Mekiel Reuben
Cookin' In East L.A.
(Mek Muse)
Mekiel Reuben is a fine alto and tenor saxophonist who, on Cookin' In East L.A., plays in the smooth field. His
tones and his conception recall the late Grover Washington Jr. and, like Washington, he often stretches the
idiom in his solos.
The music on this CD is comprised of five of Reuben's originals plus remakes of such pop songs as “Baby Come
To Me,” “Operator” and “I Keep Forgettin'.” While Reuben plays well, his backup group is purposely anonymous.
Each selection (with one exception) clocks in between four and five minutes in an obvious bid for radio airplay.
Every selection has a good-natured groove, danceable rhythms and heated sax. Hopefully in the future Mekiel
Reuben will choose to record in a more challenging setting but, for now, this is an excellent effort, available from
www.mekielreuben.com.
Burke/Vidacovich/Shields/Bouchon
Clarinets
(GHB)
Brunies/Delaney/Miller
The Out-Of-Towners
(GHB)
Joe Mares, the younger brother of Paul Mares (famous for being the cornetist with the New Orleans Rhythm
Kings during 1922-25), was an amateur clarinetist who loved New Orleans jazz. After recording some New
Orleans groups and selling the music to other labels, in 1953 he founded his own record company Southland. Its
prime was during the first ten years when Mares recorded a variety of top local and visiting artists. Unlike on
some of the other New Orleans jazz records of the time, the musicians on Southland were always in-tune, they
were skilled equally as soloists and ensemble players, and their sessions tended to be concise, often just four or
six songs since Mares liked to combine together different bands on the same album.
George Buck purchased the label in 1969 and has gradually reissued most of the Southland dates. Clarinets
has some of the finest playing by clarinetists Raymond Burke and Pinky Vidacovich that was ever recorded, both
from 1960. Burke, a legend among fans of New Orleans clarinetists, is in excellent form on a quintet date that
has Jeff Riddick on piano and his dated but charming organ. In addition to the five numbers originally released
(which include “Eccentric,” “I'm Forever Blowin' Bubbles” and “Riverboat Shuffle”), two versions of “Smiles” (with
drummer Monk Hazel on vocals) are being released for the first time. Pinky Vidacovich, a largely forgotten name,
is heard on five numbers in a quintet with pianist Armand Hug including “Sidewalks Of New York” and “Rose
Room.”
Also on Clarinets are clarinetist Harry Shields and tenor-saxophonist Lester Bouchon. They both perform “Singin'
The Blues” and “Alice Blue Gown” on Mar. 8, 1954 with the same rhythm section. The Shields tracks were never
released although they are fine; Joe Mares obviously preferred Lester Bouchon's versions.
The Out-Of-Towners received its name because the three sessions on this CD feature such imports as
trombonist George Brunies, trumpeters Teddy Buckner and Lee Collins, clarinetist Matty Matlock, and tenor-
saxophonist Eddie Miller, none of whom were living in New Orleans at the time. Brunies, Buckner and Matlock
comprise a powerful front line with Buckner in particularly excellent form. Lee Collins and Raymond Burke are
strong assets on a session by trombonist Jack Delaney while Eddie Miller romps on five numbers with Armand
Hug in a quintet. Of the 15 selections on this CD, four were previously unreleased. Dating from 1953-58, the
music on The Out-Of-Towners is 1950s New Orleans jazz at its best.
Both sets are highly recommended to classic jazz, dixieland and New Orleans jazz fans, and are available from
www.jazzology.com.
Terry Medeiros
Forever More
(Guard Dog Music)
Terry Medeiros spent large parts of his career playing guitar in Hawaii and San Francisco including opening for
the Doors, working at the Fillmore, and appearing on a countless number of studio sessions. He moved to Los
Angeles in 1987, worked with the blues group Raging Sun, and in recent years has switched to jazz.
On Forever More, Medeiros performs 11 of his originals in a trio with bassist William Bongiovanni and drummer
Korey Mall. Although the guitar-bass-drums lineup may make one think of a rockish power trio, the music is
actually quiet, gentle West Coast cool jazz. The power and the intensity are felt beneath the surface and at a low
volume, sort of like Jimmy Raney's playing in the 1950s although not at all derivative.
The songs, which are sometimes based on common chord changes, are attractive and have fresh melodies.
Medeiros has a fine command of the bop and cool jazz vocabulary. Bongiovanni and Mall are closely attuned to
the guitarist's ideas, and together they form a tight trio, one that is well worth hearing.
This fine small label set is available from www.terrymedeiros.com.
Lavay Smith
Miss Smith To You!
(Fat Note)
A fixture in the San Francisco Bay area who tours regularly, Lavay Smith is a singer who would fit in perfectly in
the 1945 music scene. Her bluesy vocals hint at Dinah Washington while also being quite personal. Joined by
her husband pianist-arranger Chris Siebert and the Red Hot Skillet Lickers, she is in excellent form throughout
her third CD.
Ms. Smith makes most of the songs, which include “It Don't Mean A Thing,” “Daddy,” “I Ain't Got Nothing But The
Blues” and “Need A Little Sugar In My Bowl,” sound fresh and lively. Two overlapping versions of the Red Hot
Skillet Lickers, a nine-piece group that could pass for an Illinois Jacquet band from the late 1940s, add a lot of
excitement to the music. The key soloists include tenor-saxophonist Howard Wiley (Ron Stallings is on three
numbers), trombonist Danny Armstrong, altoist Charles McNeal and trumpeter Allan Smith with altoist Jules
Broussard making two guest appearances. Armstrong interacts vocally with Lavay on four songs. Lavay Smith
shows versatility throughout, always swings, and infuses the music with sensuality without taking it all too
seriously.
Fans of small group swing, early r&b and hot music will find much to enjoy on this well-rounded set, available
from www.lavaysmith.com.
Scott LaFaro
Pieces Of Jade
(Resonance)
Scott LaFaro's death in a car accident in 1961 was a major loss. Just 25, LaFaro had during the seven years he
had played bass already become a major innovator, and he had just gotten started. Best remembered for his
association with Bill Evans, LaFaro also sounded quite comfortable playing with a wide range of jazz musicians
that included Stan Getz and Ornette Coleman. His solo abilities and use of the upper register of the bass put him
at the top of his field.
Pieces Of Jade consists of previously unheard and rare material. Released in conjunction with a book on the
bassist written by his sister Helene LaFaro Fernandez (called Jade Visions), the CD starts off with five selections
from a trio date with pianist Don Friedman and drummer Pete LaRoca that was only previously out on a
Japanese CD. Essentially the Bill Evans Trio with Friedman in Evans' spot, the interplay between the three
musicians is similar, with LaFaro taking an active role on three standards and two versions of Friedman's “Sacre
Bleu.”
Next is an intriguing if somewhat repetitive 22 1/2 minute rehearsal tape from 1960 that features Evans and
LaFaro working on “My Foolish Heart. This is followed by an interview with Evans about LaFaro that producer
George Klabin conducted in 1966. The head of Resonance Records, Klabin has had possession of both the
interview and the rehearsal tape for decades, finally having the perfect place to make them available..
This tribute CD concludes with Dave Friedman in 1985 performing his own “Memories For Scotty”as a solo
homage to the great bassist. Scott LaFaro collectors and those who are interested in the evolution of the string
bass will certainly want this valuable CD, available from www.resonancerecords.org.
Mark Lambert
Under My Skin
(Challenge)
Mark Lambert is a crooner with a quiet and likable voice who also plays guitar well. On Under My Skin, he mostly
explores standards while joined by pianist-arranger Vana Gierig, bassist Matthew Parrish, drummer Alvester
Garnett, occasionally percussionist Vinicius Barros, and the strings of the Avenue C Orchestra
A few of the arrangements are unusual because they display influences from Arabic, French and Brazilian music,
most notably “I Love Paris” which has pre-recorded chants from recent street protests in Paris. Most of the other
songs are more conventional but quite enjoyable, with pianist Gierig taking fine solos. Lambert gives the right
amount of restrained feeling to such standards as “I've Got You Under My Skin,” a swinging “Tenderly” and
“Without A Song.” Betty Carter's “Tight” is an offbeat success (with an excellent guitar solo) while trying to turn
“Sunshine Of Your Love” into a swinging jazz piece is a well-intentioned flop; it is just not strong enough a song..
On Under My Skin, Mark Lambert successfully stakes out his claim as a modern-day crooner next to Harry
Connick Jr. and Jamie Cullum. If he sticks to this style of music, he has the potential to make an impact on the
music world. This excellent set is available from www.marklambertmusic.com
Django Reinhardt
Postwar Recordings 1944-1953
(JSP)
Django Reinhardt
Django On The Radio
(JSP)
When one hears about the great gypsy jazz guitarist Django Reinhardt, it is usually about his years co-leading
the Quintet of the Hot Club of France with violinist Stephane Grappelli (1933-39). A banjoist in the mid-1920s
who played French dance music, Reinhardt survived a fire that crippled one of his hands, came up with a new
way of chording on the acoustic guitar to compensate for his disability, and discovered jazz. By the time he
began teaming up with Grappelli in their all-string quintet (violin, three guitars and bass), Django was on his way
to not only being the top European jazz musician but the #1 jazz guitarist in the world. The Quintet lasted until the
outbreak of World War II. when Grappelli decided to stay in England while Reinhardt returned to the soon-to-be
occupied mainland. Little was heard of the guitarist during the next four years but he was quite active, appearing
and recording in a wide variety of settings (from heading a big band to playing unaccompanied solos) while
doing his best to elude the Nazis. Near the end of World War II, it was big news when it was discovered that
Django was alive and well.
Most sketches on Reinhardt dismiss his playing during the final nine years before his premature death in 1953
from a stroke, and this final period of his life is greatly under publicized and misunderstood. Django first switched
to electric guitar in 1946 during his only visit to the United States, a disappointing tour with Duke Ellington during
which the guitarist was unreliable and Ellington did not bother writing any pieces to feature him with the
orchestra. By 1947, Reinhardt was exploring both the electric guitar and bebop and, although he did not play
any Charlie Parker or Dizzy Gillespie songs, he wrote new tunes that were definitely boppish. There were a few
recorded reunions with Grappelli (including some marathon sessions in 1949) and, in his final recordings from
1951-53, Django sounds quite at home with young beboppers. In fact, his guitar playing during that time put him
ahead of such American giants as Tal Farlow, Jimmy Raney and Barney Kessel, but few realized it. When he
passed away in 1953, it was doubly tragic for both Bing Crosby and Norman Granz had plans to use him on
American tours.
The British JSP label has reissued all of Django Reinhardt's recordings and broadcasts of 1944-53 on two five-
CD sets, only leaving out his 1949 Italian sessions which are available on another set. Postwar Recordings 1944-
1953 has Reinhardt in an all-star group with clarinetist Peanuts Hucko and pianist Mel Powell, featured with an
American military band, having his first reunions with Grappelli, jamming two songs with cornetist Rex Stewart,
leading his own big bands, and using clarinetist Hubert Rostaing or Michel de Villers in his quintet. The last four
sessions with the young beboppers match the veteran guitarist with altoists Hubert and Raymond Fol, Bernard
Hullin or Roger Guerin on trumpet, bassist Pierre Michelot and, on the final recordings, pianist Martial Solal. Start
with the final disc and be amazed at how great a bop guitarist Django Reinhardt was in his last years.
Django On The Radio covers the same period by reissuing all of the guitarist's radio broadcasts. The guitarist is
heard with an American military band, on the only four existing selections with Duke Ellington (there is virtually no
interaction between Django and the orchestra), his quintets with Maurice Meurnier, Hubert Rostaing or Gerald
Leveque on clarinet, 15 selections with Grappelli and 16 more numbers with the young French boppers.
Musicians looking for fresh material will find much to discover on these extensive reissues that is well worth
reviving.
While the studio sessions get a slight edge, both of the boxes are perfectly done and essential for all Django
Reinhardt, jazz guitarist and bebop fans. They are available from jsprecords.com.
Wayne Wallace Latin Jazz Quintet
Bien Bien!
(Patois)
For quite a few years now, Wayne Wallace has been one of the top jazz trombonists based in the San Francisco
Bay area. Although he plays a wide variety of music including several jazz styles, Afro-Cuban jazz is clearly one
of the closest to his heart.
On Bien Bien, Wallace is generally the lead voice of a group that also includes pianist Murray Low, bassist David
Belove, drummer Paul van Wageningen and percussionist Mike Spiro. Two songs add trombonists Julian Priester
and Dave Martell and, on “Freedom Jazz Dance,” Kenny Washington and Orlando Torriente take vocals
with Washington showing off his fluent scatting.
Throughout the set, Wayne Wallace is heard at his best, really digging into the material and expressing a wide
variety of emotions over the stirring rhythms. Wallace contributed three originals and other selections include
Sonny Rollins' “Solid,” a pair of Duke Ellington songs (“In A Sentimental Mood” and “Going Up”) and John
Coltrane's “Africa,” serving as proof that anything from the jazz world can be turned into Afro-Cuban jazz! The
rhythm section is strong from both the jazz and Latin standpoints and the music is a success, whether used for
dancers or listened to closely.
This spirited set is available from www.patoisrecords.com.
Enrico Rava
New York Days
(ECM)
Enrico Rava, an important veteran trumpeter from Italy, has recorded many sets for the ECM label through the
years. Rava, who has a mellow tone, tends to play music that is cinematic, quietly dramatic, moody and
thoughtful. He has always has had the knack of naturally blending in with other players and he adds a
melancholy atmosphere whenever it fits the music.
On New York Days, Rava works well with the occasionally fiery tenor of Mark Turner, pianist Stefano Bollani,
bassist Larry Grenadier and drummer Paul Motian. Except for two free group improvisations, all of the selections
on this CD were composed by Rava. While there are some hotter pieces, most of the music takes its time,
building up tension along the way and containing subtle surprises.
This is the type of music that can work well in the background but rewards close listening and repeated playings.
It is recommended and available from www.ecmrecords.com.
Amanda Carr
Common Thread
(Original Music)
Lorenn Peer
Lost Balloons
(LP)
These two CDs both featured talented jazz singers primarily performing standards with ensembles that play the
charts of inventive arrangers.
Amanda Carr, who began her career in the 1980s performing Top-40 tunes, switched gears completely after
discovering the joy of singing standards in the mid-1990s. She has a warm and expressive voice, can improvise
well, and fully understands the lyrics that she interprets. Joined by the 16-piece Kenny Hadley Big Band, her
performances benefit a great deal from the writing of Bob Freedman, who wrote six of the 15 charts especially for
this CD. In addition to some familiar tunes (which usually contain plenty of surprises), such superior obscurities
as “It's A Big Wide Wonderful World,” “Something Wonderful Happens In Summer,” “I Understand” and “I Could
Have Told You” are successfully revived. Along the way, such soloists as tenor-saxophonist Arnie Krakowsky,
trombonist Jeff Galindo and guitarist John Wilkins are heard from with “Broadway” and “I Waited For You” (a
feature for trumpeter Rick Hammett) being instrumentals. Amanda Carr, who has performed with many big
bands during the past decade, sounds perfectly at home in this setting and is comfortable at every tempo,
swinging happily on “No Moon At All.” This is one of her finest recordings to date; it is available from www.
originalmusic.com.
Lorenn Peer's CD opens and closes with a pair of her originals (“Sunset” and “Lost Balloons”). In between, her
renditions of seven standards team her with the Top Dror Sextet, a three-horn group led by her husband Dror
Ben-Gur, who is not only heard taking exciting solos on tenor, soprano, alto and flute but contributed the modern
and colorful arrangements. The sextet is sometimes augmented by vibes, French horn and a string quartet.
Ms. Peer's young voice is versatile and flexible, she handles “Guys & Dolls” and “What Are You Doing The Rest
Of Your Life” with equal skill and, she excels on a revival of the multi-tempo arrangement that Barbra Streisand
used for “Down With Love” in 1963. It is hard to believe that this is her debut (available from www.lorennpeer.
com). Lorenn Peer obviously has a potentially great future.
Coco Montoya
The Essential Coco Montoya
(Blind Pig)
When one thinks of Coco Montoya, it is of a powerful electric blues guitarist who sings forcibly and with passion.
He learned a great deal from Albert Collins (for whom he played drums early on) and spent ten years as a
member of John Mayall's Bluesbreakers before launching his own solo career.
This CD is drawn from the three albums that Coco Montoya recorded for the Blind Pig label during 1995-97: Just
Let Go, Gotta Mind To Travel and Ya Think I'd Know Better. Surprisingly, there are only two lowdown blues (“Do
What You Want To Do” and “You Don't Love Me”) among the dozen selections. The other music mostly includes
blues ballads, a bit of country and pop plus all-out rock. While Montoya's guitar is always bluish and his vocals
are sincere and assertive, this is a more diverse set than expected.
While not his definitive blues set, The Essential Coco Montoya (available from www.blindpigrecords.com) gives
listeners an idea of the range of music that Montoya can excel at. He certainly deserves to be seen live and
more widely known.
Ray Skjelbred and his Cubs
Greetings From Chicago
(Jazzology)
Hal Smith has been the drummer on scores of recording sessions ranging from New Orleans jazz to small-group
swing and various idioms in between. He recently told me that Greetings From Chicago is the best date that he
has ever been involved with. Although I can think of others that I would rank a bit higher, this is a rewarding
session.
Smith is heard as a sideman with pianist Ray Skjelbred's Cubs which also includes clarinetist Kim Cusack,
guitarist Katie Cavera and bassist Clint Baker. The Baker-Smith rhythm team is always exciting (swinging as hard
as a combo from 1936) while Cusack and Skjelbred are the main soloists. The pianist, who in this setting often
sounds a bit like Jess Stacy or Joe Sullivan, is in top form throughout the 21 selections which include both
vintage standards and such lesser-known tunes as “Oh Baby (Don't Say No, Say 'Maybe'),” “My Galveston Gal,”
“I'll Bet You Tell That To All The Gals,” and “Shanghai Honeymoon.” Cusack's clarinet recalls Pee Wee Russell a
bit although he has a smoother style. There are occasional vocals from the musicians but, as Eddie Condon
would say, “no one gets hurt.”
The results are tasteful, inventive and highly recommended to those who love the hot jazz combos of the 1930s.
Greetings From Chicago is available from www.jazzology.com.
Marty Krystall
Silver Screen In Blue
(K2B2)
When one thinks of Marty Krystall, it is of a virtuoso post bop stylist who can play the music of Thelonious Monk,
Herbie Nichols and other top jazz composers backwards. Best known for his passionate solos on tenor and bass
clarinet, Krystall is one of those underrated greats who has made his living in the Los Angeles studios, mastering
most reeds, sight-reading perfectly, and occasionally surfacing on records to remind us what a great improviser
he is.
Silver Screen In Blue is a change of pace for Marty Krystall sticks exclusively to the clarinet. Joined by a double
string quartet (four violins, two violas and two cellos) plus bass and harp, Krystall performs eight pieces taken
from films. The string arrangements by John Neufeld bring out the beauty in the pieces and keep the music from
being overly predictable. While Krystall plays melodically, he never takes it easy and comes up with fresh ideas
on the stimulating material.
Among the selections that he explores are five songs that became jazz standards (“'Invitation,” Duke Ellington's
“Black And Tan Fantasy,” “The Theme From Spartacus,” “Two For The Road” and “Over The Rainbow”) plus
“The Bad And The Beautiful,” the “Theme From The Best Years Of Our Lives” and, easily the lengthiest
performance, “Fantasy On Themes From Anthony Adverse.” In addition to the clarinetist, there are a few solos
from violinists Bruce Dukov and Ham Shtrum, Brian Dembow on viola and cellist Matthew Cooker that fit well into
the music and give it variety.
Silver Screen In Blue is the type of recording that grows in interest with each listen. It is available from www.k2b2.
com.
Steve Kuhn Trio
Mostly Coltrane
(ECM)
When John Coltrane formed his first working quartet at the beginning of 1960, Steve Kuhn was his pianist.
Coltrane would reluctantly go on a European tour with Miles Davis a little later on and then hire McCoy Tyner for
what would be his classic quartet. Kuhn has had an important career since those days but he never forgot about
his period with Coltrane.
On Mostly Coltrane, Kuhn teams up with tenor-saxophonist Joe Lovano, bassist David Finck and drummer Joey
Baron for an exploration of songs associated with Coltrane. While it is possible that he played “Like Sonny,”
“Central Park West” and “The Night Has A Thousand Eyes” with 'Trane in 1960, most of the other pieces date
from a later period. Kuhn plays in his own post bop style and comes up with fresh creative ideas, escaping from
the potential shadow of McCoy Tyner.
The most difficult role in this quartet date is potentially Joe Lovano's since he is in Coltrane's place. While
sounding a bit more like Coltrane than usual (most of the time in his career Sonny Rollins has been a stronger
influence), Lovano also comes up with new ideas on such songs as “Crescent,” “I Want To Talk About You” and
“Spiritual.” Like Kuhn, he is a powerful enough voice not to feel compelled to merely revive the past.
This ECM set gets its title because Steve Kuhn also contributed two songs of his own: “With Gratitude” and
“Trance.” One could certainly imagine John Coltrane enjoying playing those pieces, and sitting in with this group.
Mostly Coltrane is easily recommended and available from www.ecmrecords.com.
Don Ewell/Yoshio Toyama Duet
Dream A Little Dream Of Me
(Jazzology)
Don Ewell was one of the most skilled stride pianists to emerge after World War II. Although the piano style was
greatly overshadowed by bop, Ewell (along with Ralph Sutton, Dick Hyman and Dick Wellstood) kept it alive for
decades. Ewell was also an expert interpreter of Jelly Roll Morton's music.
Trumpeter Yoshio Toyama is best known for leading the Dixie Saints, a Japanese dixieland band modeled along
Louis Armstrong's All Stars that has played regularly for years at Disneyland in Tokyo. Although in that band he
is cast in the role of Armstrong, when he is heard in other settings, Toyama displays a voice of his own
Dream A Little Dream Of me is a set of duets recorded in Yokohama, Japan in 1975. Both Ewell and Toyama
sound inspired by the setting and it must have been a thrill for the trumpeter to play with one of his idols. They
alternate romps and expressive ballads, with their renditions of “Home,” “King Porter Stomp” and “Exactly Like
You” being standouts. Three numbers, most notably James P. Johnson's “Snowy Morning Blues,” are
outstanding Ewell solo showcases. And for the final three performances, the duo is joined by clarinetist Masahiro
Goth, whose fluent style fits in quite well.
Dream A Little Dream Of Me is a delight from start to finish. Fans of Don Ewell and Yoshio Toyama will certainly
enjoy this, along with dixieland/trad/swing collectors. It is available from www.jazzology.com.
Paul Meyers
World On A String
(Miles High Records)
Throughout his career thus far, acoustic guitarist Paul Meyers has mixed together jazz with Brazilian music in an
approach that is reminiscent of (if more modern than) the late Charlie Byrd. Based in New York, he has played in
a countless number of situations, recorded several CDs of his own and worked extensively with Jon Hendricks
and Andy Bey.
A master of the nylon string finger style guitar, Paul Meyers is in top form throughout World On A String
(available from www.mileshighrecords.com). Teamed with Donny McCaslin (heard on tenor and flute), pianist
Helio Alves, bassist Leo Traversa and drummer-percussionist Vanderlei Pereira, Meyers enjoys mixing up the
music, changing rhythms and moods throughout the date. On “The World On A String,” the set's lone standard,
the arrangement and rhythms evolve and are different for each soloist.
The solos of McCaslin and Alves are so consistently strong that they push Meyers (who contributed seven of the
nine songs) to be at his most creative. Although there are a few Brazilian pieces, this is more of a post bop set.
Highlights include McCaslin's alto flute lead on the haunting “Twilight,” a trio showcase for Meyers on “Plum,” the
solos of McCaslin (who sounds quite powerful on tenor) and pianist Alves on “Panama,” and the romping “North
Meet South.”
It is to Paul Meyers' credit that he allows his sidemen to shine so often, and that, instead of being overshadowed
by their brilliant playing, he is inspired. This set is well worth checking out..
Duck Baker
The Roots & Branches Of American Music
(Les Cousins)
Duck Baker
Everything That Rises Must Converge
(Mighty Quinn)
Few guitarists are as joyfully eclectic as Duck Baker. In his career he has played jazz (everything from New
Orleans jazz and free form to a full set of Herbie Nichols compositions), rags, blues, country, bluegrass, Celtic
music, rock and cajun. He concentrates on acoustic guitar and is thoughtful and lyrical no matter what idiom he is
in.
These two CDs, both unaccompanied solo sets, are very much different in repertoire if not mood. The Roots &
Branches Of American Music (available from www.lescousins.co.uk) gives many clues as to where American
music came from. Along the way Baker plays some Irish music, a song from Mali, “Maple Leaf Rag,” some early
country tunes, a song associated with Bob Wills' Western Swing band, Jelly Roll Morton's “Buddy Bolden's
Blues,” a spiritual, “Say It Simple” (which was identified with Jack Teagarden), “Blue Monk,” “Whistling Rufus,” a
Scottish march, “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot,” and a few other songs. Baker treats all of the folkish melodies with
equal sensitivity and affection, taking his time and bringing out their beauty.
Everything That Rises Must Converge (available from www.mighty-quinn.net) is a set of freely improvised guitar
solos. Although Baker has played free jazz on an occasional basis for over 40 years, very little of it has been
documented. He brings the same sensitivities to these improvs as he does to his interpretations of early folk
songs. While the melodies and plots are made up on the spot (other than the theme of Ornette Coleman's
“Peace”), he does not neglect the use of spontaneous melodies, implied rhythms, and melodic development
when they fit the music and his mood. On first listen, many of these performances sound almost random, but on
repeated listenings, listeners can hear the logic of their directions. Somehow Duck Baker turns many of these
free improvisations into 21st century folk songs.
Both Duck Baker sets are stimulating and well worth listening to closely.
Jon Mayer
Nightscape
(Reservoir)
Pianist Jon Mayer has been such a consistent fixture in Los Angeles area clubs during the past two decades that
it is easy to take him for granted. He has a large repertoire, a steady swinging style, and sophisticated chord
voicings all his own.
Nightscape is the latest in his series of fine trio recordings for Reservoir (www.reservoirmusic.com). With close
interplay from bassist Rufus Reid and drummer Roy McCurdy, Mayer digs into “The Touch Of Your Lips” (which
in his version starts out like “Two Bass Hit”), “Day By Day,” Horace Silver's “Room 608,” “Dancing In The Dark”
and other standards. He also contributes the title cut and the straight ahead “Blues Junction.” Mayer builds up
his solos logically, leaves space for his sidemen, and stakes out his place in today's modern mainstream of jazz.
This set is easily recommended to fans of the jazz piano trio and of Jon Mayer.