Ted Howe Jazz Orchestra: Pinnacle

Hot Shoe Records
By Ric Bang
Buy CD: Pinnacle

Some individuals are blessed with a single talent that sets them apart from others; very few folks are able to use that talent to expand their lives in ways that not only affect their own future, but that of others encountered along the way. Ted Howe is one such individual. 

He began as a lover of music, particularly jazz; he took piano lessons from Henry Smith, one of the founders of the Berklee College of Music. Howe began as a student and eventually became a professor, teaching theory, improvisation and arranging.

He was only 24 years old.

After some military service, he returned to civilian life and got a job at The Surf Supper Club, a major Boston venue that often featured major artists. Howe often created arrangements for them, in addition to performing with his own groups. Those years were key to the development of his skills as a composer and producer.

His base combo is a trio, which he often uses to produce shows — and albums — that feature music by icons such as Duke Ellington, Elton John and Dave Brubeck. Much of that work has included dance theater and ballets. 

Pinnacle, Howe’s newest CD, features a 13-piece jazz orchestra that uses a unique combination of instruments. The rhythm section contains a piano (two artists share that chair), bass, guitar, drums and another percussionist; the reed section consists of only three musicians, but they switch between flute, four clarinet versions, and soprano, alto, tenor and baritone saxes. Finally, a “heavy” brass section features trumpet/flugelhorn and as many as four trombones.  

Howe composed and arranged all the charts in a “classical” jazz format that features four individual pieces and a three-movement suite. The styles vary from swing and funk, to Latin and bop, done in different meters. And, oh my, how they swing!

It’s impossible to pick favorite tracks, although I’m blown away by those that feature bassist John Patitucci: “Presto for Two Trombones” and “Jazz Etude for Three Clarinets.” The latter chart brought back memories of Benny Goodman’s classic recording of “Sing, Sing, Sing,” with Patitucci’s bass doing the Krupa drum lines, battling Goodman’s clarinet line as a trio.

This is a truly great CD, among the best I’ve reviewed in years.

Dave Shank Quintet: Soundproof

Rhombus Records
By Ric Bang
Buy CD: Soundproof

Dave Shank is living proof of a valuable adage: If at first you don’t succeed, try it a different way. He began his musical career in high school, as a trumpeter — as he puts it, “not a very good one” — so he switched to vibes. It was the best move he ever made.

After a stint in the armed forces, he earned a bachelor of arts degree in theory and composition at the University of Nevada. He then spent most of his early professional years playing for headline acts on the Las Vegas strip, and performing with local jazz groups. He moved to Los Angeles and worked with the likes of Quincy Jones and others, and in bands supporting name acts such as Frank Sinatra, Dionne Warwick, Linda Ronstadt and Bette Midler. Shank also joined guitarist Tim Weston’s jazz quintet Wishful Thinking.

After relocating to New York City, Shank worked extensively on Broadway but nonetheless found time for other projects; you can here his vibes on the Steely Dan album Two Against Nature.

The best indication of how highly Shank is regarded by his fellow artists is the cadre that joined him for this album: bassist John Patitucci, pianist Barry Miles, drummer Terry Silverlight, and saxman Mike Migliore.

As for the result ... this is one of the swinging-est groups I’ve heard in a long time, and that applies to both the up-tempo and ballad charts.

Which brings me to Shank’s second major talent: He composed and arranged all the tracks on this album. True, he uses chord sequences and structures from several old standards in a couple of tunes — “Come Rain or Come Shine” becomes “Fair or Foul,” while “You’d Be So Nice to Come Home To” morphs into “Some Nice” — but the melodic lines are totally different.

Significant attention has been paid to each artist: Migliore and Shank compliment each other beautifully on the title track; Patitucci and Miles own “Alla Brevity”; Silverlight moves into the spotlight on “Last Resort”; and Shank’s vibe work is key to “Snoopin.’ ” Behind it all is the truly great rhythm section: You need only hear Patitucci’s first bar to realize that he’s one of the top bassists working today. Miles’ piano, both as backup and solo, is stellar; and Silverlight’s tasty drumming holds it all together.

Don’t miss this album; it really grooves.

John Patitucci Trio: Remembrance

Concord Records
By Ric Bang • Originally published in The Davis Enterprise, 2.4.10
Buy CD: Remembrance

True musicians don't treat their “jobs” the same way most other folks do; when not playing for their primary gigs, they visit clubs to listen to other artists, sometimes sitting in during a set. Musicians also practice constantly: sometimes alone, but often with peers.

These spontaneous jam sessions seldom get recorded, but technological advances have made it possible for almost everyone to have a “studio” at home. As a result, more and more of these sessions are released as do-it-yourself CDs. That's the case with this album.

Some time ago, bassist John Patitucci, tenor sax star Joe Lovano and drummer Brian Blades were rehearsing for another album. Because the pianist didn't show up, they went ahead as a trio. They liked what transpired so much that, months later, they decided to make this album.

Its title relates to both that practice session, and the fact that most of the tunes are tributes to other artists who no longer are with us.

A “piano-less” trio is rare; the fact that a bass/tenor/drums configuration turned out so beautifully is due to the excellence of the musicians involved. Patitucci is one of the few bassists who can make his “horns” — he plays acoustic and electric instruments — much more than just rhythm-keepers; he plays complex melodic lines and solos that are awesome.

Lovano, who became famous with Woody Herman's Herds, is one of the most “warm” and exciting reed players today. Blades is more than a drummer; he's an exquisite musician.

Although this trio is the core unit, Patitucci's wife, Sachi, adds a cello on one track; an additional percussionist, Rogerio Boccato, contributes to four other tracks.

The result is a musical tour de force.