Wisconsin is not the place that immediately comes to mind when one thinks of Jazz. While it may never supplant New York City as the Mecca of Jazz, Wisconsin is certainly establishing itself as a stop on the Jazz tour route.

For 10 years, the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee has played host to the annual Wood Herman Jazz Festival. The Peck School of the Arts’ own Curt Hanrahan, who also heads the university’s Jazz Studies program, directs the combos, ensembles and orchestras in that Jazz program. He is also the co-founder of the Lakeshore Conservatory of Music in Racine, Wisconsin.

In February of this year, Hanrahan released Welcome to Swingsville, an album by the Milwaukee Jazz Orchestra on Greg Pasenko’s Blujazz label. That album was a part of the celebration in the 10th Annual Woody Herman Jazz Festival held on March 10-11, 2017, with most of the songs from the album performed live by the MJO.

Friday, March 10, was a day dedicated to clinics, workshops, and master classes featuring the musical directors as well as featured soloist, trumpeter Roger Ingram.

Ingram has recorded with such great big bands as the Quincy Jones Big Band, the Maynard Ferguson Orchestra, and especially the Woody Herman Orchestra, making him a significant feature of this event.

The festival and the CD Welcome to Swingsville was a bit of a family affair with Curt Hanrahan composing two of the pieces, his son Tim Hanrahan on bass, and Curt’s brother, Warren Hanrahan, on drums. All three have Jazz in their very DNA. It is unmistakable.

“The last time we played together—all three of us—was at my wedding 12 years ago, so this is special,” said Warren.

The Saturday performances were held at the Helene Zelazo Center for the Performing Arts in Milwaukee with Roger Ingram sitting in on four of the performing groups.

The evening opened with the UW-Milwaukee (UWM) Youth Jazz Combo—affectionately called YouJay—kicking off with John Coltrane’s Blue Train. The combo was made up of high school students who regularly participate in UWM’s Jazz programs.

It was only one piece but it set a great tone for what was to follow.

Coming quickly on their heels was the UW-M Jazz Lab Combo who took two traditional pieces--When the Saints Go Marching In and St. James Infirmary Blues—and showcased some brilliant young musicians like Clay Steiner and Julia Lewandowski, both on tenor sax, and Kobe Sampson-Davis on trumpet, all under the direction of Curt Hanrahan.

Guest soloist Roger Ingram made his first appearance of the night with the UW-M Youth Jazz Ensemble, a larger group, also comprised of high school students. The stand-out piece in their three-song mini-set was Leonard Bernstein’s Somewhere from West Side Story.

“This was where I learned about Minor Seventh intervals,” said Ingram. “I always loved this arrangement by Bill Chase on Woody Herman’s album.” It was a fine reminder of the great contribution that Bill Chase made to the Woody Herman experience and an excellent example of what had influenced Roger Ingram, as well.

The Jazz Lab Combo would return for two more pieces, both arranged by Curt Hanrahan. Without any intent by Hanrahan himself, the evening took shape as a tribute and showcase for the outgoing director of the university’s Jazz Studies. He directed three of the groups and arranged or composed some of the most memorable pieces of the night.

In addition, when Curt Hanrahan took his turns at soloing, you began to wonder who the true featured soloist really was. Those solos came after the intermission, when the professionals took over from the students.

The Milwaukee Jazz Orchestra, celebrating the release of the Welcome to Swingsville CD, performed all but two of the tracks from the album while adding a couple more to the set-list.

It opened with Juan Tizol’s Caravan. Few pieces are more recognizable but the MJO took ownership of the great piece on this Saturday night. Drummer Warren Hanrahan thundered and rolled just the way we like it. Built like an inside lineman, when Warren hits the crash cymbal, it crashes. He carried the relentless rhythms brilliantly.

Guitarist Steve Lewandowski’s Jocko (The Monkey) followed after with a fine flash of guitar virtuosity and flavor. Lewandowski never disappoints and his own composition was a grand addition to the album and the concert.

Curt Hanrahan’s Imp came next. The title is a description of the piece itself. “This is a little devil, tough to play,” said Curt. In his sax solo, Curt played like he was possessed by a more major devil.

Seattle, another Curt composition, proved just what a Wisconsinite Curt really is. I thought it was a description of driving through the “Emerald City” but Curt came clean on the inspiration for the piece.

“It was when the Packers lost to Seattle and that ‘Fail, Mary’ pass,” Curt confessed. Steve Lewandowski’s guitar solo was soulful and powerful. The piece came together beautifully in a grand concert recreation of what was so extraordinary on the album.

Tim Garling’s Then One Day I Had the Blues set the stage for the Rodgers and Hart standard, My Funny Valentine. It was the Don Rader arrangement, as recorded by Bill Chase with Woody Herman’s Orchestra. Roger Ingram, a veteran of Woody Herman’s Orchestra, proved again why he was the featured guest with his exquisite tonality and tender delivery.

Frank Loesser’s Brotherhood of Man was another standout on the album and delivered flawlessly in the live performance.

But a fine surprise came with the MJO rendition of Carole King’s Jazzman. As much as everyone loves Carole King, the distinct feeling was that this group was referring to Curt Hanrahan himself. As far as the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee is concerned, he is the Jazzman. And they delivered it in just that way.

The final piece of the night saw all the musicians from all of the groups joining together onstage for Billy Strayhorn’s magnum opus, Take the “A” Train. It was 44 inspired and inspiring artists in Big Band piece to surpass all Big Band pieces.
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It was a celebration of music education. It was a triumph of a musical family. It was the declaration that Jazz in Wisconsin should be heard and should definitely be taken seriously.



​~Travis Rogers, Jr. is The Jazz Owl

Takeshi Asai never ceases to amaze. His composing, his performance, and his interaction with other artists are forever on an upward trajectory. His ability to touch and to move the listener deepens with every album. No matter the format—duo, trio or ensemble—Takeshi makes himself at home with his musical surroundings and his fellow artists become, at least for that musical moment, as dear as family.

It doesn’t stop there with Takeshi. Not at all. He has an astonishing capacity to envelop and enrapture an audience so that they, too, become part of the experience and add their own chemistry to that of the artists.

So it is with the magic of Takeshi’s captured live performances and this album is an extraordinary example of that most endearing and captivating of Jazz environments, the live trio.

It is the third recording of the wonderful French Trio of Takeshi on piano, Pascal Combeau on bass, and Maxime Legrand on drums.

When asked why the July 11 concert was chosen among the other summer concerts of the Trio, Takeshi answered, “The French Trio had an honor to give seven concerts this summer. Most of them went exceptionally well thanks to the great French audience, which has supported the trio for the last four years. But, this concert was particularly great… The audience had brought the greatest energy which I felt while I played. We had better pianos and better sound conditions on other dates, but I have chosen this concert because of the energy and the spirit, and the communication between the trio and the audience that we had on that night. It was the night that I felt so fortunate to play with such great musicians and friends, Maxime Legrand and Pascal Combeau.”

But not only the artists and the audience, the depth and power, the emotion and the life, indeed the love within the compositions themselves, contribute to the profundity of the exquisite experience.

The concert that night opened with Moonlit Night. It was a composition that Takeshi had played on 2016’s Takeshi Asai Solo: Live in New York. It is a lovely nocturne that was touching as a solo piano piece but receives a deeper coloring with the touches of Combeau and Legrand. Written in 1999, while Takeshi was at Berklee School of Music, he says, “I wanted to render a magical power that the moon has on us.”

Eb+ was written in April of 2016. The title is the musical designation of the E-flat augmented chord. With its advanced rhythmic and harmonic features, it still has the power to charm and to touch. The point of the song, according to Takeshi, was “to reduce the literature aspect in the song,” leaving it as “pure music, which leaves for the imagination of the audience.” The simplicity of the approach creates a heart-warming aspect that is not lost on the artists who render it emotionally and with their own warmth.

Combeau adds a vibrato to his bass that reaches right inside the heart and squeezes.

Tell Me There’ll Be Better Days is a Pascal Combeau piece written for his son. It opens with a melancholic Latin approach that Takeshi says is suitable for the bandoneon “which is very French.” The movement of the piece is energetic, audible through the solos and trio. Even in the restrained moments, a life pulses throughout the performance. Accompanying that life, as always, is a hope.

ABC was inspired by Imogen Heap’s Speeding Cars. “It’s in the ABC of growing up.” The piece originally was written for the New York Trio in 2012. Takeshi knew that it would fit well with the French Trio and, so, has recorded it a second time to great effect.

It is slow and reflective, giving time to pause and consider. Combeau and Legrand pick up precisely on what Takeshi hopes to accomplish in the piece, adding their own stories and experiences to Takeshi’s narrative. It becomes a concurrent but thrice-told tale of learning and wonder.

Takeshi wrote When You Feel Sad before leaving for the French tour. Simply put, this is the song to cheer you when you feel sad. Takeshi describes it with “the melody is easy and the harmony is easy, but the rhythm is not. It features an odd meter 3+3+2.” That little complexity is enough to bring a smile to your face. The effect of the simple melody against the odd time is captivating.

When asked why he chose the Miles Davis piece Nardis, Takeshi replied with “It was my favorite piece when I was a beginning jazz student. Then, I forgot it for over 20 years. When I gave a concert in Paris, someone in my Paris band called the piece and we played. It was like a meeting your old girlfriend after 20 years of separation. Then, I proposed the piece to the French Trio. We have never talked about how we play, but we were in sync, amazingly. It’s common knowledge that it was written by Miles Davis, but my hunch is always telling me that it was written by Bill Evans. Or, at least both wrote it. As a life-long pupil of Bill Evans, playing this song in France gave me a great pleasure and gracefulness to my hero. Musically speaking, the first two chords, Phrisian (E minor to F major gives) is one of my favorite modal harmonies.”

Another song written just before his latest French sojourn was Very Little Waltz. The melody and the changes “came together as a package in a lightning bolt.” As such, Takeshi never edited the piece. “I just traced the sound I heard in my head.” Truth be told, Very Little Waltz is a prequel to (Not So) Little Waltz from New York Trio, Vol. 1.

Macka is Takeshi’s turn at writing something “stupid and funny and blunt.” Even after the great performances of Combeau and Legrand, Takeshi stills feels he achieved his aim. For the audience, nothing could be further from the truth.

French Trio Vols. 1 and 2 were heralds that prepared us for the coming of something magnificent. French Trio, Vol. 3 is the crowning achievement.
 

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~Travis Rogers, Jr. The Jazz Owl

Etchings in Amber is Natalie Cressman’s third album. And nothing could have prepared us for what we hear on this endearing, charming, and utterly surprising album.

Known as a Jazz trombonist (she picked that up from father, Jeff Cressman. Yes, that Jeff Cressman for you Santana fans), her previous outing, Turn the Sea, featured an eight-piece band with Natalie on trombone and also on vocals. That album defied category but anchored Natalie in the quest for her own music and her own expression of it. Turn the Sea followed Natalie’s debut album Unfolding which first introduced us to that delightful voice.

Enter Mike Bono, the New York City guitarist who has made a name for himself as a remarkable improviser. He has played with such diverse artists as Erykah Badu, Dayna Stephens, Chris Cheek, Andra Day, and more. The resulting duo of Cressman and Bono is a wonder of good fortune for we who love the delicacy of Natalie’s vocals and the determined virtuosity and elegant improvisation of Bono.

On Etchings in Amber, Natalie leaves behind her signature trombone and offers nothing but her plaintive, lovely, and enthralling voice. And it is all we could have hoped for. It is not the straight-ahead Jazz found on her first two albums but Natalie and Mike worked together on all the compositions and arrangements and the production of this album. Once again, she defies classification as she and Mike explore the peripheries of sound and meaning.

And if that is not Jazz, I don’t know what is.

The album contains nine tracks that flow seamlessly from one into the next. Together, Natalie and Mike create an extended tone poem of longing, beauty, love, loss, and remembrance. It is like flowing down the Moldau with Smetana.

Dusk introduces the album and one is immediately struck by the tone and texture of Bono’s guitar mastery. Natalie joins in and the sonic symmetry is unmistakable. Before ever moving on to the second track, I knew that I was hooked. After two or three hearings, I started to pay attention to the lyrics, having been totally taken with the music. Natalie reveals herself to be an equally adept lyricist and, for a writer like me, that is a big deal.

Wind of Whims is more fanciful and is it soon revealed that, although the songs are tied together in the perfect duet, they are structurally, lyrically, different and distinct. The beautiful I Look to You is a marvel of depth and emotion. Losing Grace shifts tempo and the dynamics are fascinating.

Goodbye Lullaby is the final track and makes one secretly moan, “No, no. This can’t be the end.” And, just like that, Natalie and Mike fade out leaving a hole in your heart.

Until you hit “replay.” And you will.



~Travis Rogers, Jr. is The Jazz Owl

On his second album with Capri, “Roaring” (Capri Records 74142-2), Mike Jones takes on the classics and standards from the 1920s and shines a modern lantern on them. His trio is loaded with talent in the persons of himself, Katie Thiroux (bass) and Matt Witek (drums) and this fantastic group made quick work in the studio with a single four-hour recording session. In fact, nine of the ten tracks were done in one take.

The sounds of the Roaring 20s are given fresh life by this winsome trio through their obvious and wide-reaching rapport. This is what happens when the like-minded meet together.

The album opens with the great Sammy Kahn hit, “Yes Sir, That’s My Baby.” Katie Thiroux’s bass introduces the piece with a cool line, opening the way for Mike Jones’ treatment of the oh-so-familiar theme. Matt Witek glides alongside and the trio begins to make things happen. The track is a nine-minute working of the charming piece.

Jonesy splashes all over the piano in refined but Jazzy stylings. Then Thiroux contributes a delightful and warming bass solo. Witek gets in some trades with the piano that are fun and lively. The trio carries it out together with a sweet swing as Jonesy punches the keys in the nose.

Campbell and Connelly’s “If I Had You” follows with the lovely piano and warm bass. Jonesy proves himself masterful in his performance and his arranging. Thiroux’s bass strides over the brushes of Witek and creates a soft groove that is irresistible.

Author Neil Gaiman’s liner notes states that Jonesy “has magical fingers.” He’s right. No wonder Penn and Teller use him as their introduction and accompaniment. He can hammer the keys in the 20s style but still put a modern touch that is fascinating.

Irving Berlin’s “I’ll See You in Cuba” gets the kick start from Thiroux and is joined by the Afro-Cuban rhythms of Witek. Jones jumps in and the trio creates that Berlin-sound that wins over everyone.

Jonesy can turn things upside down at will and he does so here with his hard swing and fine phrasing. Witek’s rhythms are intoxicating. Thiroux takes the tune home.

“Home” is so coolly delivered. The bass and drums catch a grooving wave and Jonesy works it over wonderfully. The up-tempo tune is a fine showcase for all three artists but I think I fell in love with Katie Thiroux on this tune. I loved—and I mean loved—her bass solo. It’s a great melody and Jones polishes it up and makes it shine.

“Mean to Me” by Ahlert and Turk is a sweet and bluesy piece that is delightfully delivered by Mike Jones. He breaks down the shorter original and reinvents it into something with greater scope and depth. With a title like this, the fun approach creates an irony that works so well.

Thiroux snaps the strings in a defiant intonation as Jones glides away. Witek struts behind it all and you realize that these three must have been having a grand time.

“I Found a New Baby” is a bouncy tune with lighthearted lilt from the trio. Jones offers up a boogie-woogie approach in the opening. The trio’s snap and flare is a splendid jaunt that is enhanced by Thiroux’s running bass and the roll and crash of Witek. Again, Jones’ spry textures are a marvel. It is impossible not to like this piece.

Al Jolson’s “Me and My Shadow” is an old favorite that charms instead of haunts. Jones kicks it up from the melancholy so often rendered by those who have covered the piece so many times. This piece is a rollicking good time. Magic fingers, indeed.

Irving Berlin’s “What’ll I Do” is one of the most enduring favorites of that—or any other—era. It is an enchanting melody that is treated with love and respect by Jones. The song is offered as a piano solo that is done with sweet delicacy and devotion.
“I Can’t Believe You’re in Love with Me” jumps up from the start. The skipping drums, sprinting bass and running piano lay down a great bit of fun. Jones again tears up the melody makes it sing. Witek gets a straight-on drum solo and makes it work. This one swings nicely and ends with a flourish.

“Am I Blue” closes out the album in fine fashion. The Blues of the piece is gorgeous. Jones makes the piano take on a conversational tone that works to the song’s advantage. The closing piece of the album is done with attitude, as it should be.
Mike Jones Trio has taken the strut and stride of the 1920s and pulled it firmly and sternly into the present. The trio is incredible. The album is remarkable. “Roaring” does just that what it says.




~Travis Rogers, Jr. is The Jazz Owl

Sivan Arbel has an old school approach to melody and harmony but a novel way to enforce what she understands and composes. There is a strength as well as a delicacy to her vocals. She makes me think of Sarah Vaughan who had the raw power but also the sweetness that made her irresistible. Sivan Arbel is irresistible. Her album “Broken Lines” proves that.

She composed six of the seven tracks, with the lone exception of the Miles Davis/Bill Evans grand work “Blue and Green.” She has also gathered to herself a splendid array of artists to support her vision and her compositions. Shai Portugaly is on piano, Nadav Shapira is on bass and Yogev Gabay is on drums forming the core trio. Joining them are Ron Warburg (trumpet), Jack Sheehan (alto saxophone), and Ori Jacobson (tenor saxophone) also with Caleb Mason, Seth Weaver and Ben Tiberio adding their vocals on the title track.

The album is introduced by “Over Sensistivity” with a herald of trumpet and saxophones. Portugaly starts in with a cool melody before being joined by Sivan herself. Her vocal style grabs your attention right away. Clear tones and bright lyrics are always a grabber. I like the way she pronounces “sensitivity” with a “d” as in “sensitvidy.”

The horns take up the action again with the addition of Shapira’s bass and Gabay’s drums. The horns kick up some great dust and the core trio is solid and strong.

“Open My Tube of Heart” is the second track. Again, her intonations and vocalizations are excellent. She gives a little groan that is charming as can be. There is great interplay between her vocals and Portugaly’s piano. Shapira’s bass is understated but meaningful as well as Gabay’s rhythmic choices. Gabay makes great work of the drumming with an energetic, then restrained, approach.

“Analysis” is opened by Sivan’s solo vocals and is then greeted by Shapira’s bowed bass. The trio lays down a hard swing and the horns ride it well. The rhythm section come alive and the set up for Sivan is brilliant. She projects in strength then scales back to the lyrical. The dynamics of the piece are vivid and lively. Her scat vocals are what called Sarah Vaughan to mind. The trio marches smartly and she weaves a double helix with them that is intelligent and cool as you like.

The Miles Davis/Bill Evans piece, “Blue in Green,” follows next. Her rhythmic vocalizations open the piece, laying down her own vocal groove before surrendering to the melodic as the trio and sax adhere brilliantly to her lead.

So help me, the trio is smoking hot and I can’t get enough of them. Shapira and Gabay groove like monsters and Portugaly is incredible. But Sivan is indeed the show. I am infatuated with her improv vocals and her enunciation. The arrangement of the classic is beyond reproach.

The smoking hot changes to smoky cool with “Active on Wheels.” The Soulful trio works in beautiful cooperation with the sultry vocals. A dash of Blues and a handful of Jazz create a catalyst for the active interaction. The emotional depths of Sivan’s vocals are fascinating.

“For Aba” is, obviously, dedicated to her father. The mural of devotion and emotion and humor is painted across a spectrum of color and shade that truly reveals the range of the relationship. It is warm, it is sweet, it is reflective. The vocalizations are gorgeous. The lyrics are lovely and profound.

The group locks in on beautiful eastern rhythms and melodic excursions. The sax is exquisite and Gabay and Shapira create a rhythmic portrayal of Ha’aretz that is intoxicating. Portugaly weaves in and out of the rhythm with percussiveness and precision and, indeed, power and persuasion. I love the chord changes and the propulsive rhythms. In the end, Sivan sings her love with all the devotion she has. This was the track that stole my heart.

The album closes with “Broken Lines”, the title track. The repeated single note of the piano is mirrored by Sivan’s voice. Shapira joins on bass then the drums and horns. Sheehan (alto) and Jacobson (tenor) and Warburg (trumpet) splash warm tones across the piano and bass lines. Gabay works steadily beneath it all but with a drive that keep it all fluid. The trio seizes the moment as the horns melt into the background. Then comes the male vocal chorus for a moment of triumphant exaltation. Sivan and the group closes it all out with a definitive statement that is rewarding and rejoicing.

“Broken Lines” is a wonder. Sivan Arbel has captured love and longing, respect and reflection, and then set loose an emotional and lyrical watercolor that remains fresh and lively long after the album has ended. To transmit such joy—and for it to remain so long after—must be the greatest gift one can give. So it is with Sivan, she imparts joy and it remains.
 
~Travis Rogers, Jr. is The Jazz Owl
 
 

There are some amazing things to tell you about A Bu and then, when you listen to “Butterflies Fly in Pairs” (Sennheiser Media 566668), you need to forget them. Forget that he is only 16 years old. Forget that this is only his second album. Forget that he is Chinese and Jazz artists from China are rare at this moment in history. Forget all of that and concentrate on the compositions (all originals with one exception), the tones, the touch, the emotion and what you feel when listening to this album.

A Bu’s first album was “88 Tones of Black and White” in 2013. It gained wide acclaim and received far-reaching airplay. This, the second album, is something farther-reaching in its maturity and development.

With A Bu (piano, keyboards and melodica) are Tom Kennedy (acoustic and electric basses) and Ryan J. Lee (drums). Guest artists include Antonio Hart (sax), David Watson (flute and sax), Darryl Dixon (sax) and Cecilia Stalin (vocals).

“Butterflies Fly in Pairs I” was written by Chen PeiXun and arranged by A Bu. Strong piano chords introduce the piece, then Lee kicks in with the drums and Kennedy soon after with the bass. And we’re off.

The cool groove is an excellent backdrop to the fine melodic arrangement and artistry of A Bu. This guy can move your heart and your mind with equal ease. Kennedy and Lee are perfectly complementary with their heads-up Jazz. A Bu throws in some Latin licks along the way and then kicks into furious lines of Jazz virtuosity. The arrangement is splendid and the performance is truly extraordinary.

“Forever Suite Part I” opens with lovely intonation from Kennedy’s bass and A Bu’s piano. The piano introduces a few Gospel chords along the way. The bouncing bass and the steady-on drumming create a lighthearted atmosphere that is exploited beautifully by A Bu’s piano lines. The Gospel moves to straight-on Jazz and it is wonderful.

Ryan J. Lee turns in fascinating drum work. He was a special find on this album. His rhythmic choices are exemplary.
A Bu also gets in some great percussive piano sections.

“Forever Suite Part II” is a warm tango piano and melodica piece that is only enhanced by the work of Kennedy and Lee. It is delightful in its movement and charming in its melody.

Tom Kennedy’s bass is cool and right on it. Kennedy knows what it is to be a young phenom. He was touring with Dizzy Gillespie and Freddie Hubbard before he was 18 years old.

The trio creates a bright and sunny scene and the Latin rhythms and piano lines are hot.

“With Mind I” has Antonio Hart adding his saxophone to the trio. This has all the Jazz characteristics that makes us glad to be alive. There is the hot swing of Art Tatum, the precision of Chick Corea and an astonishing bass and drum complement. In some sections, you can almost hear Return to Forever with the lock-step and furious pacing of piano, bass and drums.

“With Mind II” picks up with the same precision as David Watson’s flute replaces the Hart sax. The effect is uplifting and optimistic. A Bu composes beautifully. He adds so many elements from various ethnic music forms and brings the coolest meters and chords into play.

Cecilia Stalin adds her lovely vocals to the trio on “Memories of Love.” It is a sweeping romance ballad that just steals the heart. The melody is heart-felt and emotional. Kennedy and Lee, once again, have the experience and talents to handle the myriad styles with great aplomb.

The lyrics are by Cecilia herself and the music is by A Bu and they make a fantastic writing team.

“The Last Trip” has Antonio Hart returning on saxophone. There is a touch of Ryuchi Sakamoto at points and that is fine by me. The flow of the arrangement is effortless and Hart and A Bu make for great dialogue as Kennedy and Lee work their magic.

Seriously, I am hooked on the work of these guys.

A Bu makes quick, light-fingered work of the Fender Rhodes. His bent notes are a nice touch at the mid-point. Hart works well with him and the final third of the track is roaring brilliance and swinging spaciousness between them all.

“The Last Trip” turns into an epic journey on the scale of the Odyssey before all is said and done. Brilliant.

“Rainchel” has A Bu on the Rhodes again to start things off before switching to piano. I admit, this composition caught me by surprise. The previous pieces had shown intelligence, design, precision and structure but “Rainchel” shows a joyous profundity that I think I have only heard in Chick Corea. And Kennedy and Lee are right there with him. This one got to me.
“For Kurt” is a tight arrangement with a Fusion structure that is fascinating in its instrumentation and blistering in its pacing. The piano introduction is warm and melodic but it heats up soon enough with Kennedy’s growling bass and the tight thunder of Lee.

A Bu’s technical prowess is beyond reproach and his phrasing is perfect. His instincts are flawless and his choices always appropriate. Amazing.

“Let Me Catch You” has the trio joined by David Watson and Darryl Dixon on saxophones. The quintet lights it up as A Bu smokes the Fender Rhodes and Kennedy and Lee turn in the monster-groove. Weather Report would have been happy to claim this one.

“Butterflies Fly in Pairs II” is the lovely reprise for solo piano. It is a lovely end to a remarkable album.

From Gospel chords to Fusion precision to straight Jazz melodies, written and arranged for solo piano, trio, quartet, and quintet formats, performed instrumentally and vocally, A Bu’s compositions are stunning. His piano artistry is wonderful to experience and the choice of Tom Kennedy and Ryan J. Lee as his trio partners allows him to weave that nucleus throughout the various formats in tight cohesion. This is something incredible. It is everything I want in a Jazz album. More than that, “Butterflies Fly in Pairs” reveals the soul of the artist in a bright light of honesty and vision. A Bu is everything I want in an artist.


~Travis Rogers, Jr. is The Jazz Owl
 
 
 

You’ve got to love Ken Hatfield. Seriously, you have no choice. You’ll see what I mean.

Hatfield has released “12 Preludes for Solo Guitar” in a combined book/CD format (Arthur Circle Music KHSG104BCD). The CD can be purchased separately but don’t.

The book contains, of course, the music for the 12 preludes but also a fine introduction by Hatfield wherein he describes his notation of pitch durations in arpeggios (the same used by Johannes Brahms in his late piano solos. Don’t be impressed. I learned it from Hatfield), the modal indicators of key signatures and more. All that to say, Hatfield will teach you something. He writes of the beginnings of the prelude and its place within music history. He speaks of Chopin, Debussy, Villa-Lobos and so many others. He is a fine educator, even if you are reading for fun.

The book contains a small biography and, perhaps most importantly, his discography and bibliography of his written works. Yes, you will want to reference those pages early and often.

Then there are the transcriptions of the 12 preludes themselves. What a gift to other guitarists and to all musicians.
Forearmed with the knowledge within all those written pages, get ready for the music.

“Prelude #1” is a lovely and warm 3/4-time piece that seems as at-home in the world of Classical guitar as much as Jazz. It does recall the acoustic sounds of some of the great guitarists of Jazz but Hatfield has developed a touch and a tone that is absolutely wonderful and most assuredly his own. The prelude is full of reflection and thought. Touching.

“Prelude #2” has a quirky, if not haunting, ostinato that is a great hook. Only slightly slower than the previous track, the e minor prelude is a remarkable piece full of imagery and its own charm.

“Prelude #3” is in 6/8 but is a more melodically simple track that truly does sound like an introduction (as preludes were first intended until Chopin began making them finished pieces. I got that from Hatfield, too). The Baroque feel of this prelude enhances that impression as introductory in function.

“Prelude #4” is a structural Blues approach to the prelude and is one of the best examples of Hatfield’s crossover from composition to improvisation and back again. This was one to hear over and again.

“Prelude #5” is noted in E Major but with so many cool minor tones. Compositionally speaking, it is one of the most interesting of the pieces. The phrasing is exquisite and absolutely captivating.

“Prelude #6” jumps out as a samba after the brief but beautiful introduction. The Samba is everything you love about Brazilian music, in the first place. The lively chords and bouncy tempo are enough to cheer Eyore.

“Prelude #7” is a gorgeous piece that sings of loving absence, perhaps even regret. It is unspeakably sad and full of longing and loss. Even the hearing brings to mind one’s own memories and regrets. It becomes a shared grief between artist and audience.

“Prelude #8” is a more cheerful-sounding piece. It almost like a walk in a park with passing images and joyful sounds.

“Prelude #9” is a quick piece, with flashing sights and sounds, that puts one in mind of a city scene. Odd meters and chords at odds make for a bustling, sometimes cacophonous view. I love the intro and the conclusion.

“Prelude #10” is a Romantic-feeling piece, full of emotion and movement. It is hopeful and optimistic and hastily moving to completion in its quest for joy.

“Prelude #11” is an elegiac turn at a serenade.  It is memorable and thought-provoking. Lovely.

“Prelude #12” concludes the splendid album. Villa-Lobos and Steve Howe can have a seat. The nylon strings of Hatfield’s 1991 Humphrey Millennium guitar evoke—perhaps provoke—deep emotions and contemplation. It is intelligent and so creative.

Ken Hatfield’s “12 Preludes for Solo Guitar” is a masterpiece of solo Jazz guitar. The artistry of his composition and performance, the intelligence of his pedagogy, the warmth of his emotion all combine to make his album something worth cherishing. His touch, his tone and his thought are a great statement of the beauty of Jazz guitar.
 
~Travis Rogers, Jr. is The Jazz Owl
 
 
 

It’s hard to improve on a trio that features Aaron Parks on piano and Nate Woods on drums but, when bassist Joonsam Lee was ready to release his debut album as a leader, he beefed up an already formidable line-up by adding Ralph Alessi on trumpet, Yvonnick Prene on harmonica, Ben Monder on guitar, and the fascinating additions of Yeahwon Shin on vocals and Chungeun Han on the bamboo flute. The trio, however, remains the core.

Released on Origin Records, “A Door” (Origin 82716) is a collection of compositions written by Joonsam—with one exception—from 2007 onward. This trio is the perfect format with the enhancement of the guest artists.

Joonsam’s own repeating bass note introduces “Whirlwind” as Parks’ piano and Alessi’s trumpet add the melody while Joonsam and Wood get a target-lock on the grove. Of course, Aaron Parks commands attention in any situation but Joonsam and Wood form the great triad that is a delight to hear.

Ralph Alessi’s trumpet serves as the lightning in this whirlwind as the rhythm section works the vortex. A long pause is the eye of the storm until bass, piano and drums begin again. High energy here. Pay attention to Nate Wood’s closing patterns.
“Zadrak” follows with guitarist Ben Monder joining. The hook grabs you from the beginning. The piano melody is captivating and Joonsam’s bass line is fascinating. I again found myself digging Wood’s rhythmic choices and was thrilled to experience this trio. Ben Monder’s guitar work is subdued and flows extremely well with the song. The break fuses the trio together and sets up a gorgeous guitar lead. Good God, ya’ll.

“Boa Noite” is a splendid piece. The trio sets up the warm movement and is joined by the talented and soulful harmonica of Yvonnick Prene. Prene never disappoints and his light touch is perfect here.

Also light in touch is Parks, who is a soulful as you could wish. Joonsam and Wood work a slow swing that brings Parks and Prene back together in exquisite harmony. Love this.

“23451” is a 54-second excursion from the trio and Ralph Alessi. Listen to it until you get it. You’ll get it.

“2 Tunes and Off-hour Waiting Area” starts with a heavy groove from the trio and it is some fine stuff. Alessi adds his trumpet for the melody as the trio works the groove. The piece is a well-written number and Joonsam deserves recognition for his composing as much as his performing. Parks solos at mid-point and brings real life and emotion. His melodic turns with Alessi are splendid stuff. Even Alessi joins the rhythm to close the song.

Yeahwon Shin adds her lovely vocals to “Love Trauma.” There are no lyrics but the meaning is perfectly clear in her intonation and delicacy. The piano adds a melancholy that sharpens the vocals. The song is painful and beautiful. The understated rhythm allows full exposure of the melody and harmonies. It is sweet. It is sad. It doesn’t leave you.

Ralph Alessi’s muted trumpet returns for “Ice Skate.” It is a well-painted image of gliding and spinning with a carefree feel in the repetition of the rhythm and piano lines as the trumpet gets expression in a light-hearted romp.
“23452” is a return to the trio plus Alessi in tonal excursion.

“Doraji the Flower” is a traditional song of Korea. Chung Eun Han adds his bamboo flute in the piece that is completely Korean. It is far different from western melodies and is even distinguishable from Chinese and Japanese tradition. The trio is in fine support of Han’s flute who carries the melody exquisitely. Parks performs beautifully with and without Han. Together, they are absorbing.

Joonsam and Wood play the rhythm so languidly and—dare I say—lovingly. It is reverent and warm. Rapturous.

“Where the Water Comes Together with Other Water” is the longest piece on the album. The drip-dropping of the piano creates the image as Monder’s guitar fashions rivulets flowing toward unity with the piano. Joonsam rolls the bass lines along in ever-widening streams.

The song then breaks into open expressions from the trio until Monder returns on guitar. I find myself intrigued and captured by the way Joonsam writes. As familiar with Western music as an Easterner may be, there is a cultural, musical heritage that invigorates and informs Eastern music that Westerners do not possess. This is part of the beauty of musicians coming together and hearing Eastern themes with Western rhythms and touches.

The album closes with “Airport Music.” It is only the trio of Joonsam, Parks and Wood that take us home. Fitting.

The melody and rhythm seem tired, maybe exhausted, from the travel and the touring. Not even a walking pace, the rhythm intentionally drags and cannot wait to get home. The melody is a loving reminder of what has been experienced and what will come again as the sounds of the airport crowd opens and closes the tune.

Joonsam indeed takes us through “A Door” in his debut release. Full of warm affection and bright imagery, the music is a revelation of who Joonsam is and what the world looks like through his eyes and what it sounds like through his ears. It is a world of fragile beauty and tender moments to be expressed vividly and with passion.
 
 
 
~Travis Rogers, Jr. is The Jazz Owl

What happens when you put five composer-performers in the same group? Something wonderful. Something transformational. Something called Alchemy Sound Project.

They were brought together by the Jazz Composers Orchestra Institute from Columbia University and the joining together resulted in the debut album, “Further Explorations,” on the Artists Recording Collective label (ARC-2666).

The core of Alchemy Sound Project is Erica Lindsay (tenor saxophone), Sumi Tonooka (piano), Samantha Boshnack (trumpet), David Arend (bass) and Salim Washington (tenor saxophone, oboe, alto flute, bass clarinet). They had developed ideas of composition and performance that would be brought to life in this, their debut, recording. With them on “Further Explorations” is Willem de Koch (trombone) and Max Wood (drums, percussion).

David Arend described the process of synthesis of Classical and Jazz music and the fusion of the band’s inspirations. “The synergy of the band is awesome,” he said. “We’re inspiring each other, teaching each other, pushing each other, and it feels like new territory even though we’re drawing on centuries-old traditions.”

Salim Washington wrote the opening track, “Charcoal, Clear, Beautiful All Over.” Sumi Tonooka introduces the piece on piano and begins to weave the fabric of this lovely piece. Arend’s bass and Washington’s bass clarinet join in, followed by the whole band. Written for the bass clarinet primarily, Washington creates great space for all of the horns and rhythm section. The title is based on the loose interpretation of Tonooka’s first name, Sumi.

The duet between piano and bass clarinet is gorgeous and you find yourself falling in love with the performers themselves without knowing anything about them. Samantha Boshnack’s trumpet weaves in beautifully and the bass and drums are warm in their support.

“Further Explorations” is the composition of Erica Lindsay. The Salim Washington alto flute opens opens the track and Boshnack’s trumpet follows soon. Lindsay’s own tenor sax comes aboard as the Arend bass and Tonooka piano create the base beneath.

The piece is a journey of musical creativity and, of course, exploration. The piano/bass drive allows wide searches and expressions by all of the horns. The improvisations, the multi-faceted and multi-layered interpretations, the sometimes free form all serve to narrate the venture that Lindsay describes. The bowing bass, the charming flute, the piano accents, the andante drum rhythms, and those wonderful horns create a musical “Decameron” of multiple tale-telling.

Samantha Boshnack’s “Alchemical” follows with an opening of European counterpoint that is overrun by the heavy swing of piano, bass and drums. Tonooka’s piano gets a hot solo full of fire and friction that is incredibly compelling. Meanwhile, Arend and Wood keep the groove grinding. Lindsay’s tenor sax solo is equally scorching. All to create the catalytic processes required for such alchemy. Boshnack herself finishes the piece. Got to love this.

Sumi Tonooka’s “Waiting” comes next with some of the bluesiest piano on the album. The horns’ strum und drang section is soon supplanted by the return of the Blues from piano, trombone, trumpet and tenor sax. The piece is autobiographical in some aspects and the alternating calm and storm speaks of Tonooka’s own experience. The music is passionate as is the performance. The intonations of the sax and the phrasing of the trumpet and trombone is fascinating.

This was one of the real highlights of the album for me, moving from calm reserve to frenetic expression and hoping to find the right outcome.

“Beta” is by Erica Lindsay. The bobbing bass sets up the horns and piano. More tightly composed, the solos maintain the melodic lines. It is highly energetic and the riffs bounce from bass to oboe to piano to sax and trumpet. Max Wood on drums lays down some of the more fascinating rhythmic patterns of the album. But pay close attention to what Arend is doing on bass, especially when he underplays.

“Her Name is Love” is David Arend’s first composition on the album, the only member to get back-to back tracks. The bass clarinet plays underneath the trumpet and tenor sax in a lovely melodic line that gets mirrored by the bass. The cascading arpeggios are a fine accent. The piano is absent.

Arend adapted the piece from Czech composer Leoš Janáĉek. Stunning work.

“Archetype” is the second of the two pieces by David Arend. The archetype referenced is the archetypal Jazz form of big band. The seven-member band—with four horn players—carries the format off extraordinarily well. The piano sets up the tenor sax and the bass walks a tight rope behind. The interplay of these artists is fluid and unforced, lively and lovely, and always with a sense of supporting, not supplanting.

Sumi Tonooka sets the piano ablaze and Arend does nothing to extinguish the flames, adding fuel to the flame. Boshnack contributes a fine solo with the horns in agreement. Love it, love it.

Samantha Boshnack’s second contribution is “Divergency.” The divergent motifs see the oboe at odds with the other horns in a yin and yang twisting. Even the motifs separate and the rhythms run counter between piano and bass as the harmonies break apart. This was a trigonometric study in tangents and bisected angles and vectors. Brilliant.

“Joie de Vivre” is Sumi Tonooka’s final composition on the album. Listen for the Baroque counter-point in the midst of the cool melodies. Tonooka’s piano anchors the groove and Arend’s bass and Wood’s drums work off of her movement.

As the title suggests, it is a joyous piece with oboe and horns giving full-throated acclaim of their love of life and love of the music that they create together. Easy to love this one.

Salim Washington’s “The Call” takes them home. Written in honor of his cultural, musical, spiritual father-figure, Solodeen Muhammad, Washington creates an expression for the whole group. The dissonance, the broken rhythms, are alleviated by the strong melodies and monster groove that run beneath and then alongside and then dive again below the flow of Washington’s imagination. The free form counters the structured harmonics and, ultimately, the individual artists get their say in a final hook groove heading for the shout chorus that itself succumbs to alchemical dissolution.

Alchemy Sound Project’s “Further Explorations” is indeed a musical pilgrimage that searches the horizons and moves beyond them. The compositions are inspiring and intelligent and the performance artistry is exemplary. The album is a wonder. How is it possible to fall in love with people you never met, except in the affection that arises between composer/performer and listener?
 
 
~Travis Rogers, Jr. is The Jazz Owl
 

The Joe Policastro Trio is a fixture at Pops for Champagne in Chicago. Pops is the place for pop music within a Jazz setting and this trio holds sway there three nights a week. It is a place where Policastro saw “a great opportunity to experiment with incorporating different musical styles, including rock, funk, soul and Brazilian music within a Jazz trio framework. I was lucky enough to find a steady gig where I could compose, arrange, and develop new ideas, and I even luckier to find musical partners who shared my vision.”

It was out of that situation that the album “POPS!” was born. The Jazz-laced pop tunes include works from Pink Floyd to Prince and so many in between. Policastro calls “POPS!” an “accidental tribute album” because it contains works of Prince and Billy Paul, both of whom were to lost to us after the recording of the album.

With bassist Policastro is Dave Miller on guitar and Mikel Avery on the drums. Guest stars include guitarists Andy Brown and Andy Pratt. Both Andys are also Chicago guys who play often with the trio. The album is the third for Policastro and the second for the trio.

Burt Bacharach and Hal David’s “Wives and Lovers” opens the album. Policastro chose to open the album with Bacharach because he is the guy who may best represent the bridge from the American Songbook Era to the pop era of the 1960s and 70s.

The bass (and woodblock) introduce the piece. Guitarist David Miller arranged the song and turns the pop tart into Jazz art. The quirky time signature turns the 1963 song on its ear and the cool guitar sections and brilliant bass lines lift this up into something completely different.

I was not prepared to hear one of my all-time favorite Neil Young pieces follow. “Harvest Moon” is played straight on to the original in the introduction and then Policastro uses the bass to recreate Neil’s vocal lines. Beautifully done. Policastro arranged the piece and Miller’s take on the Neil guitar licks are priceless. Avery’s drums keep the Jazz rhythms alive as the guitar and bass explore so many different aspects of the great composition. It is impossible to get enough of this track.

Stevie Wonder’s “Creepin’” is a fine choice from the master’s catalog. As Policastro says in the liner notes, “It’s hard to find a song of his not worth digging into.” From the album “Fulfillingness First Finale,” this Policastro arrangement is an extraordinary representation of what this trio can do with the works of the Pop legends. It was also nice to hear one of the lesser-known works used.

Miller’s approach is cool and vibrant and is offset by the warm, bowed bass of Policastro.  Avery is an exciting drummer and his rhythmic patterns are always complementary and appropriate. This was a fun track, as any Stevie song is required to be.
The Pixies’ “Wave of Mutilation” is given the once-over by Special Guest Andy Pratt on guitar. Truthfully, it was a song I had forgotten since seeing “Pump Up the Volume.” The Policastro arrangement not only brought it back to mind, he framed it in the Jazz setting and brought it back to life. The chord changes that were so memorable are treated differently here and the bass solo is an affectionate look back at the original. I fell in love with the song, for the first time.

Policastro calls the Bee Gees “a guilty pleasure for some” and, as true as that probably is, he makes it come true in his treatment of “More Than a Woman” as arranged by Andy Brown. Damn.

The piece loses its disco distinctiveness and, instead, becomes a near-Samba. That becomes doubly true with Avery’s drumming, choosing cool Latin rhythms over the pop/rock backbeat. This was completely unexpected and completely enjoyable.

A Prince medley follows. Again, the trio sets aside the choice for one of the more popular radio pieces. Instead, they go deep with “Conditions of the Heart” and also “Diamonds and Pearls.” Prince was a brilliant composer (you can use “genius”, if you like, I won’t disagree) and his writing greatness is even more evident when you see how easily these pieces yield to the Jazz arrangements of Policastro.

The openness of the arrangements allow for expansive explorations from the trio and splendid improvisations.

“Condition of the Heart” is moving and played openly with warmth and expression from all three of the trio members. Miller’s guitar is a tight Jazz approach with beautiful bluesiness. Policastro’s bass is wonderfully soulful. I couldn’t love this more.

“Diamonds and Pearls” opens with the bluesy bass in vivid improvisation springing from the lovely melody. The tight-picking that accompanies the bass opening is a cool little feature. The Jazzy structure that follows is tight—with its Eastern textures and Gospel undercurrents—and expands into a free form that makes you hit the repeat button before the song is ever over.

“Me and Mrs. Jones” (Gamble, Huff and Gilbert) was made famous by Billy Paul. Policastro arranges the piece for Jazz and Andy Brown takes the guitar on the song. The romantic Soul of Billy Paul surrenders to the Jazz-Blues of the trio. Brown’s phrasing is stunning and the bass and drums support with the andante rhythms. Policastro’s bass solo works the melody from a different angle. The trio stays close to the original but also has moments of sweet departure that make the piece fresh for the Jazz audience.

With the Pop pieces that have gone before, Pink Floyd’s “Us and Them” (Roger Waters and Richard Wright, composers) was a bit of a surprise. A nice surprise, mind you. Out of the catalog of Pink Floyd works, this is also a favorite.

Policastro’s bass opens the piece with the strummed guitar of Dave Miller coming closely behind with long sustains and Avery’s steady cha-cha rhythm beneath. The anguished feeling of division is not lost at all in this arrangement. In fact, the glaring differences between drums, and bass, and guitar enhance the emotion. Incredibly done.

Tom Waits’ “Take It with Me” is from his 1999 album “Mule Variations.” Waits is a guy that have to “get” and Policastro “gets” Waits. The bass is the vocal instrument for part of the song and recreates Waits’ own gravelly intonation. Miller adds his own scratchy strumming which opens up for Policastro’s bowing bass. An unexpected flavoring.

The Cars’ hit, “Drive” (Ric Ocasek, composer), asks the question “Who’s gonna drive you home tonight?” Policastro took that as an intentionally humorous choice for the closing piece of the album considering that the album is dedicated to a champagne bar. Andy Pratt returns with reverb and Policastro’s bass solo is cool as can be. Pratt’s touch-playing during the bass solo is a fine feature. Avery helps make the song coalesce into a Jazz number with his drumming.

“POPS!” is the Joe Policastro Trio’s way of reminding us that not all Jazz comes from Jazz originals. Taking great Pop songs—and some that may have been not truly great—Joe Policastro has arranged fine Jazz tunes and the trio, with special guests, have rendered them with the love and respect due them. There is emotional attachment to the originals and the trio makes them sing with a new voice and new meaning. I wish Prince and Billy Paul could have heard what the Joe Policastro Trio recreated for them.
 
 
 
~Travis Rogers, Jr. is The Jazz Owl