Benny Green Brings His Pianistic Excellence to Portland's 1905

Benny Green 

Last night, the superb pianist Benny Green played two solo piano shows at Portland's fantastic jazz club 1905. I was fortunate enough to get to see him play the first set. Green is a seasoned musician who paid his dues as a pianist with jazz greats like Betty Carter, Art Blakey, and Ray Brown. Along the way, Green found time to be a potent sideman for many notable others like Freddie Hubbard, Don Braden, Houston Person, and Ralph Moore to name just a few. He has been recording as a leader since his first record "Prelude" in 1988 and has twenty albums as a leader in his discography. One of my favorites was "Source" from 2010 with the astute rhythm section of Peter Washington on bass and Kenny Washington on drums, which he was nice enough to sign my copy of after the show.

On this night Green played the grand piano solo and treated the full and respectful crowd to a series of songs mined from some of jazz history's recognizable, but often forgotten pianist/composers treasure chest.

The set started out with Tadd Dameron's gorgeous "If You Could See Me Now" and followed with a who's who of piano legends' work -Horace Silver's "Come On Home," John Hicks' "Naima's Love Song, "Hank Jones "Minor Contention," Bobby Timmons "This Here." Let's not forget compositions from Barry Harris, Duke Pearson, or master Tommy Flanagan's "Minor Mishap." 

The man has an encyclopedic memory bank of songs that he can play like they are tattooed in his cerebral cortex. Green is a facile player who employed stunningly fast arpeggios on Kenny Barron's "NY Attitude." He chose one of McCoy Tyner's more beautiful ballads "Sunset"  to show his sensitivity and subtle touch, and ended with alto saxophonist Benny Carter's wonderful "When Lights Are Low."

I've heard Green's scorching piano work on Bud Powell's "Tempus Fugit" from his "Source" album- the man has chops- and he showed them judiciously here. He could stride with the best of them, peppers in some boogie-woogie, give some funk a la Silver, and his double-handed Shearing-like attack on a few songs was pure pleasure.

Despite his knowledge of the history and the influences that he has absorbed- Powell, Oscar Peterson, and Wynton Kelly have been mentioned-Green's playing is all his own and it was a delight to see, hear him on stage and engage with him after the show. Benny Green is a true pianistic treasure that should not be missed.

Benny's latest release will be titled Solo and release on May 12, 2023.

Evolution of a Giant: Larry Young in Paris the ORTF Recordings

Larry Young in Paris The ORTF Recordings Resonance HCD-2022

It is not hyperbole to say that Larry Young was perhaps the last great innovator on the Hammond B3 organ. His trailblazing fusion work with Tony Williams, John McLaughlin, Miles Davis, Carlos Santana and as a leader in his own right would all be part of a seemingly un-matchable legacy that catapulted the organ from the confines of the groove to limitless possibilities of the stratosphere. Tragically he passed away at the age of thirty-eight while being treated for pneumonia, but it leads one to speculate on the endless possibilities his continued development would have brought to the music has he lived.

Thankfully, producer Zev Feldman, of Resonance Records along with executive producers Michael Cuscuna and George Klabin, uncovered this gem of a discovery at the INA (Institut national de audiovisual of France) which oversees the RTF/ORTF (Radiodiffusion-Television Francaise and Office de Radiofussion-Television Francaise) archives that document an important part of his development as a player. This beautifully packaged two-disc set captures Young in Paris sometime between 1964 and 1965 and features a series of ten songs played with different line ups and broadcast over French public radio.

Importantly it marks the period just preceding Young’s Blue Note Years and you can hear the sound that Young was developing, one that would later be honed with such precision on the groundbreaking album Unity. Young, just twenty four years old during these recordings and  is predominantly a sideman on these sessions; a key figure in tenor saxophonist Nathan Davis’ quartet along with fellow Newark, New Jersey band mates Woody Shaw- an amazing nineteen years old at the time- on trumpet and Billy Brooks on drums. These are inspired young black musicians in a pivotal time for Black Americans, ogether these guys just cook, driven by Young’s pulsing B-3 moan and Brooks relentless traps. The music is electric like on Davis’ “Trane of Thought,” which shows how well Young’s left foot bass line could just drive the rhythmic heartbeat of the band. Woody Shaw’s fabled intervallic leaps are on grand display and saxophonist Davis shows his strong Coltrane influence.

The band is also featured on two Woody Shaw compositions the driving “Beyond All Limits” and quirky “Zoltan.” The first a skillful demonstration of tight group interplay-clearly owing a debt to the Blakey legacy- with Davis’ muscular tenor voice leading the way and Shaw’s sinewy trumpet lines weaving in and out of complex phrases. The rhythmic surety of Young and Brooks surge is like the endless splash of waves on a beach. When Young solos, his deft use of pull bars and masterful harmonies show the man’s unerring sense of time and space.  On “Zoltan” the cadenced opening by Brooks is reminiscent of a military march. This is a live recording and the energy level is palpable. Young and Brooks lay the modal groove over which Davis-sounding more like Rollins here- and Shaw soar in opposing statements of acclamation with fury.  Shaw is particularly kinetic in the higher register having at times a decidedly Gillespie-like sound to his horn. After a long Shaw solo, Young finally gets his chance to shine playing at first with a restrained, almost muted sound before skillfully adjusting his pull bars to create a wail of urgency that brings the entire song up a notch in intensity. This leads the group into a frenzied exchange with Shaw, Davis and Brooks all trading licks in a flurry of excitement and drama that is just a marvel to behold.  

The Nathan Davis Quartet circa 1964 Photo Credit Jean Pieree Leloir

The group is expanded into the Jazz aux Champs-Elysees All Stars with the addition of French players. Tenor saxophonist Jean-Claude Forhrenbach, trumpeter Sonny Grey, and pianist and leader Jack Diếval, along with Italian drummer Franco Manzecchi and conga player Jackie Bamboo.   Together they tackle Young’s bopping “Talkin’ About J.C.” with a joyful abandon. The extended front line is fluid and precise as they navigate tune’s head. The solos flow solidly throughout. Half way through Fohrenbach takes his turn on tenor with a deeply melodic, Getzian tone to his swing, complimented by Diếval’s piano comping. Drummer Manzecchi is delightfully loose and freewheeling, he and conga player Bamboo push the tempo. Maestro Young holds down the fort with the two percussionists keeping the groove smooth as silk throughout with brilliantly understated comping that is like of carpet of sound-very similar to McCoy Tyner’s work on piano- that sets the scene for the others to make their statements. Diếval and Young have a wonderful interchange of ideas at about the twelve-minute mark, with Larry sometimes laying leading basslines for Diếval’s pianistic explorations. Young’s solo on this is perhaps his most creative of the album probing and exploratory all within the framework of a deep groove. The international group continues with “La valse grise”, a song presumed to be penned by the French pianist and the All Star’s band leader Jack Diếval. The cool blues groove “Discotheque” is more traditional fare. Young creates his own groove with his pedal driven walking bass line and deeply sultry organ comping. Diếval offers a Martial Solal inspired piano solo.  

Perhaps the most striking part of these internationally spiced sessions is the stark contrast in the playing styles of the horn and reed players. The American players being much more under the influence of the Coltrane/Tyner legacy then their European counterparts whose sound is much more rooted in the legato, deep throated tone of Webster, Hawkins and Ellington.

Young is featured on two songs in the trio setting with conga player Jacky Bamboo and drummer Franco Manzecchi, the campy “Mean to Me” and Young’s own “Luny Tune.”  There is an immediate intuitive connection between Young and Manzecchi, with the drummer  being particularly attuned to Young’s lofty explorations. Listening to Young breath life and excitement into the otherwise lackluster “Mean to Me” is just a joy to behold. You can hear Manzecchi playfully responding to Young pushing the harmonic boundaries of the song’s limits.

On the jaunty “Luny Tunes,” Young is at his most creative, laying down a firm bottom and adjusting his drawbars to the perfect gurgling sound, always facile enough to adjust his sound appropriately as he changes direction, all the while Manzecchi is step for step with him accenting at all the correct breaks as if the two musicians were of the same mind.

Hearing Young on piano is a rare treat and he plays brilliantly on the finale titled “Larry’s Blues.” He is joined by French bassist Jacques B. Hess and the intuitive and Italian drummer Franco Manzecchi who again proves up to the task of anticipating Young's excursions. Young is particularly Monkian in his dissonant approach and yet he always keeps that groove. 

The booklet that comes with this cd set is filled with a treasure trove of information and never before seen photographs that just make the whole listening experience so much more complete. Larry Young’s connections to both Eric Dolphy and Bill Evan’s makes for some fascinating reading. Notes and comments by guitarist John McLaughlin and organist John Medski are equally compelling as are recollections from Nathan Davis, the musicians' progeny Woody Shaw III and Larry Young III.  For any student of the music and the jazz organ in particular Larry Young in Paris the ORTF Recordings offer a rare glimpse into the evolution of a truly unique giant of his instrument. 

Notes on Jazz Second Annual 4th of July Living Legends of Jazz Celebration

Last July 4^th I decided to assemble a list of some notable musicians, arrangers, impresarios and singers in the world of jazz  who had passed their seventieth birthday. Many are thankfully still with us, enabling us to formally acknowledge and take a moment to revel in their past accomplishments.
A  number  were still actively engaged, robustly performing in their own current endeavors. Music is a rejuvenating tonic, so it is not surprising to see several of these stalwarts going strong well into their nineties, still capable of producing some special moments of magic. As a follow-up to last year’s list, My hope is to make this an annual celebration. An informal honor roll posted on my blog www.notesonjazz.blogspot.com., acknowledging these artists and their contributions to the music; a listing of their names and ages, categorized under their respective instruments or specialty.

This past year,  I was personally fortunate enough to have witnessed some fine performances by some greats of this music. Ninety-Year old pianist Dave Brubeck playing at the Tarrytown Music Hall, just months after undergoing heart surgery, showed he could still produce some memorable moments. Octogenarians Bucky Pizzarelli and Jim Hall mesmerized the audience at the Guitar Heroes exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum in New York City, as part of a series that honored the great Italian American guitar luthiers of the past.  The 2011 Jazz Journalist Association Awards in New York City, featured eighty-five year young piano legend Randy Weston entertaining the astute crowd of fellow musicians and writers with his own special approach to the instrument. The irascible conguero Candido Camero, who turned ninety years old this year, created a stir  at  JJA gathering as he played his congas with his infectious smile and the enthusiasm of someone half his age. The JJA, at its annual awards, has consistently bestowed honors to the veteran players who have stood the test of time, sometimes to the chagrin of some younger deserving players. But just as new shoots take root in the fertile soil left by the earlier generation, the younger players are standing on the shoulders of those who came before them, and will soon enough have their turn. We are all well served to acknowledge those who paved the way, and it is my hope that we honor these dedicated artists while they are still with us and able to bask in the deserved glory.

Sonny Rollins photo by John Abbott ©2011

This year tenor titan Sonny Rollins, who is eighty, was named tenor saxophonist and musician of the year at the JJA awards ceremony. Another venerable tenor saxophonist, Jimmy Heath, eighty-four, garnered the JJA’s lifetime achievement award for his body of fine work. 

Jimmy Heath by  Fran Kaufman Photo ©2011

The accomplished arranger Bill Holman, another vibrant octogenarian, received the honors for best arranger of the year.

Despite our joy for those still with us, we continue to lose some of the great heroes and pioneers of this music. A partial list of those we lost last year includes; the rock/fusion keyboardist T. Lavitz who passed at the young age of 54. The Poet/Singer Gil Scott Heron was recently lost at the age of 62. The violinist Billy Bang, who posthumously took the best violinist in jazz award at this year’s JJA ceremony, was only 64. Jazz/Funk guitarist Cornell Dupree was 68. Pianist Ray Bryant  and Soul/jazz organist/singer Trudy Pitts were both 79.  Jazz vocalist Abbey Lincoln died at the age of 80. The great “Take Five” drummer from the Dave Brubeck band, Joe Morello was lost at the age of 82. The trumpeter/composer Bill Dixon was 84 and the expressive saxophone voice of James Moody who passed at  85 will be sorely missed. The well known pianist and educator Dr. Billy Taylor sadly left us at the age of 89. We also lost the seminal English pianist Sir George Shearing and the trombone sound of Buddy Morrow both were 91. Finally trumpet player Eugene “Snooky” Young left us at the ripe old age of 92. I am sure there were more that I missed.

Lee Konitz photo by John Abbott ©2011

Despite these tragic losses, jazz has proven time and again that it is a durable art form, a resilient performance art that is beyond categorization.  As I have stated previously Jazz is an art form that has become the most internationally cooperative means of communication in the world today.   I truly believe this. On this fourth of July let our passion continue this yearly celebration of these communicators, those who have been and continue to be so instrumental in bringing us this music we love so much.
  
Many of the jazz legends continue to actively perform, teach and sustain the art through their tireless pursuit of making music and carrying on the tradition. Jazz is a living organism that is constantly evolving. It is arguably the only true indigenous American art form and as such it needs to be nurtured and supported by our active participation, especially in these austere economic times when public funding for the arts is being perilously withdrawn.The best way we can honor them is to continue to support the music by experiencing their “live” performances.  Some currently touring or performing artists include Chick Corea, Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Dave Brubeck, Sonny Rollins, Randy Weston, Ramsey Lewis, Gerald Wilson, Phil Woods, McCoy Tyner, Gary Bartz, Lew Tabakin, Bunk Green, Charles Lloyd, Gato Barbieri, Lee Konitz, Gary Peacock , Archie Shepp and Richard Davis to name just a few.  

Gary Peacock photo by John Abbott ©2011

Here is my expanded list of veteran players, all at least seventy years of age, who in some way helped shape the music. I am sure I am missing some important players and my apologies for any inadvertent omissions.  I welcome comments from readers who may know of deserving musicians who I should add to this list so that it can be more complete next year. A great big thank you to each and every one of this years celebrants.

LIVING JAZZ LEGENDS : July 4, 2011

Saxophonists/ Reed Instruments :

Phil Woods photo by John Abbott ©2011

Pharaoh Sanders, Gary Bartz, Peter Brotzmann, Roscoe Mitchell  and Bennie Maupin (70), Arthur Bythe, Hamiet Bluiett, Wilton Felder, Joe McPhee, Charles McPherson, Carlos Ward,
Paul Winter and 
Lew Tabakin (71), 
Odean Pope,

Zibigniew Namyslowski, Charles Gayle, Sonny Fortune and George Braith (72) 
 James Spaulding, Charles Lloyd, Carlos Garnett, Joseph Jarman (73),Archie Shepp,

Nathan Davis,  Frank Strozier, Jim Galloway and Nick Brignola (74) Klaus Doldinger,

John Tchicai, Gary N. Foster, Kalaparusha Maurice McIntyre and Don Menza (75)
Giuseppi Logan, Jimmy Woods, Houston Person, George Coleman and Bunky Green (76)

Lanny Morgan, Gato Barbieri and  Wayne Shorter (77) Lol Coxhill,

Sadao Watanabe, Charlie Davis and John Handy III (78) Phil Woods, Bill Perkins and

Plas Johnson Jr. (79) Sonny Rollins (80), Ornette Coleman and Gabe Baltazar (81)

Joe Temperley, Harold Ousley, Herb Geller, Frank Foster and Benny Golson (82)

Lee Konitz (83),  Big Jay McNeeley, Med Flory, Dick Hafer, Lou Donaldson, Jimmy Heath and Red Holloway (84), Marshall Allen ,Sam Rivers, Hal McKusick and  Earle“Von”Freeman (87), Frank Wess (89), Yusef Lateef (90), Harold Joseph “Hal”“Cornbread” Singer (91) .

Wayne Shorter photo by John Abbott ©2011

Frank Wess  by Fran Kaufman Photo ©2011

Pianists: 

Connie Crothers, Stanley Cowell, Armando“Chick”Corea, Mike Nock and David Burrell (70), Herbie Hancock Bob James, Charles Brackeen and Roger Kellaway (71),  McCoy Tyner, 
Mike Longo,  Joe Sample, Gap Mangione, Jon Mayer and Joanne Brackeen and Warren Bernhardt (72) Denny Zeitlin, Steve Kuhn and John Coates Jr. (73), Eddie Palieri and 
Kirk Lightsey (74), Les McCann, Carla Bley and Harold Mabern (75), Ramsey Lewis, Pat Moran (McCoy) and Pat Rebillot, Ran Blake, Don Friedman,

McCoy Tyner photo by John Abbott ©2011

Martial Solal photo by John Abbott ©2011

Oliver Jones, Ellis Marsalis Jr. and Abdullah Ibrahim (Dollar Brand) (76), Dave Grusin and Misha Mengelberg (76) Cedar Walton, Paul Bley, Bengt Hallberg and Larry Novak (78)
Jack Reilly, Walter Norris, George Gruntz and Michel LeGrand (79), Horace Parlan, 
Muhal Richard Abrams, Derek Smith and Amhad Jamal (80)

Frank Strazzeri, Cecil Taylor, Richard Wyands, Claude Bolling, Barry Harris and 
Toshiko Akiyoshi (81), Horace Silver and  Junior Mance (82) Freddie Redd, Martial Solal and Mose Allison (83), Dick Hyman and Claude Williamson (84), Randy Weston (85), Barbara Carroll (86), Paul T. Smith and Johnny Otis (Veliotes) (89), Dave Brubeck, Al Vega and Marty Napoleon (90), Bebo Valdes (92),  Marian McPartland (93).

Dave Brubeck photo by John Abbott ©2011

Randy Weston by Fran Kaufman Photo ©2011

Bassists: 

Richard Davis photo by John Abbott ©2011

  
Steve Swallow (70), Ed “Butch” Warren, Don Thompson and Eberhard Weber (71), Mario Pavone (72), Larry Ridley, Reggie Workman and  Charlie Haden (73),

Ron Carter and Chuck Israels (74), Buell Nedlinger and Henry Grimes (75),Gary Peacock and Cecil McBee (76), Bob Cranshaw and Jack Six (78) Ron Crotty and Richard Davis (81), Jymie Merritt (85) 
Eugene "The Senator”Wright (88),Howard Rumsey (94), Coleridge Goode (96). 

  Trumpet/Cornet/ Flugelhorn:

Gerald Wilson and Donald Byrd photo by John Abbott ©2011

Eddie Henderson, Palle Mikkelborg and Chuck Mangione (70), Enrico Rava (71), 
Marvin Stamm and Hugh Masekela (72), Guido Basso (73), Ed Polcer and Ernie Carson (74), Chuck Flores and Ted Curson (76), Bobby Bradford (76) Donald Byrd (78), Jack Sheldon and Dusko Gojkovic (79), Alphonso “Dizzy” Reese, Louis Smith and Ira Sullivan (80), Sam Noto and Kenny Wheeler (81), Carl “Doc” Severinson (83), Joe Wilder and Uan Rasey (89),
Clark Terry (90) Thomas Jefferson (91),Gerald Wilson (92 ).Lionel Ferbos (99) he will be 100 years old on July 17^th. 

Jim Hall photo by John Abbott ©2011

Guitarists:  Jerry Hahn (70), Ralph Towner (71), 
Gene Bertoncini and Joe D’Iorio (74), Sonny Greenwich (75), Ed Bickert (78) Kenny Burrell (79), Jim Hall,
Joao Gilberto and John Pisano (80), Martin “Marty” Grosz (81) Eddie Duran and, Bucky Pizzarelli (85) 
Mundell Lowe and Johnny Smith (89).

Trombonists:

James “Dick” Griffin and Wayne Henderson (71)  Billy Watrous (72), Grachan Moncur III, Philip Elder Wilson and  “Big” Bill Bissonnette (74), Roswell Rudd (75),

Curtis Fuller photo by John Abbott ©2011

Julian Priester (76) Curtis Fuller (76) Locksley "Slide" Hampton (79), Bob Brookmeyer (81), Santo "Sonny' Russo (82). George “Buster” Copper, Harold Betters and Conrad Janis (83),  George Masso and Urbie Green (84) and Eddie Bert (89), Herbie Harper (91). 

Drummers/Percussionists: 

Billy Hart (70), Andrew Cyrille, Ginger Baker and Pierre Courbois (71) and Idris Muhammad (71), Bernard Purdie, Issac “Redd” Holt, Nesbert “Stix” Hooper and 
Tony Oxley (72), Pete LaRoca (Sims), Horace Arnold, Paul Ferrara,  Daniel Humair and Edwin Marshall (73), Louis Hayes, James “Sunny” Murray, Charly Antolini, Colin Bailey and Roy McCurdy  (74),  Albert “Tootie” Heath and Chuck Flores (76), Donald “Duck” Bailey (77), 
Ben Riley and Ray Mosca (78), Mickey Roker Frank Capp and Grady Tate  (79) Paul Motian and Ronnie Bedford (80),) John Armatage (81), Hal Blaine, Jimmy Cobb, Charlie Persip (82), Joe Harris (84), Roy Haynes and Samuel “Dave” Bailey (85), Armando Peroza (87),Percy Brice and Al Harewood (88), Foreststorn “Chico”  Hamilton (89), Candido Camero (90) 
and Edward “Butch” Ballard (92).

Roy Haynes  by Fran Kaufman Photo ©2011

Paul Motian photo by John Abbott ©2011

Organists:

 Mac “Dr John” Rebbenack (70)“ Papa” John De Francesco), Brian Auger (71), Rhoda Scott (73), Reuben Wilson (76), and Sir Charles Thompson (93).   

Miss Nancy Wilson  by Fran Kaufman Photo ©2011

Jazz Vocalists:

Janet Lawson (70), Astrud Gilberto and Al Jarreau (71), Mary Stallings (71),

Etta James, Ruth Price and Ellyn Ruker (73), Nancy Wilson, Carol Sloane, Karin Krog and Sathima Bea Benjamin (74)  Marlene Ver Planck and David Frishberg piano/vocals (78), Freddy Cole and Mark Murphy (79), Helen Merrill( 81),Gloria Lynne (79), Annie Ross (80), Sheila Jordan and Ernestine Anderson (82), Cleo Laine,

Jackie Cain and Ernie Andrews (83),Tony Bennett (84) Bill Henderson and

Jimmy Scott (85) Bob Dorough (87) Jon Hendricks (90), Herb Jeffries (97). 

Tony Bennett  photo by  John Abbott ©2011

Artists on Other Instruments:

Bobby Hutcherson and Roy Ayers, vibraphonists (70) Lonnie Liston Smith, keyboardist and Hubert Laws, flautist (71) , Perry Morris Robinson, clarinetist (72) Gunter Hampel, multi-instrumentalist, Charlie Shoemake, vibraphonist , Dave Pike, vibraphonist/marimba and Mike Maineri, vibraphonist (73) Hermeto Pascoal, accordion & keyboards (74) Reuben Wilson, organist (76) Joe Licari, clarinetist, Sonny Simmons sax and English Horn, Warren Chiasson vibraphonist (77),Michael White, violin and Emil Richards, vibes and percussion (78) David Baker composer/cellist (79), Frank Marocca, accordion and Sam Most, flautist (80),

Jean "Toots" Thielmans photo by John Abbott ©2011

Pierre “Pete” Fountain and Rolf Kuhn, clarinetists and Paul Horn, flautist (81),
Bernard “ Acker” Bilk, clarinetist, Peter Appleyard, vibraphonist and Andre Previn conductor/pianist (82), Teddy Charles (Cohen), vibraphonist and Bob Wilber, clarinetist (83), Terry Gibbs, vibraphonist and George Wein, Pianist/ Concert Promoter (86), 
Rudy Van Gelder, recording engineer (86), Buddy DeFranco, clarinetist (88) 
Jean “Toots” Thielmans, harmonica/guitar/whistler (89), Svend Asmussen, violinist and Pete Rugolo, piano/ French Horn/ arranger/(95).

Composer/Arrangers/Producers: 

Don Sebesky, arranger/trombone and Milcho Leviev (73),Quincy Delight Jones, composer/arranger/ trumpet (78), Claus Ogerman conductor/arranger,

Clinton “Clint” Eastwood, composer/director/pianist (81), Creed Taylor, record producer and Clare Fischer Composer/arranger/pianist/organist (82), Lennie Niehaus, composer/arranger/saxophonist (82), Bill Holman, arranger/composer/saxophone (84),  Johnny Mandell, composer/arranger and Gunther Schuller composer/conductor/French horn  (85), Orrin Keepnews, producer (88), 
George Avakian, producer (92)

My best wishes for a happy and healthy 4th of July to all of you and thank you for your tireless contributions to the music we all love.

PS:  A great big thanks to the wonderful photographers and fellow JJA members Fran Kaufman http://frankaufman.com/and John Abbott http://johnabbottphoto.com/ for graciously allowing me to use their amazing images for this years list.

This article is also posted on the Huffington Post at  
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ralph-a-miriello/living-jazz-legends_b_889397.html

A Taste of Italy: Review of Roberto Magris & the Europlane Orchestra' s "Current Views"

CD: Current Views
(Soul Note 121425-OD)

Italian Pianist Roberto Magris has established a floating, predominantly eastern European based orchestra that goes under the title Europlane. The elastic nature of this group allows him to interchange various talented musicians as time and their scheduling availability allow. Make no mistake; it is Magris that is the driving force behind this endeavor. He has a passion for large group, big band arrangements where the multi-instrument format allows him a huge palette on which to paint his musical visions. Magris has consistently offered high quality productions, often times with surprisingly emotive veteran collaborators like, altoist Herb Geller, drummer Jimmy “Junebug” Jackson and bassist Art Davis. My favorite iteration of his Europlane format to date has been his previously released “Check-In”,with the smoking Tony Lakatos on saxophone.
On this compilation of his music, recorded live at three different venues, Magris has assembled an enjoyable representation of some of these memorable performances. It is refreshing to get a chance to hear some fine European musicians
; many whom I have never had the pleasure of hearing before, playing behind the inspirational force that is Roberto Magris.
On “The Story Teller” Magris uses a beautiful Italian folk song as the basis for his melody. He expands from this theme with a dynamic horn section, and the guitar styling of the great Philip Catherine’s gently wailing electric guitar. Catherine is an impressionistic player of top order. His recent collaboration with the recently passed saxophonist Charlie Mariano on The Great Concert, a fine example of this talented musician's breath. For his part, Magris’s percussive piano solos have a strong McCoy Tyner influence, with a driven approach that envelopes the music in a warm, blanket of sound. These two artists make this one special .The song also features a Shorter-esque soprano solo by Marco Castelli that sails above the pulsing horn and rhythm sections.

“Dukish Interlude” starts out with an impressionistic introduction that is seemingly inspired by Duke Ellington. It nonetheless reminds me of Milton Nasciemento’s “Ponta De Areia” from Wayne Shorter’s fine album Native Dancer
. The hauntingly beautiful combination of the arco playing of Vitold Rek on bass along with the tubular sound of Molenhof’s vibes demonstrates Magris’ strong arrangement and his compositional talent. The song settles into a nice groove featuring a serpentine sounding alto solo by Kyrstof Bacso. The song reprises to the vibes/ arco bass duo that bookends the piece back to its original exotic sound.

The only standard on the album is Jerome Kern’s “Love in Vain” which gets a boisterous, swinging horn section intro before yielding to Molenhof’s vibes and a tenor solo by Muenchinger.

“Hombres” is a Latin inspired tune that features a facile bass solo by Rek, leaving no doubt that the man can play. Drummer Gabrielle Centis anchors the song with his effective sense of Latin rhythms.

“React” is a hard driving modal piece inspired by what Magris calls “the Black Stream” of the 70’s jazz music coming from America. Here Magris shows his capacity to play with great kinetics; in the modal, rhythmic style reminiscent of such artist’s as Tyner and Mingus’ pianist Don Pullen. Ottaviano sends the song into the stratosphere with a spirited soprano solo that reminds me of a young Dave Liebman on fire. This one cooks.

“Steady Mood” has the predictably languishing sound of the theme to a detective movie. Basco’s particularly silky solo on alto builds on the sultry mood that Magris is setting. Molenhof’s vibes rounds the edges, with a smooth cool sound, as Magris and his rhythm section bring the song though its paces.


“For Naima” is actually a dedication, but not to John Coltrane’s wife of the same name. It is instead dedicated to Magris’s daughter whose name was inspired by the Coltrane composition. It has a straightforward swinging vibe where Magris plays Fender Rhodes, with its distinctive 70’s sound, and is joined by soloists Lackner on alto, Schreck on rousing trombone and a swinging Darko Jurovic on guitar.

While not as powerful for me as “Check-In”
the live performance captured on Roberto Magris & the Europlane Orchestra’s "Current Views""is a worthy addition to any big band music collection.

All Recorded Live: #1 September 20, 2002 Casa della Musica,Trieste, Italy) #2,34,5,&6 July 21, 2003, Italy Cassa della Musica, Trieste, Italy #7 recorded November 23, 2001, Teatro Gustavo da Modena, Palmanova, Italy

Musicians: Roberto Magris (piano and arranger); Gabriele Centis (drums); Kristof Basco ( alto on 2,3,4,5& 6); Roberto Ottaviano ( tenor & soprano sax on 2, 3,4, 5&6); Vitold Rek ( bass on 2,3, 4, 5 & 6); Christian Muenschinger (tenor sax 2,3,4,5& 6) ; Bill Molenhof (vibes on 2,3,4, &6); Philip Catherine (guitar on 1); Julius Baros ( trumpet on #7); Rado Tariska (alto on 1); Marko Lacker (alto sax on 7); Marco Castelli (soprano on 1 & tenor sax on 7);Loje Krajncan (trombone on #1); Ferenc Schrek (trombone on #7);Darko Jurovic (guitar on 7);Frantisek Uhlir ( bass on 1 & 7).

All compositions and arrangements by Roberto Magris except In Love in Vain composed by L. Robin & J. Kern arranged by Roberto Magris

Review of George Colligan's "Come Together"

Artist: George Colligan

CD: Come Together (Sunnyside SSC-1226)

Musicians: George Colligan (piano); Boris Kozlov (acoustic and electric bass); Donald Edwards (drums)

Recorded: Recorded November 5, 2008 Tedesco Studios, Paramus, NJ

All compositions by George Colligan except “Come Together” by Lennon/McCartney; and “The Shadow of Your Smile” by Mandel/Webster.

Despite actively recording since 1996, I first heard George Colligan as a sideman on the fine Jamie Baum release “Solace” from 2007.His harmonic sensibilities were imaginative and unpredictable even in the subdued chamber jazz setting of Baum’s wonderfully expressive compositions.

His work on guitarist Greg Skaff’s 2008 release "East Harlem Skyline” showed he is equally comfortable on the Hammond B3.

Seeing him in person with Baum’s Septet at Joe’s Pub it was obvious that his unbridled energy was itching to break out on his own. He released “Runaway” as a leader last year and though it offered a glimpse of his potential, especially on “End of A Dynasty” it fell short of my expectations.


The new release “Come Together” is a thoroughly enjoyable addition to his musical repertoire. Colligan and fellow band mates, Boris Koslov on bass and Donald Edwards on drums, were former members of the Mingus Big Band and the Mingus Dynasty. Their empathetic musical interaction is a result of these years together.

Colligan’s treatment of the Lennon/McCartney classic “Come Together” is not just another jazz rendition of a popular song. He infuses the Beatles classic with soulful funk and blues. Colligan’s driving cascade of notes and Koslov’s probing electric bass take the memorable melody line to new heights of exploration. Koslov is especially impressive with his rapid-fire Wooten-like bass runs. His deft and accomplished playing on both acoustic and electric bass was a revelation.

With the exception of the title tune and the standard “Shadow of Your Smile”, a standout that Colligan plays in a sauntering and wonderfully free swinging manner, all the compositions on the album are originals. On the tempestuous “Venom”, a staccato piece that the trio plays at a relatively fast clip, the energy is palpable. Eventually they engage the afterburner by double timing the last chorus in a ripping finale that smokes. “Have No Fear” is another hard driving song that exudes megawatts of energy as Colligan plays block chords up and down the keyboard. Koslov takes a penetrating solo on acoustic bass and Edwards keeps impeccable time. “Lift” is a crescendo building composition that explores elements of fusion, where Koslov’s electric bass is featured.

Colligan’s playing is explosive with his musical ideas erupting like molten lava from his volcanic keyboard. He has more than a passing deference to Tyner, especially in “To the Wall” which has moments of being eerily like a driving young McCoy with his powerful, percussive, chordally based playing.

His two ballads “ So Sad I Had to Laugh” and “Open Your Heart” show a reflective side to Colligan. The former is particularly poignant, including deft brushwork by Edwards and a wonderfully expressive exchange by Koslov and Colligan including some subtle arco work by Koslov at the coda.

On “Open Your Heart” Colligan plays classically inspired flourishes as Koslov demonstrates his emotive abilities on electric bass. Just when you think the song is treading on a predicable path Colligan suprises, as he so often does, with some of the most moving and nuanced improvisations on the album. With something for everyone, this expansive and approachable offering will undoubtedly add to George Colligan's growing reputation as a pianist and a composer with something to say.


Track Listing: Come Together; Venom; Have No Fear; So Sad I Had to Laugh; Reaction; The Shadow of Your Smile; Lift; Open Your Heart; To The Wall; Uncharted Territory.Favorite Tracks are highlighted.