Archive for the ‘Peter Washington’ 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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Grant Stewart: In The Still Of The Night (2007 – Sharp Nine)
The field of saxophonists is crowded today, which is undoubtedly why we aren’t better acquainted with Grant Stewart, a 35-year-old Canadian who favors the kind of old-school hard bop that made household names of Joe Henderson and Dexter Gordon. Though he’s young, Stewart already has several fine discs under his belt, having made his debut with no less than Brad Mehldau as one of his sidemen. But now Stewart has gone and done it—he’s released a perfect album of classic-style jazz.
In the Still of the Night evokes the best Blue Note records of the 1950s and ’60s. Sure, there’s a lot of head-solo-solo-solo-head format here, but Stewart’s adherence to convention should not be confused with lack of originality—check out, for instance, the hair-on-the-neck-raising two-bar phrase he blows just as he starts his solo on “If Ever I Would Leave You.”
His work on a speedy take of the title track is flawless—he plays behind time, he plays against time, all the while spilling forth a flurry of notes. His warm, brawny tenor is glorious on “Autumn in New York,” as his solo spirals further and further from the theme while his quartet (featuring pianist Tardo Hammer, bassist Peter Washington and drummer Joe Farnsworth) takes the tempo from ballad to burner and back. Stewart’s supporting cast is just that—this is his showcase, after all—though Hammer gets in some nice solos, including a great one on Thelonious Monk’s “Work.” Half a century after hard bop’s heyday, Grant Stewart is one practitioner who finds new ways to express himself through it.
JazzTimes
1 In the Still of the Night Porter 6:32
2 Theme for Ernie Lacey 6:42
3 Wives and Lovers Bacharach, David 7:47
4 Autumn in New York Duke 8:30
5 If Ever I Would Leave You Lerner, Loewe 7:54
6 Work Monk 8:03
7 Lush Life Strayhorn 8:37
8 Loads of Love Rodgers 6:18
Personnel:
Grant Stewart (Ten Sax)
Tardo Hammer (Piano)
Peter Washington (Bass);
Joe Farnsworth (Drums)
Original Release Date: 2007 – Label: Sharp Nine
Eddie Henderson – A Tribute To Lee Morgan (1995 – NYC)
Unlike many of the other recent tribute albums, this program of the music of the late trumpeter Lee Morgan casts his compositions in familiar surroundings not all that different from the original recordings. Trumpeter Eddie Henderson, who was influenced by Morgan but found his own voice, is a good choice for the lead role and his muted outing on the one non-Morgan piece, “You Don’t Know What Love Is,” is a strong feature. Tenorman Joe Lovano, who can sound like Joe Henderson at times and hints at the passion of Coltrane on the date’s most advanced piece “Search for the New Land,” has a strong personality of his own and matches well with Eddie Henderson. The solid rhythm section (pianist Cedar Walton, bassist Peter Washington and drummer Billy Higgins) is a major asset while Grover Washington, Jr., makes a pair of guest appearances on soprano and shows once again that he can play swinging soulful jazz; pity that he never seems to play tenor in this type of setting. The eight Lee Morgan songs heard on this album are interpreted in the same basic hard bop style that the trumpeter spent most of his career playing, an idiom that serves as the modern jazz mainstream of today. Highlights include “Sidewinder,” “Ceora,” “Speedball” (which has some heated tradeoffs by the horns) and the infectious “Ca-Lee-So.”
Scott Yanow
01.The Lion And The Wolff
02.Sidewinder
03.Ceora
04.Speedball
05.You Don’t Know What Love Is
06.Kozo’s Waltz
07.Yama
08.Ca-Lee-So
09.Search For The New Land
Personnel:
Eddie Henderson (trumpet)
Grover Washington, Jr. (op sax)
Joe Lovano (Tenor Sax)
Cedar Walton (piano);
Peter Washington (Bass)
Billy Higgins (drums).
Release Date: Apr 24th, 1995 – Label: NYC
Recording information: Sound on Sound, New York, NY (From March, 12th 1994 to , April, 12th 1994)
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Tim Hagans & Marcus Printup:HubSongs (The Music of Freddie Hubbard) (1998 – Blue Note)
Hubsongs is a tribute to the great Freddie Hubbard by young trumpeters Tim Hagans and Marcus Printup. Produced by Hubbard himself, the album features an all-star cast (including saxopohonist Javon Jackson and pianist Benny Green) turning in an outstanding performance that is a testament to Hubbard’s influence. From the blistering “Hub Cap” and “Byrd Like” to the mournful “Lament For Booker,” Hubbard’s impact in sound, swing and soulfulness is evident in the work of Hagans and Printup. These young lions are more than just note-takers, though. They’ve taken Hubbard’s principles of sound and expanded on them.
The bulk of the material is drawn from Hubbard’s hard bop days at BlueNote and his jazz/funk output for the Atlantic label. Vincent Herring (alto), Javon Jackson (tenor), Benny Green (piano), Peter Washington (bass), and Kenny Washington (drums) provide the twin trumpeters with “all-star” support. Green is most effective in a duo role with Hagans and Printup while Jackson gets to strut his stuff on “Thermo”, a bop classic that dates back to Hubbard’s tenure with Art Blakey. Herring is best heard on an intense performance of “Life Flight”. The real stars of this date are, of course, Tim and Marcus. I’m betting that Freddie was thrilled by their crackling interplay and inventive improvisations on this terrific “tribute” CD.
John Sharpe (All about Jazz)
1. Backlash
2. Happy Times
3. Hub Cap
4. Lament For Booker
5. On the que-Tee
6. Crisis
7. Byrd Like
8. Thermo
9. Up Jumped Spring
10. Life Flight
Tim Hagans (Trumpet)
Marcus Printup (Trumpet)
Vincent Herring (Alto Sax)
Javon Jackson (Tenor Sax)
Benny Green (Piano)
Peter Washington (Bass)
Kenny Washington (Drums)
Original Release Date: January 13, 1998 – Label: Blue Note Records
Across Rhythm 