Archive for the ‘Peter Bernstein’ Category
Steve Davis Vibe Up! – (1998 – Criss-Cross)
Steve Davis’ fourth Criss Cross set as a leader has a different instrumentation than his previous sets. The trombonist is teamed with vibraphonist Steve Nelson and guitarist Peter Bernstein in a sextet/septet that also includes pianist David Hazeltine, bassist Peter Washington, drummer Joe Farnsworth, and (on three of the eight songs) altoist Mike DiRubbo. Davis, who in addition to being a Curtis Fuller-inspired trombonist is an underrated composer, wrote five of the eight songs and the band also plays Thad Jones’ “The Summary” and one song apiece from Peter Bernstein and Leonard Bernstein (“Somewhere”). Despite the unfamiliar material, the swinging hard bop style is quite accessible to straight-ahead jazz listeners and the blend between the trombone, vibes, and guitar is quite attractive. All of Steve Davis’ Criss Cross sets are well worth acquiring.
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1. Vibe Up! (Steve Davis)
2. It’s The Little Things That Count (Steve Davis)
3. Somewhere (Leonard Bernstein)
4. Blue Domain (Steve Davis)
5. The Summary (Thad Jones)
6. Three-Way Street (Peter Bernstein)
7. Tournesol (Steve Davis)
8. Mode For Damo (Steve Davis)
Steve Davis (Trb)
Steve Nelson (Vibr)
Peter Bernstein (Guitar)
Mike DiRubbo (Alt Sax)
David Hazeltine (Piano)
Peter Washington (Bass)
Joe Farnsworth (Drums)
Recorded December 19, 1998 in Brooklyn, NY, USA by Max Bolleman
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Ralph Bowen – Soul Proprietor (2002 – Criss Cross)
As revolutionary as the compact disc has been to the music industry, sometimes you really can have too much of a good thing. More specifically, I can’t help but echo what producer Michael Cuscuna once told me about new releases. He bemoaned the fact that many of today’s discs are just too long, wearing out their welcome way before concluding their run, and I can’t help but admit that after about 50 minutes or so my attention starts to wander. So what does all this have to do with saxophonist Ralph Bowen’s most recent Criss Cross session as a leader? Well, at just about 70 minutes in duration, Soul Proprietor is definitely on the long side, but it holds up extremely well thanks to a great program of standards and originals and a cohesive ensemble that locks in tight for the duration.
Bowen first came to the fore as a member of the hard bop unit Out Of the Blue in the ‘80s. Since then the saxophonist has kept a low profile, active mainly as a college educator, yet his stature as a mature soloist has not diminished. Although he had previously recorded a set for Criss Cross many years ago, Soul Proprietor is a return to form and it features an outstanding rhythm section with organist Sam Yahel, guitarist Peter Bernstein, and drummer Brian Blade. As an added bonus, trumpeter John Swana fills out the front line on several tracks giving things an updated groove in the lineage of Larry Young’s Unity.
Bowen’s husky tone brings on “Invitation” with confidence, Swana quickly falling into the mix with his own distinctive voice. Things unfold in a relaxed manner, Bowen preferring to use space rather than cramming every beat with rapid flurries of notes. Peter Bernstein opens the title track and sings the melody in uncluttered fashion before stepping aside for Bowen to launch his initial gambit. “My Ideal” and “Peace” are spots where Bowen really gets to shine, the former a ballad feature and the latter a solo tour-de-force chock full of harmonics and over blowing. “Spikes” emerges as a cleverly disguised line built on Rhythm changes and at one point Swana and Bowen go at it without any accompaniment, their intertwined lines uniting in stimulating counterpoint. With a section in the odd meter of 7/2, Bowen’s “Meltdown” tackles Coltrane’s changes from “Countdown” but in a sage new way that offers a real challenge to all.
Of course, Yahel and Blade have worked together regularly, most recently as members of Josh Redman’s current trio, while the two joined forces with Bernstein on Yahel’s Criss Cross debut. Thankfully, Bowen and Swana have harnessed the power of this trio and the whole proves to be even greater than the sum of the individually gifted parts.
C. Andrew Hovan (All About Jazz)
1- Invitation
2- Soul Proprietor
3- My Ideal
4- Spikes
5- Under a Cloud
6- The First Stone
7- Inner Urge
8- Meltdown
9- Peace
Ralph Bowen (tenor sax)
John Swana (trumpet)
Peter Bernstein (guitar)
Sam Yahel (organ)
Brian Blade (drums)
Original Release Date: March 12, 2002 – Label: Criss Cross
Peter Bernstein – Monk (2009 – Xanadu)
Thelonious Monk’s music presents a challenge for any jazz musician, but the going can be especially rough on guitarists. The songs are often physically scaled for the piano: those sharp intervals and tangled clusters don’t fall as naturally on a fretboard. So Peter Bernstein faces a basic hurdle with “Monk” (Xanadu/The Orchard), his vigorous new album. To his credit, the translation goes almost unnoticed. What sticks out instead is his soulful affinity to the material and the dapper chatter of his partners, Doug Weiss on bass and Bill Stewart on drums. On much of the album the trio delivers on a promise of buoyancy, swinging as hard as the music demands. Elsewhere, on ballads like “Monk’s Mood” and “Reflections,” Mr. Bernstein plays alone, exploring a host of harmonic microvariations. And any listener still awarding degree-of-difficulty points can look to “Work” and “Brilliant Corners,” which arrive in sequence, like a couple of speed bumps.
The New York Times
1 Let’s Cool One Monk
2 Pannonica Monk
3 Work Monk
4 Brilliant Corners Monk
5 In Walked Bud Monk
6 Monk’s Mood Monk
7 Well You Needn’t Monk
8 Bemsha Swing Monk
9 Played Twice Monk
10 Ruby, My Dear Monk
11 Blues 5 Spot Monk
12 Reflections Monk
Personnel:
Peter Bernstein: (guitar)
Doug Weiss: (bass)
Bill Stewart: (drums)
Original Release Date: December 2, 2008 – Label: Xanadu
Wycliffe Gordon – DigThis!! (2003 – Criss Cross)
Trombonist Wycliffe Gordon was the most adventurous musician to spin off from Wynton Marsalis’ orbit. Since his tenure with Marsalis, Gordon collaborated with everyone from revivalists in the Sidney Bechet Project to progressive composer Ted Nash and Randy Sandke’s Inside Outside project, which brings together practitioners from the musical extremes. He’s been more restricted in his own solo dates but has shown he’s willing to reach beyond the confines of traditional hard bop. Dig This!! finds him employing the fashionable textures provided by the Hammond organ. True to form though, Gordon refuses to get locked into the funk clichés of the organ combo sound. Rather with its wide-open swing feel Dig This!! comes off more as a contemporary version of swing trombonist Vic Dickenson’s 1952 quartet dates with Bill Doggett. Certainly “Limehouse Blues” fits the mold, albeit updated. And Gordon’s unaccompanied playing on “Blues Etude #2” and elsewhere shows him a fitting successor to Dickenson’s rubbery expressionism. Gordon has surrounded himself with a fine band. Organist Sam Yahel and guitarist Peter Bernstein each reveal a debt to their swing precursors while saxophonist Seamus Blake plays in a hard-driving contemporary manner. All of them swing, and regardless the context Gordon puts himself in, that’s a constant.
(All Music Guide)
1. Dig This!!5:59
2. Mahajual7:54
3. Old Man Blooz, Take 28:17
4. Limehouse Blues7:21
5. The Beautiful Souls4:16
6. Jookin’ the Blooz5:03
7. Lonnie’s Lament7:28
8. I Can’t Get Started5:19
9. Cone’s Tune5:18
10. Blues Etude #22:48
11. Old Man Blooz, Take 1
Wycliffe Gordon (Trombone)
Peter Bernstein (Guitar)
Seamus Blake: (Tenor Sax)
Sam Yahel (Organ Hammond)
Bill Stewart (Drums)
Original Release Date: September 23, 2003 – Label: Criss Cross
Jim Rotondi: Blues for Brother Ray (2009 – Posi-tone)
Veteran trumpeter Jim Rotondi has been a fixture in the New York jazz scene for more than two decades. His clear, bold sound and polished soloing have been on display in such diverse groups as Lionel Hampton’s and Bob Mintzer’s big bands, as well as the powerhouse sextet, One For All, of which he is a co-founder. His most recent release, Blues for Brother Ray (Posi-Tone) celebrates the work of his early musical mentor and former boss, Ray Charles.
For jazz fans familiar with Rotondi’s playing, this album may surprise with its relaxed feel. The name of the game here is simplicity. Tracks such as “One Mont Julep” and “Lonely Avenue” deliver simple blues heads in unison, backed by sparse and repetitive accompaniment. Looking at the track listing, full of songs from Charles’ repertoire, this should not be surprising. Rather than viewing this album strictly as a jazz recording, it may best be seen as a jazz instrumental interpretation of soul and blues.
As such, this album is a success. Heads are delivered tastefully, and do not stray far from the feel of the originals with the exception of Rotondi’s fiery arrangement of “Georgia On My Mind,” taken at a tempo more akin to that of the fast-paced jazz standard “Sweet Georgia Brown.” The rhythm section offers disciplined accompaniment; Peter Bernstein’s guitar and Mike LeDonne’s organ never step on each other’s toes, and Joe Farnsworth’s drumming has an optimistic bounce.
The simple forms of this album’s music might allow for a lot of freedom in soloing, but their straightforwardness also demands restraint when it comes to harmonic experimentation. Navigating this line beautifully is Mike LeDonne, whose organ solos chirp, growl, and scream in exciting waves of inspiration, though never sounding unconvincing in the songs’ context. This is especially the case with his solo on “Makin’ Whoppee,” a virtuosic romp.
Eric Alexander’s saxophone style is best featured on “Cry Me A River,” perhaps because of the agitated modal swing context – his aggressive style sounds a bit impatient on simpler tunes such as “What’d I Say.” Rotondi is solid throughout, his tone full of belly and especially reminiscent of Freddie Hubbard. His soloing unfolds convincingly, blending bebop and blues language into cohesive statements.
A highly accessible album, I would recommend Blues for Brother Ray to jazz fans and casual listeners alike. If you were ever unsatisfied with the role of horns on Charles’ own albums, this recording gives you a chance to hear skilled improvisation over some of his charts by five quality instrumentalists.
Jacob Teichroew (About.com Guide to Jazz)
Across Rhythm 