Archive for the ‘Steve davis’ 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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Mike DiRubbo: From The Inside Out (2005 – Criss Cross)
The proliferation of accomplished young saxophonists continues with New Haven native Mike DiRubbo’s debut on Sharp Nine, which continues its admirable policy of promoting undiscovered but no less deserving talent. DiRubbo, now 28 years old, was only 23 when From the Inside Out was recorded in 1994. He’d already graduated from the Hartt School of Music, where he studied under alto master Jackie McLean, and was playing in the Explorer’s Quintet with trombonist Steve Davis, his front’line companion here. Besides the seasoned pianist Bruce Barth, the rhythm section includes another of DiRubbo’s teachers from Hartt, bassist Nat Reeves, and drummer Carl Allen, who played with Reeves in McLean’s small ensemble. DiRubbo, who says his approach and phraseology are based more on the tenor saxophone than the alto (and he speaks the truth), is firmly rooted in the bop tradition, as are his compositions (four are included, the vamp to one of which, ‘Blues to Your Old Country,’ sounds like Duke Pearson’s ‘Jeannine’). There are echoes of McLean, and Parker too, in DiRubbo’s keen’edged horn, as well as such tenor influences as Trane, Rollins, Shorter, Mobley and others. What emerges is an alert, expressive voice that should become bolder and more persuasive as the years go by. Davis, obviously inspired by J.J. Johnson among others, is relaxed and fluent, but content for the most part to let DiRubbo command the spotlight. Davis makes it a quintet on six of the nine tracks including his original composition, ‘The Search Within.’ DiRubbo and pianist Barth play a duet on the saxophonist’s ballad ‘For First,’ which leads directly to the fleet’footed finale, Dizzy Gillespie’s explicitly titled ‘Bebop,’ played sans Davis. Barth has another emphatic solo on that one, while the rhythm section is nimble and productive as ever. While there’s nothing seismic in DiRubbo’s debut, it does serve as a noteworthy preamble to what could be a long and prolific career.
Jack Bowers – All About Jazz
1. From the Inside Out
2. Rue de la Harpe
3. Role Reversal
4. You’re a Weaver of Dreams
5. Blues to Your Old Country
6. Over the Rainbow
7. Search Within, The
8. For First
9. Bebop
Personnel:
Mike DiRubbo (alto sax)
Steve Davis (trb)
Bruce Barth (piano)
Nat Reeves (bass)
Carl Allen (drums)
Original Release Date: April 10, 1999 – Label: Sharp Nine Records
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Steve Davis – Images (Posi-Tone Records – 2010)
Images is trombonist Steve Davis’ love letter to his hometown of West Hartford, CT. The ten pieces he wrote for the album, and which make up his “Hartford Suite,” are all dedicated to people or places associated with this geographic region. While Davis’ penchant for crisp swing and clear, lyrical lines plays a big part here, some compositional cunning—and some pieces that fall outside this general area—helps to keep things from falling into a stylistic rut.
Dedicated to bassist Nat Reeves, the mid-to-up-tempo swing of “Nato” possesses a persistent, four-note figure that drops in as the parade of soloists pass along. “The Modernist” plays off of oddly placed accents, slightly obscuring an otherwise straightforward feel, while the horns stretch out over some cymbal rolls and arco bass before the music starts to cook on “Twain’s World.” A phrase with a cycling rhythm leads into the solos here, putting Davis and trumpeter Josh Evans in the spotlight. “J Mac’s Way,” dedicated to Jackie McLean, features some of pianist David Bryant’s most absorbing solo work on the album, while the bass hook at the start of the waltzing “Mode For Miantonomoh” is an instant attention grabber. Bryant’s zeal adds a lot to this track, bit its alto saxophonist Mike DiRubbo who is the standout soloist, showcasing his unique phrasing and style.
While the first half of the album has plenty to offer, the two tracks that seem to rise above the rest are on the latter half of the recording. Davis admittedly acknowledges the Billy Strayhorn influence on “Rose Garden,” a ballad that exudes all of the tender sophistication and class associated with that genius of jazz composition. While Davis and DiRubbo carefully shape their lines to fit the song’s mood, bassist Dezron Douglas provides some thick bass notes that hang, seemingly suspended in mid-air, behind them. “Park Street” has an infectiously joyous, party-like vibe, and uses a Latin groove as its rhythmic framework, set behind a 12-bar blues-like progression. All the soloists take things up a notch here, and Douglas’ solo is bursting with creative energy. While familiarity with the city of Hartford would probably yield a unique appreciation for this album, the musical images presented here can easily stand on their own.
(All About Jazz)
Original Release Date: 2010 – Label: Posi-Tone Records
Wayne Shorter – Alegría (2003 – Universal)
It is an utter joy to witness the profound evolution of a genius. With the release of Alegria, Wayne Shorter continues to widen and refine his unique musical vision—and share it with the world. From the first few notes of the opening song, “Sacajawea,” it becomes immediately evident that we’re being invited into a lyrical sonic world that is beyond common jazz metaphor. This music is stripped of all superfluity and becomes a singular document—a meeting of heavy spirits.
The music on Alegria feels “lived in” and this aura pervades every piece on the recording, even the sessions with musicians outside of the quartet orbit and the overdubbed sections. The ‘lived in’ quality comes from Shorter himself; like his former employer Miles Davis, there is as much music in what he chooses not to play as what he does voice with his horn. His tremendous presence with each note and every gesture again recalls Miles Davis, inspiring those around him to rise to a higher level of understanding of the music they are asked to interpret.
1. Sacajawea;
2. Serenata;
3. Veniendo Alegria;
4. Bachianas Brasileiras No.5;
5. Angola;
6. Interlude;
7. She Moves Through the Fair;
8. Orbits; 12th Century Carol;
9. Capricorn II
Personnel:
Wayne Shorter: tenor and soprano saxophones;
Danilo Perez; Brad Mehldau: piano;
John Patitucci: bass;
Brian Blade, Terri Lyne Carrington-drums;
Alex Acuna-percussion;
Lew Soloff, Chris Gekker, Jeremy Pelt: trumpets;
Jim Pugh, Steve davis, Bruce Eidem, Papo Vasquez, Michael Boschen: trombones;
Chris Potter: bass clarinet, tenor saxophone;
Charles Curtis: solo cello;
Paul Dunkel: flute;
Steven Taylor: oboe;
Allen Blustine: clarinet, bass clarinet;
Frank Morelli-bassoon; John Clark, Stewart Rose-horns; Marcus Rojas-tuba; David Garrett, Barry Gold, Gloria Lum, Daniel Rothmuller, Brent Samuel, Cecilia Tsan: Cello
Original Release Date: March 25, 2003 (Label: Universal)
Across Rhythm 