Philadelphia family. And they all shine bright. Caleb Wheeler Curtis and Todd Bashoreshare alto sax duties. John Raymond,Bryan Davis, and Josh Lawrence bring the trumpets. David Gibson, Brent White, and Stafford Hunter man the trombones. Hard honking, streetwise Troy Roberts blows a fierce and fiery tenor sax. Holding down the fort for all these guys to fly are bassist Madison Rastand the double drumming threat of Anwar Marshall and Jason Brown. Recorded hot and live at Philly's South Jazz Kitchen and Chris' Jazz Cafe, this taut ensemble repeatedly gives the audience its money worth, breaking from the gate with the boisterous and bouncing "The Scythe." Evans brings his love of McCoy Tyner to the effervescent foreground, while Roberts shakes the rafters. A swirling dervish of a track, it is only the beginning. 

Fired up, the audience excitement is palpable as Roberts vigorously solos centerstage intro-ing the rousing post bop "Question" a brassy feast wherein each player readily picks up the other's challenge, pushing the music forward. Trumpeter Raymond's "Onward" is a thrilling ten minutes, shifting seamlessly from an almost anthemic conversation between Evans and Rast to trombones and trumpets signaling a sea-change of time and meter. Evans' "Flip The Script" is a swinging juggernaut, a mighty, Charles Mingus-like blast of reeds and rhythm. Roberts and Curtis are particularly locked in and exuberant as the pianist dodges in between in all, like a boxer trying to land the finishing punch on an ever moving opponent. "Trams" a Roberts' original, is all languid vitality, a bluesy, juke joint highlight. The title track is a raw performance and quite possibly the nearest thing on Presence that one could term traditional. ~ Mike Jurkovic https://www.allaboutjazz.com/presence-orrin-evans-smoke-sessions-records-review-by-mike-jurkovic.php

Personnel:  Orrin Evans: piano;  Caleb Curtis: alto saxophone;  Todd Bashore: alto saxophone;  John Raymond: trumpet;  Bryan Davis: trumpet;  Josh Lawrence: trumpets;  David Gibson: trombone;  Brent White; trombone; Stafford Hunter: trombones; Troy Roberts: tenor saxophone;  Madison Rast: bass; Anwar Marshall: drums; Jason Brown: drums.

Presence

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JD Allen - Bloom

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2014
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:30
Size: 93,3 MB
Art: Front

(3:23)  1. Jack's Glass
(6:04)  2. Bloom
(3:13)  3. The Secret Life of Guest Worke
(3:59)  4. The Dreamer
(3:46)  5. A Throng of Millions Can Be On
(4:11)  6. If You Could See Me Now
(3:24)  7. Stardust
(4:52)  8. The Rule of Thirds
(3:16)  9. Pater Noster
(4:18) 10. Car - Car (The Blues)

JD Allen writes in his album notes that “Technically Bloom draws from three sources, 20th-century classical music, the American songbook and jazz improvisation.” But two of Allen’s tenor sax predecessors-John Coltrane and Sonny Rollins-are much in evidence as well. Allen has a big tone that at different times calls to mind each of them (listeners could make a game of deciding when Allen sounds more like one or the other), and his music, like theirs, couples intellect and spirituality without abandoning its earthy roots. Following several well-regarded trio albums, Allen switches to a quartet here, with Orrin Evans, Alexander Claffy and Jonathan Barber joining him on piano, bass and drums, respectively. Allen’s seven compositions on the disc include the title track; the Trane-ish opener, “Jack’s Glass”; the Barber-showcasing “The Secret Life of Guest Workers,” on which a slow, Ornette Coleman-like line leads into and out of an extensive drum solo; “A Throng of Millions Can Be One” and “The Rule of Thirds,” similar tunes differentiated most obviously by Claffy’s bowed solo in the latter; and the closing blues “Car-Car (The Blues),” which Evans opens with one of his better solos. As intriguing and rich as all that is, it’s the three interpretations that stand out. On the first two Allen sounds more Rollins-like. “If You Could See Me Now” shows his willingness to play slow and make his notes count. He takes cues from Rollins in playing “Stardust” unaccompanied, his tone taking on some of the edginess Rollins himself borrowed from Coleman Hawkins. “Pater Noster” (the Lord’s Prayer), from its reverential opening of rumbling piano chords onward, can’t help but call to mind Coltrane’s most famous work. The spirit of serious jazz tenor saxophone endures in JD Allen. ~ Bill Beuttler https://jazztimes.com/reviews/albums/jd-allen-bloom/

Personnel:  Orrin Evans - piano;  J.D. Allen - tenor saxophone;  Jonathan Barber - drums.

Bloom

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