Frank Lowe Quintet - Soul Folks

Styles: Saxophone, Free Jazz
Year: 1998
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 65:19
Size: 150,8 MB
Art: Front

(8:24) 1. Tubby's Night Out
(7:42) 2. Eddie's Dream
(5:27) 3. Nothin' But Love
(8:37) 4. Ms. Bertha's Arrival
(3:40) 5. Inappropriate Choices
(6:32) 6. Mirror Minded Rose
(6:35) 7. Soul Folks
(5:30) 8. Grand Valse
(6:36) 9. Addiction Ain't Fiction
(6:12) 10. A Bill For Evans

Warehouse find of the last copies of this long unavailable 2001 release Soul Folks is a live date from 1998, a celebration of Frank Lowe's lyrical side. The group explodes with raw beauty and emotion. There is a sweet soul that enraptures you upon listening as the music swings hard.
https://www.forcedexposure.com/Catalog/lowe-quintet-frank-soul-folks-cd/NOMORE.010CD.html

Featuring Frank Lowe (saxophone), Bertha Hope (piano), Jack Walrath (trumpet), Steve Neil (bass) and Ralph Peterson (drums).

Soul Folks

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Wayne Escoffery - The Humble Warrior

Styles: Saxophone Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 2020
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 63:10
Size: 145,6 MB
Art: Front

(6:46) 1. Chain Gang
(9:31) 2. Kyrie
(7:22) 3. Sanctus
(5:05) 4. Benedictus
(0:53) 5. Sanctus (Reprise)
(8:54) 6. The Humble Warrior
(7:00) 7. Quarter Moon
(6:34) 8. Undefined
(5:17) 9. AKA Reggie
(5:44) 10. Back to Square One

Saxophonist Wayne Escoffery is renowned for his fiery, muscular and virtuosic tenor playing, but his explosive sound is paired with a soft-spoken and thoughtful demeanor off the bandstand. In many cases both of those aspects of his personality can be credited to the same inspirations, giants of the music who paired estimable talents and imagination with rock-solid integrity.

On his latest album, The Humble Warrior, Escoffery pays homage to those figures with his most ambitious and wide-ranging set to date. While Escoffery himself strives to represents the tenets of a Humble Warrior, it would be easy for him to act otherwise given his stand-out career and ample accolades. A Grammy Award and DownBeat Critics Poll winner, he has performed with a who’s who of jazz including Herbie Hancock, Ron Carter, Abdullah Ibrahim, Al Foster, Billy Hart, Eddie Henderson, Wallace Roney and others. He has been a member of the Mingus Dynasty, Big Band and Orchestra since 2000 and toured and recorded with Tom Harrell for over a decade. In addition to his Quartet, Escoffery co-leads the Black Art Jazz Collective along with other leading voices of his generation and the next.

The Humble Warrior marks Escoffery’s leader debut for Smoke Sessions Records, where he’s previously recorded with the trombonist Steve Davis. The album features the return of Escoffery’s stellar quartet featuring pianist David Kikoski, bassist Ugonna Okegwo and drummer Ralph Peterson. Trumpet great Randy Brecker and guitarist David Gilmore supplement the band for Escoffery’s breathtaking arrangement of several parts of Benjamin Britten’s Missa Brevis in D. Vaughn Escoffery, Wayne’s son, also makes a powerful debut on the Benedictus.

“We lost a lot of really great musicians in 2018 and 2019,” he says. “People like Roy Hargrove, Harold Mabern, Larry Willis, Richard Wyands, Lawrence Leathers, and, most recently, Jimmy Heath. I would describe all of those musicians as “Humble Warriors.” I have a lot of admiration and respect for them; they were all great warriors of the music but always allowed the music to keep them humble. They all exemplified the utmost humility and integrity despite their superior abilities. I hope to maintain those same traits in my musical endeavors.”
https://smokesessionsrecords.com/shop/albums/the-humble-warrior/

Personnel: Tenor Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone – Wayne Escoffery; Guitar – David Gilmore (tracks: 3,4,5); Piano – David Kikoski; Acoustic Bass – Ugonna Okegwo; Co-producer – Damon Smith (6), Paul Stache; Drums – Ralph Peterson; Trumpet – Randy Brecker (tracks: 3,4,5,6); Vocals – Vaughn Escoffery (tracks: 5)

The Humble Warrior

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Brandon Goldberg - In Good Time

Styles: Piano Jazz
Year: 2021
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 66:46
Size: 153,5 MB
Art: Front

( 7:21) 1. Authority
( 5:45) 2. Circles
(10:35) 3. Time
( 3:36) 4. Nefertiti
( 6:03) 5. Monk's Dream
( 5:00) 6. Stella by Starlight
( 8:59) 7. El Procrastinador
( 7:12) 8. Someone to Watch over Me
( 9:08) 9. Ninety-Six
( 3:04) 10. Send in the Clowns

Pianist Brandon Goldberg may not have the seasoned years behind him yet, (In Good Time finds him brewing with ideas most fifteen-year-olds never tackle) but it is no more a beloved veteran than the late Ralph Peterson who, via a wisely archived voice mail, urges the young man "What's up Brandon, gimme a shout man we hook up later this week!" The drummer and cat supreme then wishes him "Peace" and a split second later the barnstorming, deftly pugilistic "Authority" kicks off Goldberg's emergent sophomore release.

It is a no-nonsense, full-on opener which finds Peterson and Goldberg squaring off and bolstering the springy unison lines of trumpeter Josh Evans and saxophonist Stacy Dillard before they too sail off headlong into solo land. The seemingly ever-present bass of Luques Curtis whose balancing tones can be heard on such fine recent releases as Lisa Hilton's Transparent Sky (Ruby Slippers Productions, 2021) and Peterson's affirmative, final recording as a leader, Raise Up Off Me (Onyx Productions, 2021) holds the fort and In Good Time moves blithely on from there.

Though definitely in a quintet state of mind, "Circles" becomes a stately, sepia-tinted meditation between Goldberg (whose ear for lyrical accompaniment again surpasses his age) and Dillard's fluid logistics. Peterson's controlled shadings and Evans' poignant announcement nearly steal "Time" but, vets that they are, the two give way to Goldberg's intuitive comping, before Evans (echoing his mentor Jackie McLean) blows the tune to its conclusion. The ensemble then vigorously take on Wayne Shorter's languid "Nefertiti" and jump particularly high on, what else, Thelonious Monk's heightened "Monk's Dream."

A perhaps too somber "Send In the Clowns" (with guest trumpeter Antoine Drye) closes the record, but it is the preceding two of Goldberg's five originals, the tempo crazy "El Procrastinador" and the snappy, spirited hijinks of "Ninety-Six" that continue Goldberg's evolution. Filled and fired by the pianist's wizened yet youthful enthusiasm, Dillard, Curtis, and Evans run the bop gamut on "Ninety-Six" while Peterson holds "El Procrastinator" to its 7/4 course, but burns the map along the way. That is how you teach the next generation. By Mike Jurkovic https://www.allaboutjazz.com/in-good-time-brandon-goldberg-self-produced

Personnel: Brandon Goldberg: piano; Josh Evans: trumpet; Stacy Dillard: saxophone; Luques Curtis: bass, acoustic; Ralph Peterson: drums; Antione Drye: trumpet.

In Good Time

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Ralph Peterson's GenNext Big Band - I Remember Bu

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 2018
File: MP3@224K/s
Time: 71:49
Size: 119,1 MB
Art: Front

(10:26)  1. Uranus
( 5:42)  2. Pensativa
( 7:50)  3. Free For Al
( 6:12)  4. I Remember Bu
( 7:57)  5. New York
(10:53)  6. Egyptian Dune Dance
(10:00)  7. Little Man
( 7:54)  8. For Paul
( 4:50)  9. Ms BC

In 1983, Art Blakey invited fellow timekeeper Ralph Peterson to perform with Blakey's two-drummer big band at the Boston Globe Jazz Festival. It was a life-changing experience for Peterson, whose debut album with his Boston-based GenNext Big Band, I Remember Bu, honors Blakey's memory (the late drummer's Muslim name was Abdullah ibn Buhaina, and he was usually called "Bu"). Sharing a name like GenNext, the members of Peterson's ensemble are presumably young and more than likely energetic. The first part of that assumption is borne out by photos on the front and back of the album's outer jacket, the second by the ardor with which they come to grips with the session's nine galvanic numbers. To add a dash of experience, Peterson has called upon alto saxophonist and Blakey alum Donald Harrison to display his artistry on five selections, one of which, the fiery "New York," he also wrote. Harrison doesn't disappoint; his solos on "New York," Walter Davis Jr.'s "Uranus," Clare Fischer's "Pensativa," Wayne Shorter's "Free for All" and Todd Bashore's "For Paul" are bold and resourceful. Harrison sits out on the other four tunes: JoAnne Brackeen's undulating "Egyptian Dune Dance," Charles Fambrough's buoyant "Little Man," Bobby Watson's fast-moving, bop-centered "Ms. BC" and Peterson's ardent hymn to Blakey, "I Remember Bu." As should be the norm on any tribute to Blakey, there's a lot of vigorous drumming along the way but it may or may not involve Peterson, as no less than four drummers are listed in the credits and there is no way to ascertain what role any of them plays. And as this is a "next generation" band, a mandatory albeit gratuitous rapper (Ryan Easter) disrupts the flow on "Egyptian Dune Dance," spouting some nondescript gibberish before the band gets back to the business at hand. But that is an aberration; for the most part, the GenNext ensemble bends its collective shoulder to the wheel and breathes life into the music set before it. The band includes several admirable soloists of its own but none is listed in the credits. There is an audience (the album was recorded live at Scullers Jazz Club in Boston) but it remains silent until the end of each number. Even though he was best known as leader of the Jazz Messengers, Blakey loved big bands and surely would have appreciated this heartfelt tribute by a self-assured and talented group of young musicians. ~ Jack Bowers https://www.allaboutjazz.com/i-remember-bu-ralph-peterson-self-produced-review-by-jack-bowers.php

Personnel: Ralph Peterson: drums, cornet, conductor; Jon Weidley: trumpet; Robert Vega Dowda: trumpet; Milena Casado Fauquet: trumpet; Will Mallard: trumpet; Eric Nakanishi: alto sax; Devin Daniels: alto sax; Tim Murphy: tenor sax; Jake Hirsch: tenor sax; Tomoki Sanders: tenor sax solo (8); Gabe Nekrutman: baritone sax; Elliot Alexander Brown: trombone; Brandon Lin: trombone; Alan Hsiao: trombone; Ethan Santos: bass trombone; Antonio Vaquer: piano; Dabin Ryu: piano; Youngchae Jeong: bass; Julian Pardo: drums; Karol Zabka: drums; Jas Kayser: drums; Ryan Easter: rapper. Guest artist - Donald Harrison: alto sax.

I Remember Bu

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Ralph Peterson - Raise up off Me

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 84:32
Size: 194,8 MB
Art: Front

(8:04) 1. Raise up off Me!
(7:26) 2. The Right to Live
(4:29) 3. Four Play
(8:19) 4. I Want to Be There for You
(6:57) 5. Bouncing with Bud
(5:54) 6. Blue Hughes
(6:01) 7. Tears I Can Not Hide
(6:49) 8. Naima’s Love Song
(6:48) 9. Jodi
(6:40) 10. Fantasia Brazil
(4:13) 11. Shorties Portion
(6:33) 12. Raise up off Me Too!
(6:15) 13. Please Do Something(Bonus Track)

The recently deceased drummer/composer Ralph Peterson will be always remembered as a shrewd, confident player who was utterly expressive in the stories he intended to tell. Peterson died from cancer on March 1st, and Raise Up Off Me is an inspiring last album filled with optimism and empowering message. Most of the tracks here are explored in the trio format alongside two of his protégés, the brothers Zaccai and Luques Curtis on piano and bass, respectively. The trio, which had recorded Triangular III in 2016, is joined by special guests on specific tunes. There are two dazzling originals at the top of the track list. Whereas the title cut denotes an optimum balance between relaxation and tension, reaching both spiritual and emotional states on occasion; “The Right to Live” is a post-bop number configured with untethered drum eruptions before earning a dancing quality in the B section that is hundred percent Brazilian. This is an influence that is also mirrored on “Fantasia Brazil”.

The acclaimed singer Jazzmeia Horn shines on three pieces: “Tears I Cannot Hide”, a Peterson ballad for which she wrote the lyrics; John Hicks/Betty Carter’s “Naima’s Love Song”, which gains a soft Latin touch while proceeding at a solid stride; and on her own “Please Do Something”, a lavishly and ferociously swinging ride where she’s seen at the peak of her vocal abilities. The latter tune appears as a bonus track on the LP and digital releases only “Four Play” is an uptempo blues burner fetched from pianist James Williams’ 1984 album Alter Ego, whereas Bud Powell’s “Bouncing With Bud” features a lively, lilting brushwork from Peterson, who takes his buoyancy to a much softer level on Zaccai’s ballad “I Want To Be There With You”.

Definitely a highlight, and with the Puerto Rican percussionist Eguie Castrillo on board, “Blue Hughes” is conveniently accented according to the breezy calypso waves that propel it. Being subjected to a fresh arrangement here, this tune had been recorded in 1985 by the Blue Note Records-founded group OTB (Out of the Blue) of which Peterson was a rhythmic pillar in conjunction to the bassist Robert Hurst. Peterson’s last goodbye exemplifies the empathetic force of his music and playing. https://jazztrail.net/blog/ralph-peterson-raise-up-off-me-album-review

Personnel - Ralph Peterson: drums, percussion; Luques Curtis: double bass; Zaccai Curtis: piano, keyboard; Jazzmeia Horn: vocals (#7,8,13); Eguie Castrillo: percussion (#6).

Raise up off Me

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Ralph Peterson - Triangular

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 1988
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 47:09
Size: 108,5 MB
Art: Front

(5:05) 1. Bemsha Swing
(7:37) 2. Triangular
(5:16) 3. Water Colors
(6:17) 4. Princess
(5:57) 5. Just You, Just Me
(4:38) 6. Move
(6:42) 7. Splash
(5:34) 8. Smoke Rings

This is a consistently simulating trio session by the creative drummer Ralph Peterson. On "Bemsha Swing," Peterson's drumming is straight from a New Orleans parade band while "Just You, Just Me" (which features pianist Geri Allen doing her witty impressions of Thelonious Monk) has the trio playing the opening and closing melody choruses in three different tempos simulataneously. "Move" really cooks and each of the five originals (bassist Essiet Essiet's "Splash," three diverse Peterson compositions and the fairly free improvisation "Triangular") have their own personalities. Although Allen is the lead voice, the musical communication between the members of the group results in each musician having an equally important role. Highly recommended.~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/triangular-mw0000202206

Personnel: Drums – Ralph Peterson; Bass – Essiet Okon Essiet, Phil Bowler; Piano – Geri Allen

Triangular

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Ralph Peterson - Triangular III

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 2016
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 66:56
Size: 154,4 MB
Art: Front

(6:20) 1. Uranus
(5:09) 2. Beatrice
(6:18) 3. Inner Urge
(7:09) 4. Backgammon
(5:55) 5. Manifest Destiny
(7:16) 6. Skylark
(9:27) 7. 400 Year Ago Tomorrow
(6:14) 8. The Art of War
(7:31) 9. Moments
(5:32) 10. Blues for Chooch

At the age of 53, Ralph Peterson has come full circle in terms of his role in modern jazz. Back in the '80s, he was considered a "young lion" when he debuted with hard bop collective Out of the Blue. These days, he can be considered an accomplished jazz elder, giving back generously to a new generation of up and comers as a dedicated educator. It is in this spirit that he has assembled a new piano trio group with two of the best and brightest talents on the current scene, pianist Zaccai Curtis and his brother Luques Curtis on bass.

The first installment of the Triangular series goes back to the 1989 Blue Note session featuring Geri Allen. Then in 2000 the sophomore set would spotlight pianist David Kikoski. This latest incarnation is something different altogether, both in the fact that it is a live recording and that there's a special element contained in the work of the Curtis brothers that seems to really inspire Peterson to new heights. Furthermore, this is a musician-owned product bearing the imprimaturs of both Onyx Records and Truth Revolution.

A mentor of Peterson's, pianist Walter Davis Jr. gave the drummer an early education in growth and development as an artist. One need go no further than a listen to Davis's Steeplechase set Scorpio Rising to hear the innate potential of the young drummer. Peterson repays the favor by featuring three of Davis' sublime originals. The opening "Uranus" is a genuine flag-waver, with its ingenious use of an eight note repeated vamp that provides the underlayment for one of Ralph's incendiary solos. "Backgammon" is notable for a sublime statement from Luques, a fully developed story that hits the high points and low points and everything in between. The bassist also ushers in "400 Years Ago Tomorrow," a stately melody that is contrasted against a swing-inflected blowing section.

A tip of the hat is given to a pair of Blue Note saxophonists, although uniquely fresh arrangements are the order of the day for this trio. Sam Rivers' "Beatrice" opens with the vamp figure from Coltrane's "Syeeda's Song Flute." The entire piece is an example of how Zaccai can set a mood through his mature storytelling. The Curtis' Latin roots can be heard in the 5/4 clave that transforms "Inner Urge." Ralph maneuvers his way through the thorny grove, adding further textures via the use of jam block and cowbell. Zaccai contributes two of his own originals to the set. "Manifest Destiny" seems to be cut of the same cloth as Joe Chambers' Blue Note compositions of the late '60s. Of a more introspective nature, "Moments" starts with Ralph using his mallets on the toms to establish a mood. He then uses a tambourine attachment to accent key phrases along with the pianist's right hand. With a distinct sense of ebb and flow, this beautiful piece might be one of the highlights of the entire set.

Ralph's own compositional genius is represented by an upbeat "The Art of War," a swinger that alludes to the drummer's martial arts background as a fourth-degree black belt. "Blues for Cooch" is a reference to a young Peterson's fascination with trains, but its form evades the customary. Eschewing the 12-bar form of the blues, this original actually is structured in eighteen bars, made up of three groups of six. Pay close attention to how Zaccai and Luques make it all sound so natural. Not an easy feat to be sure. Recorded just prior to Peterson undergoing hospitalization for some serious health issues, there is a sense of joy and abandon in these proceedings that is palpable. Aided and abetted by a fine recording job, it is no exaggeration to suggest that this might be one of the drummer's finest recorded moments and it certainly speaks volumes in terms of the potential of the Curtis Brothers.~ C.Andrew Hovan https://www.allaboutjazz.com/triangular-iii-ralph-peterson-onyx-music-label-review-by-c-andrew-hovan.php

Personnel: Ralph Peterson, Jr.: drums; Zaccai Curtis: piano; Luques Curtis: bass.

Triangular III

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Ralph Peterson and The Messenger Legacy - Legacy Alive, Vol. 6 at the Side Door

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop, Hard Bop
Year: 2019
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 105:10
Size: 241,7 MB
Art: Front

(11:01) 1. A La Mode
(10:11) 2. Wheel Within a Wheel
( 7:45) 3. The Core
( 9:07) 4. My One and Only Love
( 8:38) 5. 3 Blind Mice
(11:49) 6. Blues March
(10:07) 7. In Case You Missed It
( 7:54) 8. Along Came Betty
( 6:53) 9. Children of the Night
( 8:51) 10. That Old Feeling
(12:49) 11. Caravan

Recorded loud and live at the Side Door Jazz Club in Old Lyme, CT, Ralph Peterson the last drummer to play side-by-side with the incomparable Art Blakey delivers an unstoppable two-disc hyperdrive swing-fest celebration of his mentor with Legacy Alive, Volume 6 at the Side Door. It's no deep state secret that Blakey, with his effortless and effusive glee, seamlessly bridged all of jazz's thrilling variants: '40's swing and blues; the nascent bop and hard bop of the '50s to the soaring, exploratory avant-garde of the '60's. Fletcher Henderson, Chick Webb and Mary Lou Williams to Thelonious Monk and McCoy Tyner, Blakey drove them all with his relentless spirit and snapping snare. So, to mark Blakey's centennial year and his own 57th, Peterson, his rhythmic intuitions and understandings of Blakey fully engaged, presents his frothy sextet: saxophonists Bill Pierce on tenor and Bobby Watson on alto, trumpeter Brian Lynch, bassist Essiet Essiet, and pianist Geoffrey Keezer and a raucous, eleven-song set of smoking tunes long associated with Blakey and any version of his Jazz Messengers. Peterson, Keezer, and Essiet blow the Side Door open with "A La Mode," and the momentum fiery, free, frenetic never lets up. Watson, himself a Blakey alum, contributes "Wheel Within A Wheel," a rolling hard-bop blazer that sets the stage for Freddie Hubbard's "The Core," a real showcase for the horns. And the hits keep coming! Rollicking takes of "3 Blind Mice," Benny Golson's signature "Blues March" and "Along Came Betty," Wayne Shorter's fervent "Children of the Night" and a set-closing jump-romp of Duke Ellington's "Caravan" serve to prove the fact that, on any given night, in any given club with the right combo, greatness can be heard.~ Mike Jurkovic https://www.allaboutjazz.com/legacy-alive-volume-6-at-the-side-door-ralph-peterson-onyx-music-label-review-by-mike-jurkovic.php

Personnel: Ralph Peterson: drums; Bobby Watson: saxophone; Bill Pierce: saxophone, Brian Lynch: trumpet; Geoffrey Keezer: piano; Essiet Essiet: bass.

R.I.P.
Born: May 20, 1962, Pleasantville, New Jersey, United States
Died: March 1, 2021

Legacy Alive, Vol. 6 at the Side Door

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Ralph Peterson - The Duality Perspective

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 2012
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 67:46
Size: 156,7 MB
Art: Front

(6:57)  1. One False Move (Fo'tet)
(7:51)  2. 4 in 1 (Fo'tet)
(5:47)  3. Addison and Anthony (Fo'tet)
(5:42)  4. Bamboo Bends in a Storm (Fo'tet)
(5:53)  5. Princess (Fo'tet)
(6:21)  6. Coming Home (Sextet)
(8:38)  7. Impervious Gems (Sextet)
(5:30)  8. The Duality Perspective (Sextet)
(6:57)  9. You Have Know Idea (Sextet)
(8:06) 10. Pinnacle (Sextet)

Balance is often overlooked in music criticism, yet it's such an important aspect in music-making and life. Light doesn't exist without dark, bold only takes shape when placed next to bland and earthbound realities are only truly understood by those who also know how to take flight. Drummer/educator Ralph Peterson understands this better than most, and The Duality Perspective documents his balanced outlook for all to hear. This album is really two records in one, as Peterson splits the program between the latest incarnation of his two decade-old Fo'tet and his sizzling sextet, but the veteran maintains a sense of presentational continuity across these ten tracks. Part of the reason for this has to do with the bonds formed between the musicians and a shared philosophical outlook on how music should be made. The large majority of the players on this date have come under the expert tutelage of Peterson in some way, shape or form, and their connection and affection shows. The other key to consistency here, which goes beyond the borders of either band, is Peterson himself. His pulse is the real connective tissue between the sounds of both groups. His drumming is always informed by a panoramic understanding of music, as he takes in the big picture and the small details at the same time. Peterson also posits that contrast is key to the realization of possibilities in performance, and understands that music, like life, can be a thing of beauty one minute and a slap in the face the next. He possesses a toolkit full of technique and taste that he uses to put every piece in good working order. The clarinet and vibraphone-focused Fo'tet finds its footing with the swing-funk hybrid feel of "One False Move," takes Thelonious Monk's music to new places with an odd-metered Latin-ized look at "4 in 1," and wears its collective heart on its sleeve during "Addison And Anthony," which Peterson wrote for his twin grandchildren. The sextet is more typical in construction, with bass, drums, piano and occasional percussion in the back lot and saxophone(s) and trumpet out front, but the music still works off of the same sense of organic motion flexible, yet focused that's felt on the Fo'tet material. Saxophonists Tia Fuller and Walter Smith III sound terrific in this setting, but trumpeter Sean Jones is the undisputed star. His work on the final tracks "You Have Know Idea" and "Pinnacle"" takes the music to new heights.  Peterson proudly displays the roots of his artistry on the album cover by name-checking mentors/heroes, but the music isn't about looking back at the past; The Duality Perspective thrives on the here and now. ~ Dan Bilawsky https://www.allaboutjazz.com/the-duality-perspective-ralph-peterson-onyx-music-label-review-by-dan-bilawsky.php

Personnel: Ralph Peterson: drums; Joseph Doubleday: vibraphone; Alexander L.J. Toth: bass; Felix Peiki: clarinet, bass clarinet; Luques Curtis: bass; Zaccai Curtis: piano; Sean Jones: trumpet; Walter Smith III: tenor saxophone; Tia Fuller: alto saxophone, soprano saxophone; Bryan Carrott: marimba (2); Reinaldo Dejesus: percussion (2, 4, 7, 9); Edwin "Eddie" Bayard: percussion (7, 10); Victor Gould: piano (9, 10).

The Duality Perspective

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Ralph Peterson Fo'tet- The Reclamation Project

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 1995
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:23
Size: 136,3 MB
Art: Front

(6:07)  1. Further Fo
(5:44)  2. Song of Serenity
(5:33)  3. Long Journey Home
(4:02)  4. Insanity
(4:23)  5. Bottom
(8:27)  6. Turn It Over
(7:20)  7. Just for Today
(5:56)  8. Acceptance
(5:44)  9. For All My Tomorrows
(6:03) 10. Keep It Simple

All of drummer Ralph Peterson's recordings are quite stimulating and have an identity of their own. For this album, his first release in three years, the talented young drummer leads an unusual quartet comprised of soprano-saxophonist Steve Wilson, vibraphonist Bryan Carrott (who doubles on marimba) and bassist Belden Bulloch. Peterson's ten originals explore many moods and grooves but always swing, even when the time signature is complex. The memorable sound of the ensemble and the strong improvising skills of the players are two additional reasons to acquire this explorative but reasonably accessible CD. ~ Scott Yanow https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-reclamation-project-mw0000177802

Personnel: Ralph Peterson - drums;  Steve Wilson - soprano saxophone; Bryan Carrott - vibraphone, marimba; Belden Bullock - bass

The Reclamation Project

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Ralph Peterson - The Fo'tet Plays Monk

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 1997
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:43
Size: 132,4 MB
Art: Front

(5:58)  1. Jackie-ing
(4:37)  2. Skippy
(9:15)  3. Epistrophy
(4:34)  4. Played Twice
(4:06)  5. Light Blue
(3:32)  6. Criss Cross
(5:18)  7. Four in One
(5:36)  8. Monkin' Around
(3:41)  9. Spherically Speaking
(5:23) 10. Well You Needn't
(5:38) 11. Brilliant Corners

The music of Thelonious Monk has influenced the entire spectrum of modern jazz. Tributes to Monk's music have been recorded by a wide variety of artists, from vocalist Carmen McRae to saxophonist Steve Lacy and musical auteur Hal Wilner. The rather unique line-up of the Ralph Peterson Fo'tet (drums/sax/vibraphone/bass) is refreshing on this program of Monk and Monk-inspired material. The Fo'tet Plays Monk (Ralph Peterson, drums; Belden Bullock, bass; Bryan Carrott, vibraphone; Steve Wilson, soprano sax) brings an adventurous creativity to a set of well-chosen tunes. Ralph Peterson is a fiery leader on drums and his arrangements look at the more familiar tunes from a fresh angle. "Jackie-ing", the disc opener, is given a funky New Orleans groove, while the time signature of "Epistrophy" is stretched to 7/4. On "Light Blue", Peterson lays down an African-influenced beat over the sinuous melody. The solos by Carrott and Wilson are consistently amazing throughout. Bullock lays down an unerring pulse with his dark woody bass sound. As always, Ralph Peterson creates rhythmic firestorms that are full of musical ideas and will have you smilingly in search of the One! The Fo'tet Plays Monk is a dazzling tribute to the music of Thelonious Sphere Monk. Very highly recommended. ~ Rick Bruner https://www.allaboutjazz.com/the-fotet-plays-monk-ralph-peterson-evidence-music-review-by-rick-bruner.php?width=1920

Personnel: Drums, Leader [Musical Director] – Ralph Peterson, Jr.;  Bass – Belden Bullock; Soprano Saxophone – Steve Wilson;  Vibraphone – Bryan Carrott

The Fo'tet Plays Monk

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Ralph Peterson Jr - Back to Stay

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 1999
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 58:57
Size: 136,1 MB
Art: Front

(5:40)  1. Back to Stay
(3:57)  2. From Within
(9:50)  3. Apple's Eye
(4:21)  4. Did You Notice
(4:59)  5. Miles' Mode
(5:55)  6. Surrender
(9:04)  7. Soul Eyes
(6:00)  8. Is That So?
(3:50)  9. Inner Evolution
(5:17) 10. Hidden Treasures

Drummer Ralph Peterson Jr.'s ninth recording as a leader, his first for Sirocco Jazz, and his fifth featuring his Fo'tet, is a energy filled session with former OTB bandmate Ralph Bowen replacing Steve Wilson on soprano sax, plus group regulars vibraphonist Bryan Carrott and bassist Beldon Bullock performing seven originals by the group members and three jazz classics. Peterson's aggressive drumming, consisting of his driving cymbal beat, well-placed snare and tom accents, and powerful cymbal crashes, is always a joy to hear and he sounds better than ever. Back to Stay is also Peterson's Fo'tet debut on trumpet, once his primary instrument, playing a surprisingly good solo on a beautiful version of Mal Waldron's "Soul Eyes." Tenor saxophonist Michael Brecker guests on "Soul Eyes" and contributes a passionate solo on the burning title track, based on a 7/4 bass vamp. Other favorites include Bullock's "From Within," a medium tempo number that alternates between 7/4 and 4/4 swing; John Coltrane's "Miles Mode, complete with drum breaks; the Afro-Caribbean flavored "Surrender"; and Carrott's complex "Hidden Treasures, where Peterson also plays on djembe and cowbell. Back to Stay is a welcome return to recording for Peterson and one of 1999's best releases. ~ Greg Turner https://www.allmusic.com/album/back-to-stay-mw0000604524

Personnel: Drums, Percussion - Ralph Peterson Jr; Soprano Saxophone – Ralph Bowen; Tenor Saxophone – Michael Brecker; Vibraphone, Marimba – Bryan Carrott; Bass – Beldon Bullock;

Back to Stay

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B.J.Jansen - Common Ground

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2017
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 64:40
Size: 150,9 MB
Art: Front

(5:25)  1. Stacey's Pace
(5:39)  2. Carol's Dream
(5:58)  3. Street Walk
(4:50)  4. Brandon's Blues
(5:06)  5. Soul Loss
(4:24)  6. Angela's Aggravation
(5:32)  7. Bucket Full of Soul
(5:05)  8. Relaxin' with Jessica
(7:22)  9. Common Ground
(4:43) 10. Angela's Aggravation (Alternate Take)
(6:09) 11. Bucket Full of Soul (Alternate Take)
(4:20) 12. Stacey's Pace (Alternate Take)

Cincinnati-born baritone saxophonist B.J. Jansen's tenth album is titled Common Ground for good reason: his sextet consists of NEA Jazz Master trombonist Delfeayo Marsalis, drummer Ralph Peterson, trumpeter Duane Eubanks, pianist Zaccai Curtis, and bassist Dezron Douglas all of whom revel in improvisation. His group's shared affinity for jazz in the straight-ahead vein compelled Jansen to employ a "hands-off" tactic as leader, prompting the end product's great diversity of playing and style. The album has its post- bop pieces, hard bop workouts, Coltrane-esque spirituals, and mellifluous ballads, constituting an album that sounds classic, yet modern in its permissive borrowing from jazz's past.  From the first muscular bars of "Stacey's Pace," the aura of Common Ground is made clear: uncluttered, timeless jazz that harkens back to the all-star sessions of the late '50s and early '60s. A nimble bass solo by Douglas ushers in spirited improvisation from the remainder of the group, assembling sounds that likely would've reverberated off the walls of the Five Spot in its heyday. Influenced by the harmonic intricacy of Charlie Parker's compositions, "Angela's Aggravation" swings with a bebop approach, featuring a blazing solo by Jansen that conveys unbridled passion without compromising clarity. Further venturing down jazz's stylistic evolution, "Street Walk" exudes a post-bop flavor with its angular melody and dynamic structure. Anchored by Peterson's intrepid, at times explosive, sense of rhythm, players are impelled to solo at their most dexterous. 

Not lacking in tranquility, ballads "Carol's Dream" and "Soul Loss" impart the sextet's softer side, with Jansen filling open space with languid phrasing throughout the latter. As the concluding piece, the improvised title track seems to hit the crux of the album resolute unity through music. Leading his band from a spiritual introduction to reckless free playing, Jansen's sinuous trajectory never falters due to this mutual perceptivity. If the Blue Note and Prestige sessions of old occupy a sizeable portion of your music collection, Common Ground is an essential new release (the album even includes three alternate takes, akin to modern jazz reissues). Backed with a band of the highest caliber, Jansen's adroitness and appreciation for jazz produces a sound that radiates with classic charm. While his influence lies in the traditional, Jansen's individuality will surely cement his position in the line of great baritone players. ~ Mattew Aquiline https://www.allaboutjazz.com/common-ground-bj-jansen-ronin-jazz-review-by-matthew-aquiline.php

Personnel: B.J. Jansen: baritone saxophone; Delfeayo Marsalis: trombone; Duane Eubanks: trumpet; Zaccai Curtis: piano; Dezron Douglas: bass; Ralph Peterson: drums.

Common Ground

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Ralph Peterson - Triangular 2

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 2019
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 50:27
Size: 116,5 MB
Art: Front

(5:53)  1. Jean's Dream
(8:24)  2. Peri
(6:47)  3. Night & Day
(6:20)  4. Games
(4:51)  5. Blues for Jones
(6:50)  6. I Remember Bu
(5:15)  7. Red's Brazilian Fantasy
(6:04)  8. If I Were a Bell

Ralph Peterson's second Sirocco Jazz release is also his second trio recording. On Triangular 2, Peterson is joined by pianist David Kikoski and bassist Gerald Cannon to play six originals  three by Peterson and two standards. Peterson, who is known for his high energy drumming, is more restrained than usual, as expected due to the lack of horns, but Kikoski, who has performed with drum greats Roy Haynes and Billy Hart, and Cannon, a member of Roy Hargrove's group at the time of this recording, are veteran musicians who complement Peterson's energy with their own, forming a very cohesive unit in the process. The trio's arrangement of Cole Porter's "Night & Day" finds Peterson relaxed and swinging on brushes throughout, and features an excellent Kikoski solo. Frank Loesser's "If I Were a Bell," the session's up-tempo burner, is basically a fast and fiery Kikoski solo over Cannon and Peterson's driving rhythm until Kikoski hints at the melody at the end. Other favorites include the finger-poppin' "Blues for Jones," which appeared on two OTB recordings as "Nathan Jones," the melancholy tribute to Art Blakey, "I Remember Bu," and the samba-ish "Red's Brazilian Fantasy." This is a fine recording from a trio of musicians who deserve wider recognition. ~ Greg Turner https://www.allmusic.com/album/triangular-2-mw0000103032

Personnel:  Drums, Producer – Ralph Peterson;  Bass – Gerald Cannon; Piano – Dave Kikoski

Triangular 2

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