Eddie Daniels and Roger Kellaway: Duke at the Roadhouse

IPO Recordings
By Ric Bang
Buy CD: Duke at the Roadhouse

The jazz world offers musicians, great musicians and master musicians. This album features two of the latter: Eddie Daniels, who plays clarinet, tenor and alto sax, flute and piccolo; and Roger Kellaway, who plays piano, composes and arranges. They collectively have more than a century of experience, and are fluent in both the jazz and classical genres. 

They’re peers; Daniels was born in 1941, and Kellaway in 1939. Daniels’ first instrument was the alto sax, but he switched to tenor, then added the clarinet by the time he entered college. Since the early 1980s, clarinet has been his primary instrument. Kellaway has concentrated on the piano, but he also describes himself as a cello addict. In classical circles, he’s probably best known for his 1970s cello quartet recordings.

It’s difficult to find jazz-related individuals, or organizations, that Daniels and Kellaway haven’t worked with, and almost as hard to find classical ensembles that didn’t feature them. Both have won numerous awards.

This album isn’t their first collaboration; I reviewed — and loved — Duet of One several years ago. This time out, Daniels and Kellaway are honoring Duke Ellington’s music. The menu therefore includes seven of Duke’s compositions (“In a Sentimental Mood,” “Sophisticated Lady” and others), along with one that Duke didn’t write, but always has been associated with him: Juan Tizol’s “Perdido.” The disc is rounded out by two originals: Daniels’ “Duke at the Roadhouse” and Kellaway’s “Duke in Ojai.” 

For the most part, these tracks are presented as duets: Kellaway on piano, Daniels on clarinet or tenor sax. A cello is added a few times; be advised that Kellaway wrote every note for that instrument, including the solo passages.

This is a must-have album, particularly for Ellington fans. It’s the jazz equivalent of watching da Vinci paint the Mona Lisa.

Dick Reynolds: Music & Friends

Origin Records
By Ric Bang
Buy CD: Music & Friends

I’ve not heard a real “dance band” for quite some time. This organization, headed by pianist Dick Reynolds, falls very nicely into that category. 

In the 1960s, Reynolds was the house pianist at Mr. Kelly’s Jazz Club, in Chicago; in that capacity, he worked with the likes of Mel Torme, Sarah Vaughn, Carmen McCrea and many others. Reynolds subsequently started his own commercial endeavor (Com Track) in Chicago, where he wrote, filmed and recorded advertising jingles for International companies such as United Airlines and McDonalds. He’d knock out ads by day, then play music at night.

His other longtime love is fishing: a pastime that relaxed and soothed the mind, and brought him recognition as “The Fishin’ Musician.” That said, this album illustrates that music remains front and center.

The roughly two dozen “Friends” who participated here are, to quote Reynolds, “mostly guys I worked with.” The format is big band, although not everyone plays on all 13 tracks. The rhythm section consists of piano, bass, drums and guitar; the basic brass section draws from half a dozen trumpets/flugelhorns and five trombonists; the reeds number another half-dozen; and a harmonica and additional percussionists are thrown in for good measure. 

The liner notes don’t detail the cadre members for each tune, but I’m guessing that the basic unit averages a dozen to 15 artists.

Whatever the size, the performance is smooth, mellow and — most important — danceable. Interestingly, no standards are performed; each track is an original, and several are tributes to other musicians. The album presentation evokes echoes old LPs, in that most of the tracks run three to six minutes. It definitely takes us back to the big band years.

This is a neat release, and certain to be enjoyed by listeners who lived through that period.

The Miami Saxophone Quartet: Four of a Kind

Fourtitude Records
By Ric Bang
Buy CD: Four of a Kind

Instrumental “choirs” have been around for hundreds of years in the classical genre, whether featuring string, woodwind, brass or mixed instruments. Jazz groupings, on the other hand, are much less common. I strongly believe that the swinging saxophone sections that were part of Woody Herman’s Herds did much to extend the choir concept to the jazz world. 

The year was 1947; tenor sax artist Jimmy Giuffre, who was playing with Buddy Rich at the time, wrote an arrangement for Herman and the marvelous reed section that worked with him at the time. Rather than employ the format common at the time — two altos, two tenors and a baritone — Herman used three tenors and a baritone. Stan Getz, Zoot Sims and Herbie Steward were on tenor; Serge Chaloff played baritone. All four artists used the smooth style of Lester Young, who played with Count Basie; Giuffre’s arrangement took that into account and his song title — “Four Brothers” — acknowledged the section’s wonderful sound. 

The Miami Saxophone Quartet is a reed ‘choir’ that reminds me of the Four Brothers format and sound. The core members of the group are Gary Keller, who founded the unit and plays soprano here; Gary Lindsay, on alto; Ed Calle, on tenor; and Mike Brignola, on baritone. They’re supported by pianist Jim Gasior, bassist Chuck Bergeron and drummer John Yarling. Guest appearances are made by Brian Lynch (trumpet) and Svet Stoyanov (vibes and marimba). 

Each musician is a master artist, boasting years of experience with name artists and groups. Keller and Brignola paid their dues as members of Woody Herman bands; Keller and Lindsay have toured with stars such as Frank Sinatra; and all are (and have been) members of classical organizations. They also teach ... and on, and on. 

Lindsay arranged all the tunes on this release, with support from Calle on the opener, “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.” Three wonderful jazz standards are included: Ellington’s “Sophisticated Lady,” Ralph Burns’ “Early Autumn” and Dave Brubeck’s “It’s a Raggy Waltz.” The rest are Gary Lindsay originals.

This is a marvelous album. The ensemble passages are complex at times, but always smooth as silk; the solo work is brilliant. You’ll rarely hear a combo that swings this much, or is as pleasant on the ears. This is the Miami Sax Quartet’s fifth CD; if you’re as impressed as I am, you’ll soon track down their previous releases.

Chris Amemiya: In the Rain Shadow

OA2 Records
By Ric Bang
Buy CD: In the Rain Shadow

There’s a Chris Amemiya who plays trombone, has performed with combos and big bands in Hawaii (his birth place), Boston and Seattle, and has formed the swinging sextet featured on this release. 

There’s also a Chris Amemiya who completed his college undergraduate degree at Purdue University, obtained a PhD in genetics at Texas A&M, received an Alfred P. Sloan Fellowship in molecular studies, completed postdoctoral studies in comparative immunology at the Tampa Bay Research Institute, and another postdoctoral fellowship working on the Human Genome Project at the Livermore National Laboratory ... not to mention several other teaching projects. Oh yes, and is a full professor in the biology department at the University of Washington. 

Believe it or not, they’re one and the same guy.

I’m concerned here with his musical alter ego, of course, as a Doctor of Jazz. Amamiya’s first instrument during high school was the euphonium, but by the time he hit college he had switched to trombone. Although his career in science took top priority, he never stopped playing and was hooked on jazz early on. He performed with jazz, blues, salsa and R&B groups, recorded jingles, and ultimately formed his Jazz Coalescence sextet in 2006; that’s the straight-ahead unit featured on this album.

The members include Jay Thomas, a multi-instrumentalist who plays trumpet and flugelhorn on this release, but also is fluent on the reed instruments and flute; Travis Ranney, on alto and tenor sax; John Hansen, on piano; Jon Hamar, on bass; and Steve Korn, on drums. Amemiya handles the trombone chores. 

All these players are key elements in the Seattle/Pacific Northwest jazz scene: first-class musicians who have played with many bands as sidemen and/or leaders. In this unit, their melding is particularly noteworthy. 

One of the primary goals for this sextet was to be a group that not only worked well together (“coalesced”), but featured artists who could produce great solos. To that end, the average running time for the tunes exceeds 10 minutes, which provides space for clever ensemble work and solos by all six musicians. Eight composers are represented; in several cases, arrangements are by members of the group. 

My favorite track is Eubie Blake’s 1930s hit, “Memories of You,” which is given a complete overhaul and a grooving meter. Sammy Fain’s “Secret Love” is another seldom-heard melody that glistens anew.  

In fact, everything on the menu is a winner. 

Michael Dease: Coming Home

D Clef Records
By Ric Bang
Buy CD: Coming Home

I’ve been a jazz fan all of my life, and I’m turned on by most of its sub-genres and the potpourri of instruments involved. That said, I’ve always been partial to the slide trombone. That love began when I first heard the Woody Herman Herd, with Bill Harris starring in the trombone section; his brilliant, driving style was a key part of those bands, and he led the way for artists such as J.J. Johnson, Kai Winding, Bob Brookmeyer, John Fedchock, Curtis Fuller, Wycliffe Gordon and a host of others. 

The newest to join that august group, Michael Dease, is the star of this album. This relatively young (early 30s) musician is a master of the instrument. His tone is superb, his solo passages are tremendously innovative, and he swings like crazy. Combine that with his prowess as a composer and arranger, and we have the next big jazz artist.

The Georgia native began his musical career playing sax, but he switched to trombone before graduating from high school. He received both bachelor and master of music degrees from Juilliard and, while there, earned numerous awards. His first breakthrough was with Illinois Jacquet’s big band in 2002, and Dease currently performs with numerous other groups headed by Christian McBride, Roy Hargrove, Nicholas Payton, Jimmy Heath and Charles Tolliver. Dease also is a member of Dizzy Gillespie’s All Stars, and he plays with many smaller groups, including those under his own name. This release features one of his quintets.

The membership includes bassist Christian McBride, pianist Renee Rosnes, drummer Ulysses Owens Jr., alto saxophonist Steve Wilson and, of course, Dease on trombone. In addition, Eric Alexander (tenor), Tony Lustig (tenor and baritone) and Andrew Swift (percussion) guest on several  of this album’s 11 tracks. Five are Dease originals; one is written by Rosnes, and another by McBride. The rest are jazz standards from Oscar Peterson, Freddie Hubbard and Duke Ellington, along with and Jules Stein’s great “Just in Time.” There’s something from — and for — everyone.

That said, my favorites include takes on “Just in Time” and Peterson’s “Blues Etude.” The latter is a tricky melodic line involving trombone, piano and bass in unison, and trading solo lines that groove wonderfully; the former is done at a blistering tempo that demonstrates Dease’s facility with the slide at an almost unbelievable speed, along with McBride’s second-to-none bass pyrotechnics. 

You absolutely shouldn’t miss this album.

David Arnay: 8

N Studio Records
By Ric Bang
Buy CD: 8

Pianist/composer David Arnay is another of the many artists likely unknown beyond the borders of New York, where he spent his early years; or the Los Angeles area, where he now resides and works. Like many of today’s musicians, he teaches and embraces other jobs in order to compose and perform. 8, his third album as a leader, demonstrates that he is both talented and promising.

This disc’s format is unique: The tracks develop and “grow” as they proceed. The opening tune — one of only two that aren’t original compositions — is a swinging solo piano rendition of the Duke Ellington/Juan Tizol classic “Caravan.” Then, as each subsequent track follows, another instrumentalist is added until an octet is created. 

Thus, the addition of bassist Edwin Livingston results in a scintillating duo performance of “11/12/11,” and then drummer Peter Erskine turns the duo into a trio for “Billville,” Arnay’s tribute to Bill Evans. Tenor sax artist Doug Webb creates a quartet that burns its way through “Step Four,” a post-bop swinger. A quintet is formed with the arrival of percussionist Munyungo Jackson, and Webb switches from tenor to bass clarinet for “Old Man Says.” The sextet introduces Paco Loco on guitar, for John Coltrane’s “Giant Steps,” which — as a striking change — is done as a ballad. (Webb switches to soprano sax for this track.)

Trumpeter Dan Fornero and trombonist Vikram Devasthali replace the guitar to create the septet that performs “Six of One” and, finally, Loco returns on guitar — and Webb picks up his baritone sax — for an octet handling of “Dream Groove.”

No matter the combo  size, the performances are smooth, swinging and unique. If there’s any justice in the music world, Arnay and his associates will receive many more opportunities to entertain us, while — I’ve no doubt — having a lot more fun in the process.

Geof Bradfield: Melba!

Origin Records
By Ric Bang
Buy CD: Melba!

Unless you’re a senior jazz fan, or you “cheated” and checked Geof Bradfield’s website, you probably don’t have any idea who “Melba” is, or was ... which is a shame. 

Melba Liston was born in 1926, loved jazz, became enamored with the trombone (“chose it because it’s such a pretty horn”) and became a professional musician at age 16. She didn’t merely play; she became one of the finest copyists and arrangers during the Big Band years, and worked with some of that era’s finest jazz musicians and bands. The names Gerald Wilson, Dexter Gordon, Count Basie, Dizzy Gillespie, Art Blakey and Randy Weston — among many, many others — should ring the necessary bells. Liston arranged for, or played with, all of them during her career. 

Bear in mind that female musicians, particularly when on the road, were almost unknown during that time period.

Tenor sax artist and composer Geof Bradfield is well aware of Liston’s contribution to jazz, and he created this tribute album to honor her memory. He acknowledges a debt to Randy Weston, who Liston and her music to her attention. Her early career was oriented toward the bebop and post-bop genres, but many consider her finest work to have resulted from her long-term association with Weston, and the arrangements she produced during that period. Bradfield’s interaction with Weston led him to dig in to Liston’s scores and work in great detail; this disc is the result.

The album more or less follows the timeline of Melba’s career. Seven “movements” begin with “Kansas City Child,” which dates back to her early years. “Central Avenue” follows, covering 1940s Los Angeles, when she was working with Gerald Wilson and making arrangements for luminaries such as Mary Lou Williams. 

“Dizzy Gillespie” moves into the 1950s, when the Latin influence emerged and the U.S. State Department became involved, using jazz for political purposes on a world-wide basis. Bradfield uses trumpeter Victor Garcia and drummer George Fludas to project the Brazilian influence that became predominant during this period. “Randy Weston” covers an interval of 40 years, and related movements — “Solo Sax,” “Detroit/Kingston” and “Homecoming” — are the album’s most lyrical treats.

The program concludes with Liston’s inner prayer: “Let Me Not Lose My Dream.”

She was quite a lady, and this is quite an album.