A forum for jazz reviews, discussion of new jazz, blues music, the musicians, reviews of recent and historical releases, reviews of live performances, concerts, interviews and almost anything I find of interest.
by Ralph A. Miriello
The year 2022 has had its share of challenges for me, not the least of which was a decision to relocate from the Atlanta, GA area to the Pacific Northwest outside of Portland, OR in Washington state. That all-consuming decision gave me little time to pursue my passionate avocation- listening to and reviewing new and newly reissued or recently unearthed old jazz recordings that deserved note, acknowledgment, and in many instances praise. To try and establish a worthy list to create the traditional year-end recap of the best was, needless to say, a sprint in these last weeks.
There is so much diversity that can easily fall into the ever-expanding category of jazz music. In addition, the overwhelming volume of material being so successfully produced, recorded, and released by a myriad of talented musicians makes it even more difficult to give them all the recognition they deserve. Let's face it, if you love good music, ratings are nothing but one person's guideline to possible avenues of interest and enjoyment. As for labels and categories, the lines have been blurred for quite some time. Purists who love specific categories will never be satisfied if an artist doesn't play music that fits specific rules of qualification. To me, the variety and creativity are what makes jazz so inclusive and so beautiful. Vive la differénce! There seems to never have been more great music to choose from as was produced this year and the possibilities seem endless.
With no further delay, here is my admittedly limited list of the best of jazz for the year 2022, in no particular order of excellence or preference. I hope you will enjoy listening to these selections and are moved enough to get to know these artists better and support their musical efforts by purchasing their incredible work. Happy Holidays to all!
Best of Jazz 2022
Geoff Keezer and Friends:Playdate:MarKeez Records
Grant Geisman: Blooz: Mesa/Blueman Records
w/Randy Brecker, Robben Ford, Tom Scott, Joe Bonamassa, Russell Ferrante, John Jorgensen, Jimmy Cox, Emilio Palame, David Garfield, Trey Henry, Kevin Axt, Ray Brinker, Bernie Dresel, Ricardo Pasillas, Kevin Winard.
Peter Erskine Trio:Live in Italy:Fuzzy Music
w Peter Erskine, Alan Pasqua & Darek Oles
The Tyshawn Sorey Trio +1 w Greg Osby: The Off-Off-Broadway Guide to Synergism:
Pi Records w/ Tyshawn Sorey, Greg Osby, Aaron Diehl & Russell Hall
Dave Stryker: As We Are:Strikezone Records
w Julian Shore, John Patitucci, Brian Blade, Sara Caswell, Monica K. Davis, Bennie van Gutzeit & Marika Hughes:
Claudia Acuna: DUO : Ropeadope Records
w/ Kenny Barron, Christian McBride, Carolina Calvache, Fred Hersch, Russell Malone & Arturo O'Farrill
Boris Kozlov: First Things First :Positone Records
w Art Hirahara, Donny McCaslin, Benn Gillece, Rudy Royston
Jeff Coffin:Between Dreaming & Joy:Ear Up Records
w/ Vincente Archer, Tony Hall, Michael League, Stefan Lessard, Felix Pastorius, Alana Rocklin, Jonathan Wires & Chris Wood.
Steven Feifke & Bijon Watsonpresent Generation Gap Jazz Orchestra: Cellular 20 Records
Reverso: Harmonic Alchemy: OutNote Records
Ryan Keberle, Frank Woeste, Vicent Courtois
Gonzalo Rubalcaba & Trio D'ete: Turning Point:5 Passion Records
w/ Matthew Brewer and Eric Harland
Mary Halvorsen : Amaryllis/Belladonna:NoneSuch Records
w/ Patrice Brennan, Nick Dunston, Jacob Garchik, Adam O'farrill, Thomas Fujiwara, The Mivos String Quartet
w/ Bob Mintzer, Russell Ferrante, Will Kennedy, Dane Alderson
Dave Liebman: Trust and Honesty: Newvelle Records
w Dave Liebman, John Hebert, Ben Monder
Martin Wind: New York Bass Quartet; AIR:Laika Records
Martin Wind, Gregg August, Jordon Frazier, Sam Suggs, Matt Wilson, Lenny White, Gary Versace
Giacomo Gates: You:Savant Records
w Tim Ray, John Lockwood, James Latini
Pete Malinverni : On the Town: Pete Malinverni Plays Leonard Bernstein
w Pete Malinverni, Ugonna Okegwo, Jeff Hamilton: Planet Arts Records
Sara Gazarek: Vanity:
w/ Sara Gazarek, Miro Sprague, Alex Boneham, Christian Euman, Michael Stever, Alan Ferber, Lenard Simpson, Daniel Torem, Adam Schroeder, Brad Allen Williams
Michael Blake: Combobulate: Newvelle Records
w/Michael Blake, Steve Berstein, Clark Grayton, Bob Stewart, Marcus Rojas, Alan Menard
Oz Noy, Ugonna Ukegwo, Ray Marchica :Riverside:Outside in Music Records
Pasquale Grasso: Be-Bop!:Sony Masterworks Records
w/Pasquale Grasso, Ari Rolland, Keith Balla
Steve Cardenas, Ben Allison, Ted Nash: Healing Power:The Music of Carla Bley:Sunnyside Records
The Eubanks Evans Experience: EEE Imani Records
w/ Kevin Eubanks and Orin Evans
Miguel Zenon: Music de Las Americas:
w/ Miguel Zenon, Luis Perdomo, Hans Glawischnig, Henry Cole & Paoli Meijas, Daniel Diaz, Victor Emmanuelli, Los Plenerous De La Cresta
Michael Dease: Best Next Thing:PosiTone Records
w/Michael Dease, Rudresh Mahanthappa, Alex Sipiagin, Rene Rosnes, Boris Kozlov, Rudy Royston.
Cecile McLorin Savant: Ghost Song:Nonesuch Records
w Cecile McLorin Savant, Sullivan Fortner, Aaron Diehl, Alexa Tarantino, Keita Ogawa,Marvin Sewell, James Chirillo, Paul Sikivie, Burniss Travis, Daniel Swenberg, Kyle Poole
JD Allen: Americana Vol 2:Savant Records
w/JD Allen, Gregg August, Nasheet Waites, Charlie Hunter
The Jon Cowherd Trio: Pride And Joy: LeCroq Records
w Jon Cowherd, John Patitucci, Brian Blades, Chirs Potter, Alex Acuna
The Ari Hoenig Trio: Gilad Hekselman, Matt Penman & Ari Hoenig
Monday, October 10, 2022, was my first exposure to Portland’s
live jazz music scene since moving here from the Atlanta area. The venue was a
friendly, intimate, well-appointed supper club called 1905. The
brainchild of the owner Aaron Barnes, a former high school band teacher turned
restaurateur/bartender, 1905 is tucked in the Mississippi section of Portland
and may well be, as Downbeat magazine once proclaimed, “one of the world’s top
jazz venues.”All I can attest to is
that it is certainly an important place to listen to and support fine jazz in Portland.
1905 opened its doors in 2015 as a pizzeria/Italian restaurant/bar that
eventually catered to live jazz music performances. The venue seats close to
fifty attendees within the building and as the weather permits, there is an added generous covered outdoor seating section that is open to the bandstand.
My visit to 1905 was sparked by the chance to see
the top-notch, NY-based band The Ari Hoenig Trio. We attended the early
first set which kicked off at a little after six pm. The trio was an impressive
group, an international flavored potpourri, led by the forty-eight-year-old,
Philadelphia-born, polyrhythmic drumming whirlwind Ari Hoenig, the fleet-fingered Israeli-born guitarist Gilad Hekselman and progressive New Zealand-born bassist Matt Penman. These master musicians have been at the forefront of
a new generation of talented improvisers that honor the tradition of jazz while
blazing new trails of interpretation within the broad scope that encompasses
this genre.
It was an electric performance from the start. The group took
little time to warm up as they started with “Boplicity” from Hoenig’s 2018
album NY Standard. The composition was written by Cleo Henry and
Gil Evans for Miles Davis's 1957 classic Birth of Cool. From the slow
simmer of the thoughtful cool jazz original, the trio stirred the music into a boiling
cauldron of energy led by the drummer’s exuberant brush playing, reminiscent of Jeff Hamilton’s brush mastery. There is a joy in Hoenig’s playing that makes
you just get swept up by his infectious enthusiasm and creative trap work. Hekselman’s
facile guitar lines were successively quicker and more serpentine path from the
theme. Penman’s warm upright anchored the bottom beautifully. This group was
ready to thrill.
Ari Hoenig
The set followed with Hoenig’s beautiful composition “Anymore”
which was on his album Connor’s Days. Hoenig has been known to
sing and play piano on this but here he simply led the group with a polyrhythmic
beat that was mind-blowing. Hekselman explored the harmonic possibilities of
the song to great effect and Penman offered a probing bass solo. This is creative
music at its best.
After some ardent applause from the attentive audience, the trio
embarked on the classic Ray Noble tune “Cherokee,” an Indian love song. The
song’s structure was used as the basis of the more incendiary version “Ko-Ko”
by saxophone master Charlie Parker. The energized approach made the song into a
virtual demonstration of virtuosity and speed. Here the trio took the song and
made it a showcase of Hekselman’s guitar prowess. Gilad is a beautiful player who
creates mercurial lines at impressive speed and without any degradation of clean
precision. Deceivingly, his improvisational skill seems to make it look almost
effortless. Hoenig and Penman provided the guitarist with unrelenting
propulsion and polyrhythmic time shifts to make it all work like a precision
timepiece. The song produced a predictably arousing response from the audience.
Ari finally took up the microphone to introduce the group to
the audience who responded with grateful applause. He introduced the next
selection of the set, a dedication to the pianist/composer Billy Childs, titled
“Child’s Prey” which is on Ari’s latest release Golden Treasures.
I am a big fan of Child’s work, so it is always of interest to listen to a song
that is written with another artist in mind. The composition has an undulating opening that
was originally recorded with pianist Gadi Lehavi on Golden Treasures
following the slithery course that Hoenig creates and is reminiscent of some of
Child’s own work. On this night Hekselman’s guitar was the defining instrument
that laid down the path and he did so with phenomenal aplomb. Penman took his
turn with a potent solo that showed just how facile he is on the upright. The
song features a sustained ostinato section where the music is repeated, creating
a background drone where Hoenig’s drums produce an agitated whirlpool of percussive
sound effects. His arms and legs are like swirling dervishes of momentum and rhythmic
invention. A tireless fusillade of percussive
variation. The performance was just outstanding.
Gilad Hekselman
The group returned with “Guernsey St Gooseneck,” a rhythmic groove
of a composition by Hoenig. The song has Penman and Hoenig maintaining the
groove which becomes amazingly catchy. Looking around the place, I saw most of
the audience, including me, bouncing their heads to this infectiously repeating
groove. With the beat established it left Hekselman with the task of creating some
counterpoint and diversity. The guitarist established loops on his guitar that maintained
different ascending lines upon which he added variations and improvisational
harmonies.
Matt Penman
Never one to leave a beat at a simple 4/4, Hoenig and Penman would occasionally
change the rhythm up. I’m not one who can always identify the proper time being
used but the group did so without losing the audience or each other. A crowd pleaser.
The closing composition of the set was brief and another
Hoenig ballad, “For Tracy,” a song he wrote for his wife from his Connor’sDaysalbum. This sensitive composition featured Hekselman’s
gorgeous guitar voicings and showed that this trio was indeed capable of
emotive music on demand.
I had previously seen bassist Matt Penman’s work with Joshua
Redman, Aaron Parks, and Eric Harland in James Farm. He is also a member
of the influential SF Jazz Collective with Miguel Zenon and David
Sanchez and is in pianist Aaron Goldberg’s trio. I first heard Gilad Hekselman’s
guitar work on his 2018 album Ask For Chaos. Besides this trio with Hoenig, he
has his own quartet with saxophonist Mark Turner, Joe Martin, and Marcus
Gilmore. The real discovery for me was drummer Ari Hoenig. I had heard of him
and knew he was an accomplished drummer/composer, who had played with pianist
luminaries like Jean Michel-Pilc, Tigran Hamasayan, and Kenny Werner, but I had
never really heard him play and his performance at 1905 exceeded
all my expectations. He is a vibrant, personable musician who, when I spoke to
him, told me some of his influences include drummers Ralph Peterson and Brian Blade
among others.
Ari Hoenig is an
impressive musician, and the trio is certainly a band that you should make an effort to see if possible. The trio is on tour and will return to Smalls in NYC on Oct 17th
before they move to the European leg of this tour starting in England, playing
in Ireland, Scotland, Sweden, and Paris, France
before returning to Smalls on Nov 21st.
Two Philadelphia musicians, separated by an almost generation of age, have nonetheless found themselves linked by a foundation in music that emerges, in part, from their shared Philly experience.
Guitar wizard Kevin Eubanks is a member of a jazz family that includes his two brothers, younger Duane a trumpeter, and elder brother Robin an established trombonist. Eubanks attended Berklee and has worked with drummer Art Blakey, saxophonist Sam Rivers, and bassist Dave Holland. The guitarist made his presence known more widely to the public when he became the musical director of the band of the Tonight Late Show and the subsequent Jay Leno Showfrom 1995-2010.
Orrin Evans attended Rutgers, worked with drummer Ralph Peterson, saxophonist Bobby Watson, soprano saxophonist Sam Newsome, and studied with master pianist Kenny Barron. He has made his mark with his work with the quartet TarBaby, his Grammy-nominated Captain Black Big Band, and increasing his exposure to a wider audience by replacing leaving pianist Ethan Iverson for a time with The Bad Plus.
These two created a dynamic duo for this album and titled it the Eubanks Evans Experience. The synergy here becomes apparent from the opening cut “Novice Bounce,” a Eubanks composition from his debut album Guitarist from 1983. This groove starts with some delicate guitar work and some precisely accompanied piano work that demonstrates just how in-tune these two can be. Like two joyously dancing fairies in an enchanted forest, there is a magical air to this one. The group morphs it into a more soulful endeavor with Evans' syncopated piano. Eubanks guitar increases the funk quotient without ever losing the sensitivity. His slithery guitar work shows a commanding articulation and an inherent flare that are impressive.
One of the most beautiful interpretations from the duo takes a soul/funk, some may say smooth jazz, hit from trumpeter Tom Browne from 1980 titled “Dreams of Loving You.” Eubanks and Evans reimagine this as a dreamy haunting ballad. Evans introduces this with a sensitive statement of the catchy and moving melody. Eubanks is the star here with his deft modulating guitar sound that emerges from Evans’ entry with an almost eerie Theremin-like sounding line that eeks with longing and pathos. This one is just beautiful.
The two break it up with a blues/funk-drenched collaboration “I Don’t Know” that raises the temperature of the proceedings up a couple of notches. Eubanks guitar is slippery and gut-busting and Evans’ piano takes on the feel of a barrel-house honk-tonk. The two get into it and play off each other’s ideas telepathically in a way that flows spontaneously.
“As They Ran Out of Biscuits” is a free-style collaboration that seems to be built by establishing a groove and then taking the improvisations to where they may go. This is probably the least structured and most adventurous of the set. This will not be everyone’s cup of tea but there is a real joy to absorb the active fluid collaboration going on here.
Orrin Evans composed the next ballad “Dawn Marie” for his wife. Eubanks opens the song with his own creative lead before the two enter this fetching melody. Evans plays beautifully here. There is obviously a deep connection with the loving sentiment that Evans intends to convey with this composition, and his touch and feel speak volumes. Eubanks is a master of using his electronics on his guitar to enhance his instrument’s effect. Here, his control is spookily modulated, perfectly aligning his sound to the mood intended.
The last two cuts of this album “Variations on the Battle” and Variations on Adoration” were both apparently recorded live at Chris’s Jazz Café in their hometown of Philadelphia. The two use two songs Evans’ “Half the Bottle” from his album #knowishalfthebattle of 2016 and Eubanks's “Adoration” from his album Zen Food from 2010 as the armatures upon which to improvise and expand. In the longer “Variations on the Battle” Eubanks exhibits a fusionist approach. His lines bloom in front of you as he gestates his ideas in an organic process that compliments over Evans' fertile backdrop. These two are brain-linked when playing so there is no hesitation, no awkward transitions they simply follow each other intuitively.
The shorter “Variations on Adoration” has a more melodic identity and Eubanks gently finger picks the entry as Evans creates lush pianistic lines. There is an exploratory feel to this composition as the two find a pulsating path to follow here, one that has a heartbeat of its own.
Eubanks Evans Experience is just that an experience; one that requires attention, one that requires awareness of nuance, and the ability to appreciate the true creative excellence of these two marvelous musicians. I will be looking forward to more from these two.
Michael Wollny and his trio have recently released their latest album, Ghosts,on ACT records. The album reunites the German pianist with the progressive American bassist Tim Lefebvre and the spatial percussionist Eric Shaefer. Together these three made quite an impressive debut on their first outing together in the 2013 title Weltentraum. The album set a high-water mark in the pianist’s career and established Wollny with this trio as a creative force that could conjure up a body of music that could excite and intoxicate the listener. Wollny describes the trio’s unique simpatico, "The three of us are aligned in a special, inexplicable way. It‘s hard to describe but the effect is massive."
Tim Lefebdre, Michael Wollny & Eric Shaefer (photo credit Gregor Hohenberg)
Wollny develops inspiration for his musical adventures utilizing off-beat themes. InWeltentraum, the album was based on night songs or dreams. InGhosts, Wollny describes his concept of how some songs are possessed by spirits, spirits of remembrance. "As an improviser, you often find that it‘s not the compositions themselves you‘re playing, but your own memories of them. And as these memories come back to you in the moment…” OnGhosts,the artist chose a diverse selection of songs, each with a distinct memory for him that personalizes his interpretation of them. There is a logic to the way Wollny cleverly links all these compositions by what he views as their unifying factors. Lost love, forgotten love, loss of simplicity, sentimental recollections, yearning, fragility, sadness, these are the ghosts that linger in the music long after. The album includes Gershwin’s bittersweet “I Loves You Porgy,” a traditional Irish folk song “She Moved Through the Fair,” Shubert’s "Erlkönig," Nick Cave & Warren Ellis’ “Hand of God”, Duke Ellington’s “In a Sentimental Way,” Paul Giovanni’s “Willow’s Song,” from the horror movieWicker Man, Timber Timbres’ “Beat the Drum Slowly” and “Ghosts” by David Sylvian, along with two of Wollny’s own theme derived compositions “Hauntalogy” and “Monsters Never Breathe.”
The trio offers a dynamism that is quite captivating, with the music making its musical impact in tight, often brief, precisely executed cuts. Wollny‘s piano sets the tone establishing ostinato grooves or fleet arpeggios that carry you with energy and authority. Lefebvre’s bass bellows with facile, vibrant lines that carry the pulse with a sometimes-tempestuous quality; especially impressive is his lead-in to “Hand of God.” Check out the loping lines of Lefebvre’s bass on Wollny’s “Monsters Never Breathe.” Shaefer’s drums can wrap the sound in a cirrus-like whisp of atmosphere or erupt with a cauldron-like boil of intensity.
Wollny has assembled an excellent trio that can take long familiar compositions and re-imagine them in new and surprising ways. Gershwin’s “I Loves You Porgy” erupts with drive before stating the beautiful melody with passion. There is a poignancy to this song and these three interpret in a contemporary way, creating a drive that never erases the sentiment. Shubert’s "Erlkönig" is modernized by the group into a new century. How would Ellington have imagined his “In a Sentimental Way” being played so barely and in such an expansive, cadenced way? Perhaps the Irish folk song “In a Sentimental Way” retains the most melodicism in the set while still being brought forward in the group’s own inimitable way. Timber Timbre’s “Beat the Drum” features shimmering cymbals by Schaefer and a cadenced piano line by Wollny, as Lefebvre’s bass pulses with a heartbeat consistency.
Take a listen to this album and see if you too are not drawn into the dynamic, entrancing world these three musicians create with Ghosts.
Unfortunately, I couldn't find any videos of this new music, but here is the same group from their 2015 performance at the Jazz Baltica. Enjoy!
Not all music is designed to make you dance, to bring a smile
to your face, or rock you out with reckless abandon. Music can pull at your
emotional strings and elicit an amicable response, or it can energize activism or
foment anger when it portrays injustice or a shameful human condition. Music can
bring us together or at times it can divide us like a cleaver. Some music is meditative,
ethereal, rhythmically drone-like or tonally expansive to create a path to awaken
the most spiritual side of our inner psyches or to help heal.
Musician/educator Chris Dingman had a life changing experience in 2018. His father Joe was suffering from
what became a terminal complication from cardiac Amyloidosis. Chris offered a musical gift for his father, five hours of spatially soothing music, created specifically to ease the
father’s suffering. Before transitioning, the father uncharacteristically told his son “A miracle
has happened through this music. It has transformed me over and over again. It
has made me stronger, made me want to live life again.” This emotional experience changed the artist’s perception of just how powerful music could be and altered his solo approach to his instrument.
Vibraphonist Chris Dingman has been on my radar since I first
caught his delicate and creative work with a quintet at Firehouse 12 in New
Haven back in 2010. Since then, I have followed this talented artist as his
musical horizons seem to expand exponentially in every passing year. His debut
was Waking Dreams with his quintet from 2011. Then came The
Subliminal and the Sublime, again his quintet, which I named one of the
best releases of 2015. This was followed by his trio on Embrace in 2020, of
which I wrote “a stunning treasure of musical tastes, senses, and sounds." His deeply personal solo album to his father Peace followedin 2021.
Dingman’s work is strongly influenced by the tradition of
the vibraphone as an instrument in jazz. As a percussionist, he has also
absorbed elements of South Indian, Western African, Korean and Brazilian music
in his eclectic playing. He was born in San Jose, California, and studied music
at Wesleyan with artist/educators like vibraphonist Jay Hoggard and multi-reed/composer
Anthony Braxton. I also hear the airy, tubular approach that marks the vibraphonist work of
Gary Burton in much of Dingman’s playing.
Dingman was selected to participate
in the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz Performance at USCLA in 2005 where he
spent two years working with such luminaries as Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, and Terrence Blanchard. He has studied with jazz masters like bassist Rob
Carter and Jimmy Health and has collaborated with some of the most progressive
and innovative artists in the music today, including altoist Steve Lehman, trumpeter
Ambrose Akinmusire and percussionist/multi-instrumentalist Tyshawn Sorey. The man has cred.
On Journeys Vol 1, Dingman creates five, non-symphonic,
what I think of as tone poems. They evoke an atmosphere, a landscape, an occurrence,
a path, or an immersion into a sensory state. These experiences the artist is
aurally capturing are named by their titles. “Silently Beneath the Waves,” Light
Your Way,” “Hope-Rebirth,” “The Long Road,” and “Refracted Light.” Each piece
is performed solo by Dingman using his skill, his creativity and his resonating vibraphone.
On the fifteen-minute “Silently Beneath the Waves,” Dingman creates
a swirling, liquid environment that surrounds you. A womb-like, amniotic fluid-type
protective hollow of space and peace. As a listener, if you release your mind, absorb the
eddies Dingman creates with his soothing, repetitive, sometimes cascading resonant
tones, it can sweep you away, transport you into a sensory world that connects to
a primal part of your being.
Chris Dingman (photo credit unknown)
On “Light Your Way” Dingman’s playing sometimes takes on
the tone of a mbira (pronounced m-Bee-ra) a Zimbabwe-originated instrument that
creates a drone-like, meditative sound by plucking metal tines over a hollowed wood
board or resonator. The pedal tone drone he employs creates the base on top of which
he improvises a secondary harmony line. In the African Shona people tradition, the
instrument is used to summon ancestral spirits. Dingman’s music has become transformational.
His experience with healing and the spiritual effects discovered during his father’s
illness has changed his musical direction and focus.
mbira
On his “Hope-rebirth,” Dingman utilizes the higher register
of his instrument to express lightness, spritely elements that have their own effervescence.
The artist creates a whirl of notes that seem to be set free, open, released. They rise
like emancipated angelic beings from the firma, transversing space and elevating to the
next level.
“The Long Road” could be described as Dingman’s aural
representation of our journey in life from birth to transition. We are created,
we find our way, we discover, we make choices, we love, we lose, and through it
all we are on a long road that hopefully leads us to
enlightenment. The artist’s musical choices are hopeful, the road rises, the
path may be arduous, but it can lead to a higher state.
“Refracted Light” is an immersive experience, an aural translation
of a visual experience. Like we experience joy or awe when we see the refraction or bending of light in
a sunset or a sunrise, or we visit the prismatic dispersion of white light into the
refracted colors of a rainbow. This is an experience that
Dingman's music points out how we should pay attention to its fleeting beauty.
Baritone vocalist Giacomo Gates has just released his latest album Youon the Savant label with an accomplished backing trio that includes the pianist Tim Ray, the bassist John Lockwood and the drummer Jim Lattini. Gates trained ear allows him to reinterpret music often overlooked or underappreciated by others. His inherent musicality and a unique hip approach to vocalizing lyrics allow this vocalist/storyteller to mine the hidden gold in the songs he chooses to sing.
On You, Gates has chosen eighteen different compositions, most under three minutes in duration, to weave the thematic essence of this album- songs that emphasize someone else, someone whose significance is animated by the singer’s delivery, someone who is familiar, one who the listener knows, or even someone like You.
Gates baritone is a warm, resonant instrument that he employs with an unpretentious sense of cool. His voice engulfs you with a revelation that this is a knowing person. He has perceived wisdom in his voice that seems to come from a place where life has been lived and foibles have been experienced. Like a wizened sage who has been there and done that.
Gates sings the words of telling stories penned by songwriting team artists like Bob Russell and Duke Ellington, Ned Washington and Hoagy Carmichael, Dorothy Fields and Jimmy McHugh, Johnny Mercer and Jimmy Van Heusen, Coleman Hawkins and Thelonius Monk, and even Lucky Thompson to name just a few. These are all well-worn compositions that have been visited by others before, but Gates’ delivery and the banter he creates inside this music offers a fresh perspective, a clarity to the listener about the nuances embedded in this music. Listen to Giacomo Gates singing and you're taking a course in life with Socrates or maybe more likely Lenny Bruce. To this, Gates vocal approach is a passing of the musical baton that he carries from some of his vocalist heroes like Babs Gonzales, Jon Henricks, Mark Murphy, and Eddie Jefferson.
Giacomo Gates (photo by R. Miriello)
The album opens with a swinging “Exactly Like You” and Gates weaves multiple songs into the jazz pastiche he creates including elements of Ellington’s “Take the A Train,” Michel Legrand’s “Watch What Happens,” and even Jobim’s “The Girl from Ipanema.” Only a musical history student like Gates can skillfully link into being these disparate approaches so seamlessly?
Storytelling is what this music is all about and Gates expertly personalizes his delivery on his improvised intro to “I Can’t Give You Anything but Love,” worth the price of admission by itself.
Check out the hip “With Plenty of Money and You” and dig the walking bass line from John Lockwood. There is always a knowing commentary in Gates' delivery, with his tongue-in-cheek humor that puts a smile on your face, he relates how bright love could be if only he had money.
The Ellingtonian “I Didn’t Know About You” is a classic torch ballad that Gates brands with his own brand of soul. Just wonderful to hear this song so well brought to life with just the right amount of sincerity.
If you appreciate the judiciously used skill of scatting (using the voice to imitate an improvising instrument like a saxophone) then check out Gates’ on “The Nearness of You.” His voice flows like a slick skiff’s hull through a calm sea, seamless.
Another delight on this wonderful album is Billy Eckstine’s luscious “I Want to Talk About You,” with a beautiful piano solo by Tim Ray. The sensitive “PS I Love You” is a classic Johnny Mercer torch song that demonstrates just how deep Gates’ understanding is of the meaning behind the words of this love song. The swinging “Are You Havin' Any Fun” is just joyous fun. Mercer’s “I Remember You” is a Gates must hear, with some of the trio’s best in the groove moments, and don’t forget drummer Lattini’s deft use of the rim on this one. Don’t’ miss “Everything But You” and allow yourself to be transported to a Harlem nightclub back in jazzes hey day.
“You’ve Changed” is the perfect vehicle for the raconteur Giacomo to speak to his audience, captivate them with his smoky voice, and relate an unspeakable intimacy that almost grabs you by the shoulders through the speakers. Listening to Giacomo is like sitting at a bar with him while he sings to you about his life’s woes. As personal as it gets. Don’t miss the whole band on “I’ve Got News for You” or some of Gates’ best blues on Lucky Thompson’s “You Never Miss the Water ‘Till the Well Runs Dry.”
I have to admit I am a big fan of Giacomo Gates. No other singer on the scene today comes close to him in his milieu. Like a cool breeze on your face as you stroll on a warm sandy beach, Gates singing on You is one of those treasures that epitomizes the simple but finer things in life. The compositions are classic, the delivery is hip, the sensitivity is poignant, or just plain fun. So sit back, put up your feet and enjoy this musical journey.
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