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All About Jazz goes “Outside the Line” with Peter Brendler…

www.allaboutjazz.com

Peter Brendler: Outside The Line (2014)

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Published: April 24, 2014

Thirteen years after graduating from Berklee and over a decade into his career as a professional bassist, Peter Brendler has taken the plunge and released his first album as leader, Outside The Line. Look before you leap, as they say. Wise advice, if the quality of this debut is anything to go by.

Brendler has already shown himself to be a bassist with a wide stylistic and dynamic range—powerful and hard-driving onJon Irabagon‘s wild and wacky Foxy (Hot Cup Records, 2010), in company with veteran drummerBarry Altschul; gentle and mellow alongside guitarist John Abercrombie on The Angle Below(Steeplechase Records, 2013). His playing on Outside The Line provides further evidence for his adaptability. His sound is characteristically bouncy and fat, but capable of subtle changes, twists and turns—drummer Vinnie Sperrazza‘s lighter touch contrasts well with Brendler’s tone.

Three disparate cover versions adorn Outside The Line. The band kicks things off with a punchy take on Chet Baker‘s “Freeway,” Peter Evans‘ muted trumpet flying over Brendler and Sperrazza’s driving rhythm. Ornette Coleman‘s “Una Muy Bonita” is altogether gentler than the composer’s version from Change Of The Century (Atlantic, 1959)—thanks especially to Rich Perry‘s tenor sax. Perry starts out by sharing bass duties with Brendler on Lou Reed‘s “Walk On The Wild Side,” helping out with Herbie Flowers‘ iconic lines while Evans takes on the melody, then takes off with a solo of his own. Sperrazza shares credit with Brendler for building the song’s laid-back groove.

Brendler’s own compositions cover stylistic ground from bebop to free jazz to pre-bop romance. “The Golden Ring” shares something of the rhythmic slinkiness of “Walk On The Wild Side”; “Blanket Statement” mixes Coleman-ish sections with hints of Latin grooves; “Openhanded” moves more completely into free territory. “Drop The Mittens” mixes things up—a rock-solid rhythm underpins Evans and Perry’s extended solos, Brendler’s own fluid solo stands alone. “The Darkness” could have come straight from a ’40s crime caper soundtrack—bass, drums, tenor and trumpet all hinting at the heist or the hit to come. “Blackout Reunion” also harks back to the ’40s, a soundtrack to a film noir affair—but before things get too down, “Pharmacology” kicks in and feet are a-tappin.’

Exactly what line Brendler and his chums are outside isn’t totally clear. A quote from legendary American Football coach Bill Parcells adorns the album sleeve—about men with odd-shaped balls—and may suggest a sporting metaphor, who knows. What’s clear is that Outside The Lineconfirms Brendler’s reputation as a commanding bassist. It also establishes his credentials as a band leader—hopefully this is a quartet with staying power—and as a composer with a sense of stylistic adventure and an ear for a decent tune. The world really can’t get enough of those.

Track Listing: Freeway; Blackout Reunion; Pharmacology; Lawn Darts; Walk On The Wild Side; Blanket Statement; Una Muy Bonita; Openhanded; Drop The Mittens; Indelible Mark; The Darkness; The Golden Ring.

Personnel: Peter Brendler: double bass; Peter Evans: trumpet, piccolo trumpet; Rich Perry: tenor saxophone; Vinnie Sperrazza: drums.

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SomethingElse Reviews “Outside the Line”…

somethingelsereviews.com

I first encountered the savvy of Peter Brendler’s bass when sizing up Jon Irabagon’s wild, seventy-eight minute improvisation ride, Foxy (2010). As the guy placed in between Irabagon’s sax and Barry Altschul’s drums, they wouldn’t have been able to pull this off if not for Brendler’s heroics keeping the tune firmly centered while the other two took endless excursions outside of it.

Brendler’s got a lot of other noteworthy sideman appearances (including an album co-led with guitar legend John Abercrombie just last year), but not nearly enough as the sole leader, because his debut Outside the Line(April 15, 2104, Posi-Tone Records) brings forward the daring and elasticity found in much of his session work. That, and some imaginative composing/interpretations to boot.

For his first album, the bassist goes without a piano, guitar or any other chordal instrument, creating more space that his bass can occupy. He’s put a tenor sax (Rich Perry) and trumpet (Peter Evans) in front of him and Vinnie Sperrazza’s drums alongside his acoustic bass.

Outside the Line implies “outside jazz,” but aside from the relatively brief free jazz exercise “Openhanded,” the album doesn’t explicitly venture into the abyss for more than a segment within a song (such as, the fantastic, well-attuned four-way improvisation found on “Indelible Mark”). This isn’t to state that there aren’t chances being taken all over the LP, because there’s plenty of that going on.

 

It gets going right away with a succinct, impish rendering of Chet Baker’s “Freeway.” Evans is on a muted trumpet playing a high-pitched contrast to Perry’s tenor. Both seem to be keenly aware that they have a short time to make an impression and make the most of it, with great back and forth between the two. Brendler’s got the underlying harmony locked down so well you don’t even notice the missing piano, and that’s how it goes for the rest of the record.

Brendler’s original “Lawn Darts” is in the classic style bop theme but it wobbles and yet never falls down. The rhythm section vacillates effortlessly between blues walk and swing, giving the horns a shifting platform to operate on, and they respond vigorously to the challenge. Brendler often comes up with bass figures that set the groundwork for the development of a song, and “Drop The Mittens” is one a tune built on his funky repeating figure. Sperrazza’s rhythm is festive even as the song is in a dark key. Well into the performance, Brendler unexpectedly switches over to a new figure to signal the changing of the soloing duties from Perry to Evans and the song slows down for a coda composed of yet another motif.

“Una Mas Bonita” is an Ornette Coleman cover that Brendler introduces on his own, setting down the guideposts for the horn players. Just as Evans takes over for Perry, the song is off to the races and the trumpeters tears off lightning fast runs until the song returns its unhurried pace. Lou Reed’s “Walk On The Wild Side” has that iconic blues vamp that is so jazzy, it makes you wonder why this song isn’t covered more by the jazz community. Evans undertakes a vulnerable lyrical lead, and Perry harmonizes with Brendler until it’s time for him to play his more soulful solo.

By at once going inside and outside, as well as respecting tradition and racing toward the frontier, Peter Brendler makes his long overdue first album well worth waiting for.

 

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Another write-up for Peter Brendler “Outside the Line”…

www.wonderingsound.com

Peter Brendler, Outside the Line: Nice modern set from bassist Brendler, who brings a strong quartet to the table with drummer Vinnie Sperrazza, trumpeter Peter Evans, and saxophonist Rich Perry. A post-bop album that allows its seams to become frayed and its joints loosened, creating shifts in sound to something freer and untamed… makes for some nice marks of contrast without having to strain album cohesion. Also, a supremely enjoyable rendition of Lou Reed’s “Walk on the Wild Side.” Always nice to see Peter Evans sitting in on an album… one of those names that pretty much guarantees that a recording is going to sound at least a little bit different than others situated in similar territory.

 

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Step Tempest goes positively Posi-Tone again…

steptempest.blogspot.com

Positively Posi-Tone (Part 2)

Bassist Peter Brendler, a native of Baltimore, Maryland, graduated from the Berklee School of Music and then went on to the Master’s Program at the Manhattan School of Music. He’s worked with pianist Frank Kimbrough, drummer Barry Altshul, and saxophonist Jon Irabagon (who recorded his “Foxy” CD with Altshul and Brendler) and his debut as a co-leader was a 2013 date with guitarist John Abercrombie.

Outside The Line” is the first CD under his name only and is a “smoker” from the get-go.  Featuring Rich Perry (tenor saxophone),Peter Evans (trumpet, piccolo trumpet) and Vinnie Sperrazza(drums), the quartet rambles, rumbles, “splats”, sputters, wails, struts and strolls through a 12-song program that features 9 originals and 3 inspired covers.

On the “covers” side, the program starts with the band speeding through Chet Baker’s “Freeway“, a hard-bop romp that features Sperrazza’s “dazzle-dazzle” brushwork, Evans’ inspired piccolo trumpet work and Perry’s bluesy sax work.  There’s a funky recreation of Lou Reed’s “Walk On the Wild Side“, complete with Perry and Evans taking the part of the “doot-da-doot-da-doot” chorus. Sperrazza’s inspired brush work and the leader’s full-toned bass notes give the soloists plenty of support.  The final cover is an inspired reading of Ornette Coleman’s “Una Muy Bonita” which opens with a fine bass solo that slowly eases into the recognizable melody (the foursome does an excellent job of shifting the tempo throughout).

 

Several of Brendler’s originals hew close to the Coleman Atlantic Records Quartet sound, such as the hard-driving “Lawn Darts” (it’s a treat listening to how the bass and drums work together and independently to move this music forward).  In another direction, “Pharmacology” is a bopping blues track with a melody line that could have been played by the Clifford Brown-Max Roach Quintet.  Evans and Sperrazza goose each other along during the trumpet solo and then the drummer trades “4’s” with the bassist. There’s a noisy quality to the rapid give-and-take of Perry and Evans on “Openhanded” while “The Darkness” mines the blues in the musicians’ veins.  The trumpet solo pushes against the medium-tempo stroll the bass create while the tenor saxophone joins in on the stroll.  The drone created by the bowed bass, trumpet and saxophone to one “Indelible Mark” induces shivers but also displays Brendler’s splendid technique. He’s the “lead” voice for the opening 1/3rd of the track.  Evans and Perry, though they come from different musical genres (the saxophonist has worked with the Maria Schneider Orchestra while the trumpeter is a mainstay in Mostly Other People Do The Killing), work extremely well together. The CD closes with “The Golden Ring“, a series of ferocious interactions among the quartet. Sperrazza’s drumming is inspired throughout, he and Brendler often function like lead instruments with their own thematic material.

One could call “Outside The Line” “free jazz” but the music is so much more.  The musicians provoke, challenge and complement each other, giving the listener much to chew on.  Peter Brendler has created quite the gem of a CD – I’d put his release right alongside Eric Revis’s smashing new CD “In Memory of Things Yet Seen” as 2 of the best recordings by a bassist of the past several years.  To find out more, go towww.peterbrendler.com.

Drummer Steve Fidyk, the son of a drummer, is, perhaps, best known for his work with big bands (although he has also recorded contemporary Jewish music with Robyn Helzner and played with numerous Symphony orchestras). Meeting drummer/educator Joe Morello (Dave Brubeck Quartet) changed Fidyk’s life as his mentor helped not only how to play but also how to be a better teacher.

Heads Up!” is his debut as a leader and it’s a solid effort. Engineer Michael Marciano (of Systems Two in Brooklyn, NY) does a great job of capturing Fidyk’s excellent brush work.  The quintet for this date features Terell Stafford (trumpet, flugelhorn) Tim Warfield (tenor sax) and rhythm section from the Armed Services, bassist Regan Brough (from the U.S. Army Blues) and guitarist Shawn Purcell (the United States Naval Academy Band).  The 9 cuts include original songs by the leader, such as the energetic opening track “Untimely“, the extremely funky “The Flip Flopper” and the sweet ballad feature for Stafford’s flugelhorn “T.T.J“.  Purcell is an excellent foil for the front line, never intrusive, always supportive.  His work is often subtle, playing quiet chordal patterns behind the soloists; yet, he can cut loose as well, shredding his way through “The Flip Flopper.” His piece for trio, “Might This Be-Bop“, features strong solos from him, bassist Brough and Fidyk.   Stafford is such a great player, whether soaring over the changes as he does on Fidyk’s “The Bender” or playing muted and mellow on the rearrangement of Jules Styne’s “Make Someone Happy.”  He returns to flugelhorn on the slow take on Johnny Nash’s reggae hit “I Can See Clearly Now“, helping to create a big city, late night vibe.  Warfield’s bluesy tenor is heard to great effect on several tracks, including Hank Mobley-like turns on Purcell’s “Last Nerve” and the hard bop cum disco take on Cole Porter’s “Love For Sale.”

Steve Fidyk sounds like he’s having a great time on “Heads Up!”  He keeps the tunes motoring along without intruding while pushing the soloists to greater heights on several occasions.  Posi-Tone Records, like Criss Cross Records, is a label that is often billed as a home for mainstream jazz. In actuality, both labels and their respective producers (Marc Free and Gerry Teekens), like to mix things up.  Yet, “Heads Up!” (which features Criss Cross artist Tim Warfield – he has 7 releases on the Netherlands-based label) is “straight-ahead” and gloriously so.  For more information, go to www.stevefidyk.com.

 

For his 5th Posi-Tone release, tenor saxophonist Doug Webbhas organized a new group of East Coast musicians (3 of his previous 4 previous CDs featured the rhythm section of drummer Gerry Gibbs and bassist Stanley Clarke) – recorded in February 2013, “Another Scene” features the late bassistDwayne Burno (who passed in late December of last year), pianist Peter Zak and the most impressive Rudy Royston (drums).  The change of scenery has energized Webb who picks up on the power of Royston’s drumming and Burno’s muscular bass lines and delivers a strong performance.  That’s not to say this is all fire and no sweetness. There are several fine ballads including Dave Brubeck’s “Southern Scene“, Vernon Duke’s “What Is There to Say” and Benny Carter’s “Only Trust Your Heart” (a duo for saxophone and piano).

However, chances are good you’ll remember the fiery saxophone and drums exchange that makes up “Rhythm With Rudy” and the hard-driving opening 2 tracks, “Mr. Milo” and “One for Art” (dedicated to Webb’s former bassist, the late Dr. Art Davis).   “Another Step” is Webb’s take on John Coltrane’s “Giant Steps“, with the saxophonist lying over the powerful piano chords and hard-charging rhythm section. Later in the program, Webb’s “Verdi Variations” also has a Coltrane feel in the piano chords, the rubato work of Burno and Royston plus the feverish tenor of the leader. In a clever programming turn, the following track is Thad Jones’ “Bird Song”  which features a sweet solo from the leader and a rocking bass statement from Burno.

Another Scene” is, in my opinion, most complete recording I have heard from Doug Webb. His earlier CDs all had their moments but this one has many more.  Could be the great rhythm section, could be that Webb liked the change of scene, could just be his continuing maturity as a performer.  Whatever was in the air on the February day worked its magic on this session.  For more information, go towww.dougwebb.us

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A nice review for Peter Brendler “Outside the Line”…

http://www.criticaljazz.com/2014/04/peter-brendler-outside-line-posi-tone.html

Peter Brendler Outside The Line Posi-Tone 2014

Outside the Line
The most under rated bassist in improvisational music…
Brent Black / www.criticaljazz.com
Peter Brendler is no newbie. Peter Brendler is a critically acclaimed bassist held in high esteem by his contemporaries but he does find himself in an overly crowded field in the jazz mecca of the world thus he probably doesn’t grab the more global ink he so richly deserves. Outside The Lines is a chord less quartet comprised of some forward thinking visionaries that are obviously on the same harmonic page as Brendler. The sound is fresh, open and with a vibrant raw edge of improvisational that pushes both Peter and the band to a more creative level of expression that with most 4tets.
This is not necessarily unfamiliar harmonic territory as it as been done before, it just hasn’t been done this well in about thirty years or more. Two of the three covers can or should immediately grab the attention of most listeners. The late Lou Reed classic “Walk On The Wild Side” is part of the Holy Grail of rock and roll and Brendler’s reharm is nothing short of spectacular. Peter Evans turns in some magnificent solo work while Brendler assumes the subtle soul pumpkin anchor that blows the dust off a timeless classic and turns the tune into something far more special than simply a “cover.” The Ornette Coleman tune “Una Muy Bonita” is deconstructed to a more organic rhythmic groove with a syncopated synergy of lyrical swing. Tenor saxophonist Rich Perry and rising star drummer Vinnie Sperrazza engage in their own melodic conversation which slowly morphs into a smoldering exploratory of rhythm and groove.
Peter Brendler seems to have found a new sense of swing. An open ended improvisational exploratory with a meticulously laid out groove that is the perfect bridge between the more traditional straight ahead sound and the more experimental sound commonly associated with the some disingenuous term “free jazz.” Outside The Line is an apt title for a release where expect the unexpected might be the perfect subtitle. Sophisticated, adventurous yet wildly accessible finds Peter Brendler’s coming out party with his Posi-Tone debut a resounding success!

 

Tracks: Freeway; Blackout Reunion; Pharmacology; Lawn Darts; Walk On The Wild Side; Blanket Statement; Una Moy Bonita; Openhanded; Drop The Mittens; Indelible Mark; The Darkness; The Golden Ring.
Personnel: Rich Perry: Tenor Saxophone; Peter Evans: Trumpet and Piccolo Trumpet; Peter Brendler: Bass; Vinnie Sperrazza: Drums.

 

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Step Tempest goes on about Tom Tallitsch’s “Ride”…

steptempest.blogspot.com

Ride” is the 5th CD saxophonist/composer Tom Tallitsch has issued and his second for Posi-Tone Records.  Born in Ohio and now living in Jersey City, New Jersey, Tallitsch has a busy schedule of teaching and playing plus a weekly radio show (8 – 10 p.m. Thursday on WWFM-Jazzon2).  This CD features the impressive rhythm section of Art Hirahara (piano), Peter Brendler (bass) and Rudy Royston (drums) with trombonist Michael Dease joining the front line on 8 of the 11 tracks.

The program opens with the title track, an intense “Ride” for the quartet pushed by the intense drum work of Royston and Tallitsch’s strong tenor work.  Hirahara matches that intensity with a blazing solo that displays the influence of McCoy Tyner.  “Rubbernecker” has a similar feel but with a deceptive melody. Again, the rhythm section lights the fire and the leader carries the torch through a fiery solo.  The soulful ballad “Rain” displays another side of Tallitsch’s playing, his full-tone and sustained notes telling a story.  Brendler takes a very melodic solo over the simple time-keeping of Royston and Hirahara’s impressionistic chords. “Life on Mars” is an intelligent reading of the David Bowie composition, Tallitsch’s tenor sticking to the melody supported by Dease’s trombone and the fulsome piano chords.  Dease also adds heft to the melody line and backgrounds of “The Giving Tree” – his full tone adds a hearty counterpoint to the tenor on the group’s reading of Led Zeppelin’s “Ten Years Gone.”  Dease steps out on the Tallitsch original “El Luchador“, his intense solo pushing the bass and drums to respond in kind. The Quintet “gets down” on “Knuckle Dragger“, a pleasing slab of funky blues that is ever-so-playful.

Tom Tallitsch is one of those rare contemporary tenor saxophonists who does not sound overly influenced by John Coltrane, Wayne Shorter or Michael Brecker.  He’s studied with both Joe Henderson and Chris Potter plus it’s obvious from his wide-ranging material that he listens to many different styles of music.  The band on “Ride” makes music that not only captures your ears but also your soul – to take a test drive, go to www.posi-tone.com/ride/ride.html.

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Burning Ambulance goes for a “Ride” with Tom Tallitsch…

http://burningambulance.com

Tom Tallitsch: Going For A Ride

tallitsch

Tenor saxophonist Tom Tallitsch has put together a tight, empathetic band for his second CD on the Posi-Tone label (fifth release overall). Ride (buy it from Amazon/download it from Amazon MP3) features nine of his own compositions and two covers—David Bowie‘s “Life On Mars” and Led Zeppelin‘s “Ten Years Gone”—performed by trombonist Michael Dease, pianist Art Hirahara, bassist Peter Brendler, and drummer Rudy Royston. Tallitsch’s music is easy to like; the melodies are strong and memorable, the rhythms are steady and energetic, and the solos are extrapolations, rather than drop-everything fits of improvisatory excess.

The opening title track is built around a simple, clarion-call hook that sounds like something John Coltrane might have written in 1959. Dease sits this one out, leaving Tallitsch to sprint atop the road laid down by Brendler’s race-walking bass and Royston’s powerful, cracking drums. (His snare sound on this album alone makes it worth a listen or ten.) Hirahara drops chords into place like a bricklayer, before taking off on a lyrical, McCoy Tyner-esque solo. The leader’s soloing is disciplined but aggressive, staying in the tenor’s lower range to the point of almost sounding like a baritone at times. This eruptive opener is followed, though, by the patiently explored “Life On Mars,” on which barely any amendments are made to the melody. Dease’s trombone offers swelling tones in the background, where strings would be on a rock record, and Royston’s clattering drums are almost a lead instrument. This track is so hooky and strong, it almost seems designed for radio play.

Three more originals follow: “Rubbernecker,” “Rain,” and “The Giving Tree.” In order, they are: another hard-bop swinger in the vein of “Ride,” with Dease again absent but Tallitsch and Hirahara going full-bore as Royston’s crisp snare goads everyone along; a swaying ballad that offers Brendler a solo spot, and finds the leader playing with his horn’s upper register, getting perilously close to soprano territory; and a strutting, almost Latin number on which the trombonist finally returns, but again, he’s only adding a harmonic voice, and doesn’t solo.

The version of Led Zeppelin‘s “Ten Years Gone” that kicks off the album’s second half is less slavishly bound to the melody than the version of “Life On Mars” was. The band takes the simple, crashing blues chords as a framework for some impressive soloing, with Dease offering a countermelody behind Tallitsch that sound earwormingly reminiscent of the chorus to alternative rock act Marcy Playground‘s mid ’90s hit, “Sex and Candy.” The next piece up, “El Luchador,” is Brazilian in feel, despite its Mexican-referencing name (luchadors are masked Mexican wrestlers), and marks Dease’s first full-on trombone solo. It’s a highlight of the album—he’s fast and technical, pumping out crisply articulated bursts of notes rather than the smeary tones the trombone’s mostly known for, while maintaining a tight grip on the song’s melody and rhythm.

“The Myth” is about as abstract and scribbly as Ride ever gets—on this track, the band moves away from the punchy, classicist-but-not-retro hard bop they’ve been exploring for most of the album, in favor of a more winding, complex melody line and a more expansive rhythmic approach that make me think of Woody Shaw. There’s something about this track that calls to mind acoustic jazz of the 1970s (though fortunately, we’re spared that bouncy rubber-band bass sound). Dease gets another solo on the somewhat woozy “Knuckle Dragger,” and he’s looser and bluesier, still unleashing flurries of crisply chosen notes at times but also going for long ribbonlike tones. “The Path” is another burner, and the album ends with “Turtle,” an atmospheric but swinging track that feels indebted to the adventurous Blue Note albums of 1963-64—Bobby Hutcherson‘s DialogueAndrew Hill‘s Black FireGrachan Moncur III‘s Evolution, and the like. Dease is the lead player here, and his full, heartfelt tone, as well as his ability to ride a melody like a champion surfer (with Tallitsch right beside him), makes this a perfect closer to one of the most purely pleasurable jazz albums of 2014 so far.

Phil Freeman

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Dan Bilawsky reviews several new Posi-Tone Releases for AAJ…

http://www.allaboutjazz.com

Some labels release a few records a year; some put out a record every month or two; and then there are those, like the Los Angeles-based Posi-Tone Records, that prefer to push even more music through the pipeline.

As 2014 came into being, Posi-Tone began an ambitious release schedule, putting out a new album every few weeks. Those who cover jazz and follow the scene intently can’t seem to turn around these days without bumping into one of their discs. Everything from groove dates to post-bop parties to beyond-the-norm entries fly under the banner of this small-but-thriving label. Here’s a look at four from the ever-growing Posi-Tone pile.

Brian Charette
Square One
Posi-Tone
2014

Organist Brian Charette has appeared as a sideman on several albums for this imprint, but Square One is his leader debut for Posi-Tone. He works with the tried-and-true organ trio format here and it suits him well.

Guitarist Yotam Silberstein and drummer Mark Ferber join Charette for what starts out solid and turns into a hell of a ride. The first few tracks on this one almost almost seem like a warm-up, as the band finds its footing with funk-to-swing fun (“Aaight!”), pays respect to Larry Young(saxophonist Joe Henderson’s “If”), and pleasantly waltzes on by (“Three Martina”). All of this material comes together well, but sparks don’t always fly. That all changes when the band finds its stride with The Meters’ “Ease Back.” That track, which comes at the midpoint of the album, starts the winning streak. Everything that follows is superb. Ferber’s snare drum groove on “A Fantasy” makes the song, Silberstein pulls out some Lionel Loueke-esque sounds on “Things You Don’t Mean,” and the whole band becomes strikingly unhinged during “Ten Bars For Eddie Harris.”

Charette’s ability to hunker down into a groove, look to the outer limits, or switch between the two at a moment’s notice helps to keep listeners on their toes during this delightful and occasionally daring date.

Jared Gold
JG3+3
Posi-Tone
2014

Jared Gold, like Charette, has never subscribed to old school organ orthodoxy. He’ll give the past its due, but he works in the present. This is his seventh album in seven years—all released on Posi-Tone—and it finds him fronting an augmented organ trio, with three horns added to the mix. These other voices don’t dominate the program, but they do get to step out on occasion, round out the sound of the group, create some harmonic heft, and add some secondary colors to these pieces.

The album opens on Gold’s slow swinging “Pendulum,” guitarist Dave Stryker’s crackling “Spirits,” and Julian “Cannonball” Adderley’s gospel-inflected “Sermonette,” complete with some baritone saxophone preaching from Jason W. Marshall. The attention then shifts to the core trio during a take on James Taylor’s “Shower The People” that shifts focus from nuanced texture painting to slick-and-slippery funk. Drummer Sylvia Cuenca steals the show on a burning “No Moon At All,” trumpeter Tatum Greenblatt steps up to the plate on “I Just Can’t Stop Loving You,” and alto saxophonist Patrick Cornelius gets to shine on Gold’s lively-and-bouncy “Fantified.” This mostly-covers set finishes with two more, as a smoking “Cubano Chant” and comfortable “Charcoal Blues” finish things off in style.
Steve Fidyk
Heads Up!
Posi-Tone
2014

Drummer Steve Fidyk is best known for his sideman and studio contributions, writing for Modern Drummer magazine, and work with the Taylor/Fidyk Big Band. Here, he makes his bones with the Posi-Tone gang by fronting a quintet that features a pair of heavy-hitters—trumpeterTerell Stafford and saxophonist Tim Warfield. The program contains four Fidyk originals, two numbers from guitarist Shawn Purcell, and three covers.

Heads Up!, like the aforementioned Charette album, doesn’t start out with the most distinctive music on the disc. It’s the first cover—”Make Someone Happy”—that, strangely enough, gives Fidyk’s music its own identity. A muted Stafford draws focus as Fidyk’s brushes glide along below. From that point on, most everything makes its mark. Purcell’s guitar and Regan Brough’s bass join together for the Charlie Parker-ish “Might This Be-Bop,” which is also bolstered by Fidyk’s brushes, and Stafford picks up his flugelhorn for an uncommonly slow and beautiful take on “I Can See Clearly Now.”

Fidyk’s most notable originals—”The Flip Flopper,” a funky tune with some memorable guitar work from Purcell, and the warm-hearted “T.T.J.”—come later in the album, but it’s Cole Porterthat has the final word; Fidyk and company finish with a metrically-altered “Love For Sale” that’s pure fun.

Tom Tallitsch
Ride
Posi-Tone
2014

Saxophonist Tom Tallitsch focuses on his own music on his second release on Posi-Tone and fifth date as a leader. He throws in David Bowie’s “Life On Mars” and Led Zeppelin’s “Ten Years Gone” for good measure, but the other nine tracks are all of his making.

Tallitsch proves to be a commanding player throughout Ride, but it’s the sidemen that help to bring out the best in the music. Rock solid players like pianist Art Hirahara and bassistPeter Brendler help to keep things running smoothly, guest trombonist Michael Dease brings the heat, and Rudy Royston, the seemingly ubiquitous super drummer, adds some wattage to Tallitsch’s tunes. Royston’s in high spirits on the title track and he drives the hell out of a few other numbers.

While the faster material always carries excitement with it, Talitsch’s strongest pieces aren’t the burners. “Rain,” which Tallitsch accurately frames as “gospel country,” the Brazilian-tinged “El Luchador,” which gives Dease a chance to shine, and the bluesy “Knuckle Dragger” all leave more of a lasting impression on the ear.

Tracks and Personnel

Square One

Tracks: Aaight!; If; Three For Martina; People On Trains; True Love; Ease Back; Time Changes; A Fantasy; Yei Fei; Things You Don’t Mean; Ten Bars For Eddie Harris.

Personnel: Brian Charette: organ; Yotam Silberstein: guitar; Mark Ferber: drums.

JG3+3

Tracks: Pendulum; Spirits; Sermonette; Shower The People; No Moon At All; I Just Can’t Stop Loving You; Fantified; Cubano Chant; Charcoal Blues.

Personnel: Jared Gold: organ; Dave Stryker: guitar; Sylvia Cuenca: drums; Patrick Cornelius: alto saxophone; Jason Marshall: baritone saxophone; Tatum Greenblatt: trumpet.

Heads Up!

Tracks: Untimely; Last Nerve; Make Someone Happy; Might This Be-Bop; I Can See Clearly Now; The Flip Flopper; The Bender; T.T.J.; Love For Sale.

Personnel: Steve Fidyk: drums; Terell Stafford: trumpet, flugelhorn; Tim Warfield: tenor saxophone; Shawn Purcell: guitar; Regan Brough: bass.

Ride

Tracks: Ride; Life On Mars; Rubbernecker; Rain; The Giving Tree; Ten Years Gone; El Luchador; The Myth; Knuckle Dragger; The Path; Turtle.

Personnel: Tom Tallitsch: tenor saxophone; Michael Dease; trombone; Art Hirahara: piano; Peter Brendler: bass; Rudy Royston.

 
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SomethingElse Reviews Tom Tallitsch “Ride”…

http://somethingelsereviews.com

Two years after Heads of Tales , a searing date backed by Jared Gold, Mark Ferber and David Allen, tenor saxman Tom Tallitsch returns with another strong crew for Ride (March 4, Posi-Tone Records), in fact arguably even more so: Rudy Royston on drums, Art Hirahara on piano, Peter Brendler on bass and the phenomenal Michael Dease on trombone.

The change-up in instrumentation does nothing to change Tallitsch’s mission of evangelizing the hard bop form through the bell of his saxophone. Ride swings and grooves with flawless proficiency by guys who aren’t just going through the motions. Tallitsch’s traditionally minded saxophone diction never forgets that soul is an important part of it, but so is forgetting a lick once it’s played, too. That’s why he can go a while on a solo as he does on “El Luchador” and keep it interesting all the way through. And he can swing like the old masters, amply demonstrated on cuts like “The Giving Tree.”

Dease isn’t present on every track, but when he’s called in to help, he provides the perfect foil, and his solos on “El Luchador,” “Turtle” and especially “Knuckle Dragger” are fluid and full of character but in a graceful way. The rhythm section makes a lot of hay on the spicier numbers like “The Myth,” and Royston leaves behind a show stopping display on drums during his break on “Ride,” while Hirahara shines on “The Path.” Also during “The Path,” Brendler’s against-the-grain bass line offers up a funky counterpoint.

During the last go-around Tallitsch adapted a song from a rock icon (Neil Young’s “Don’t Let It Bring You Down”) into the jazz form the right way, by embracing the core melody. He does this again on Ride, putting his own stamp on David Bowie’s lofty gem “Life On Mars” and Led Zeppelin’s Physical Graffiti deep cut, the splendidly downtrodden “Ten Years Gone.” On the former tune, Tallitsch’s sax takes on the vocal role, his sax accurately locating the emotional center of the song. For the Page/Plant song, he doubles with Dease to give it a late 60s Jazz Crusaders-type groove, but one that maintains the original’s serious tone.

New personnel and backup instrumentation doesn’t matter; Ride is another sturdy, deft straight-ahead affair from Tom Tallitsch.

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Music and More reviews Tom Tallitsch new CD “Ride”…

http://jazzandblues.blogspot.com

Tom Tallitsch is a tenor saxophone player working on the modern mainstream scene, recording as a leader and a sideman regularly. He is accompanied by Art Hirahara on piano, Mike Dease on trombone, Peter Brendler on bazz and Rudy Royston on drums. “Ride” opens the album with a strong beginning that builds to a boiling tempo and fine saxophone solo and an exciting drum solo. The David Bowie song “Life on Mars” was a surprise, but a pleasant one as Tallitsch steps back and plays a nice lyrical performance. “Rubbernecker” ramps the music back up to quick modern jazz, fast and loose with escalating and cascading waves of notes and rippling piano, bass and drums interlude. Tallitsch and Dease harmonize during the beginning of “The Giving Tree” staying taught before the leader’s saxophone is able to break free with a well controlled solo underpinned by pulsating bass. It is a great solo with a waterfall of streaming sound. “The Myth” is a longer performance, opening calmly before worrying in some more nervous dynamics as the tempo of the performance increases and Tallitsch makes his solo faster and faster. Royston is excellent here developing rhythms that shift and change in an exciting manner. (March 4, 2014)