Jun 19 2014
Ben Goldberg – “Worry Later”
This isn’t the first time clarinetist Ben Goldberg has embraced the Thelonious Monk songbook. A 2007 release, Plays Monk, in a trio with bassist Devin Hoff and drummer Scott Amendola really highlighted the quirks and eccentricities of Monk’s singular approach, and, also, it was just plain fun hearing a piano-less album of Monk’s music. For Worry Later, his newest Monk project, Goldberg is joined by guitarist Adam Levy and drummer Smith Dobson… still piano-less and still very fun. Intriguingly, whereas the previous recording sounded thick in the middle of Monk’s compositions, the newest seems to focus on their individual characteristic. This approach has the effect of opening the compositions up and spreading them out… a sonic transparency that is quite striking.
In particular, on “Hornin In” and “Trinkle Tinkle,” when the trio accentuates the rhythmic qualities of the music, the motion can become almost beguiling, even taking into consideration the odd trajectories. For other tunes, like “Little Rootie Tootie” and “Light Blue,” the trio adopts a relaxed lazy-afternoon ambiance that is beguiling in its own right… just different. For “Brilliant Corners” and “Criss Cross,” the melody is laid down on the table, then dissected into smaller, interesting fragments, which in turn, become fodder for some harmonic playfulness.
Goldberg is one of the more inventive musicians on the scene, and there isn’t a project he works on that doesn’t offer up something new and insightful.
Your album personnel: Ben Goldberg (clarinet), Adam Levy (guitar), and Smith Dobson (drums).
Released on Goldberg’s BAG Production label.
Jazz from NYC.
Available at: eMusic | Bandcamp | Amazon MP3
Jun 21 2014
Orrin Evans’ Captain Black Big Band – “Mother’s Touch”
Opening track “In My Soul” immediately displays the ensemble’s talent at crafting a strong, simple melody and delivering it with a gentleness that provides a lasting contrast to the big music that often follows. Marcus Strickland puts the exclamation point on the opening song with a fiery sax solo. “In My Soul” works a similar vein, contrasting softer tones with bold pronouncements.
The two short pieces “Mother’s Touch Pt. 1” and “Mother’s Touch Pt. 2” serve as more than interludes between the standard sets. Each behave as thesis statements to the best qualities of this album. The first installment intertwines blasts of big band ferocity with the gentle sighs of trombone and the glittering resonance of piano… a tonal shadowplay of light and dark. “Pt. 2,” on the other hand illustrates how powerful this ensemble can truly sound when they dispense with the lessons in contrast and, instead, charge straight ahead, holding nothing back. Mark Allen’s bari sax leads that charge with a fiery edge and a soulful resonance.
“Dita (for Karyn Warren)” is the sole ballad. Alto saxophonist Todd Bashoe gracefully rides the song’s buoyant harmonic currents. “Tickle” parlays furtive melodic squiggles into a quirky ambiance, which drummer Anwar Marshall drives home with a furious persistence. “Maestra” works a contemporary groove that becomes more diffuse under the weight of solos by Victor North and Fabio Morega on sax and trumpet.
Evans concludes things with the “Prayer for Columbine.” He opens with a hint of melancholy, then immediately sets to building up to a dramatic crest with a charismatic groove and nice touches of harmony. On the way up to that crest, there’s a most appealing lull in the action that corresponds to Mark Allen’s baritone sax solo… which gets the climb started all over again.
Nothing but pure enjoyment here.
Your album personnel: Orrin Evans (piano), Tanya Darby, Duane Eubanks, Tatum Greenblatt, Brian Kilpatrick, Fabio Morgera (trumpets), Mark Allen, Todd Bashore, Doug Dehays, Stacy Dillard, Tim Green, Victor North, Marcus Strickland (saxophones), David Gibson, Conrad Herwig, Andy Hunter, Stafford Hunter, Brent White (trombones), Luques Curtis (bass), Anwar Marshall (drums), and guests: Zaccai Curtis (piano) and Ralph Peterson (drums).
Released on Posi-Tone Records.
Available at: eMusic | Amazon CD
| Amazon MP3
*****
A portion of this review was originally used in my weekly eMusic Jazz Picks column (now published on Wondering Sound), so here’s some language protecting their rights to the reprinted material as the one to hire me to write about new jazz arrivals to their site…
“New Arrivals Jazz Picks,“ reprints courtesy of eMusic.com, Inc.
© 2014 eMusic.com, Inc.
My sincere thanks to eMusic for the gig.
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By davesumner • Jazz Recommendations, Jazz Recommendations - 2014 Releases • 0