Nick Bewsey, August 2014

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Nick Bewsey has been writing about jazz for ICON since 2004. A member of The Jazz Journalists Assoc., he blogs about jazz and entertainment at www.jazzinspace.blogspot.com. Twitter: @countingbeats

 The Sean Jones Quartet ★★★★1/2

im.pro.vise never before seen

Mack Avenue

An exceptionally gifted musician and leader, trumpeter Sean Jones has an accomplished track record. As a young man, he turned to jazz after hearing John Coltrane’s A Love Supreme. But it was the music of Miles Davis that pushed Jones toward his destiny as a player with the capacity to lead the pack. You can track his career through six previous solo albums for Detroit’s Mack Avenue Records, each of them conceptually interesting, all of them ringing with Jones’ clear, sweet voice on the horn. That’s in addition to holding the lead trumpet cha

ir for the LCJO until 2010, touring in Wayne Shorter and Herbie Hancock’s Miles Davis Tribute Band and most recently, taking a star turn on Dianne Reeve’s record Beautiful Life, with an ace solo on Marvin Gaye’s “I Want You.”

His uniquely titled seventh album, im.pro.vise never before seen, reunites Jones with longtime friends and self-assured improvisers—pianist Orrin Evans, bassist Lucques Curtis and Obed Calvaire on drums. The band recorded the date old school style, playing together live in the studio. There were no overdubs or unnecessary tinkering afterward and the result is breathtaking. There’s gangbuster swing that takes no prisoners (“60th & Broadway”), mesmerizing ballads (“The Morning After”), and emotive storytelling (his magnificent muted horn on “How High The Moon” along with a nice feature for Curtis’ precision bass playing)—all of which signifies a step up from his earlier fine work. im.pro.vise has flow, something that’s often remarkably missing from jazz albums, and the tunes here form a cohesive whole, all of which is played by a very tight, unified group who listen to each one another. Jones spreads his formidable talent evenly, forging a blistering attack on “Dark Times,” a song that reflects on a period of struggle and uncertainty for the trumpeter, and he digs deep on the melodic swinger “I Don’t Give A Damn Blues,” adding a pinch of New Orleans flavor.

Bassist Christian McBride and Al Pryor expertly produced im.pro.vise, but I have to call out Orrin Evans as the date’s MVP. His bold solo turns and phrasing help lift this album to something truly great. Evans is having a banner year himself with two A+ solo records out, and numerous gigs recording as a sideman. Jones knows what he has with Evans, Curtis and Calvaire, and the quintet and its leader gives us a bounty of moods, style and feeling. I haven’t heard a more engaging or beautiful record by another trumpeter this year. (11 tracks; 70 minutes)

Jimmy Cobb ★★★★

The Original Mob

Smoke Sessions

Drummer Jimmy Cobb, an historically important musician who duly received an NEA Jazz Master award in 2009, needs no introduction. If his only connection to jazz was through Miles Davis and playing on Kind Of Blue in 1959, his reputation would still be assured, but Cobb’s career includes deep connections to John Coltrane and Wes Montgomery as well as most every important leader and jazz group since his five-year tenure with Miles. At 85, Cobb is still making music, most of it very good and with his own bands (Jimmy Cobb’s Mob, “So What” Tribute

band) often comprised of intensely creative, younger players.

As part of the launch of Smoke Jazz Club’s excellent new series of live releases, a revived iteration of Cobb’s band called The Original Mob, assembles a former quartet, guitarist Peter Bernstein, pianist Brad Mehldau and bassist John Webber, originally linked to the drummer as students 20 years earlier at The New School in NY.  Two things are striking about this album and its line up—although this was recorded at Smoke, Cobb chose not to record with an audience, yet that in-the-club vibe still crackles and shines through the smooth, swinging performances of the players. As for this band, Cobb deliberately evokes a dynamic from one of his early groups with Wynton Kelly, Paul Chambers and Wes Montgomery, which is a nuanced tribute in itself.

The music on The Original Mob is swift and robust and lit with a gentle fire. The mix of solid standards (“Sunday In New York,” “Nobody Else but Me”) and originals are rooted in pleasing Latin grooves and easygoing swing. Cobb coaxes subtle percussive rhythms behind Bernstein’s gorgeous chords and the interplay between the guitarist and drummer is generous. It’s fascinating listening to a modernist like Mehldau in a traditional setting as part of Cobb’s band. His playing is relaxed and particularly inspired on “Amsterdam After Dark” and the album’s sole trio number, “Unrequited.” A novel treatment of “Old Devil Moon” illustrates this unit’s cohesion—the melody unspools from Webber’s smoky bass notes, gets picked up by Mehldau then underscored by a tight Caribbean beat from Cobb. Bernstein ties it together and the tune is in full bloom, fully swinging for eight glorious minutes. Cobb refers to Bernstein as a player in the style of Grant Green, but Bernstein is no doppelganger—his solos take flight naturally, held aloft by a sustained groove. This is a fine band making tremendously entertaining music and it’s another ace effort from the folks behind Smoke Jazz Club. (10 tracks; 64 minutes)

Ellen Rowe Quintet ★★★1/2

Courage Music

PKO Records

Here’s a genuine discovery that turns out to be honest, top-tier modern jazz from an artist deserving of wide recognition. Pianist, composer and arranger Ellen Rowe is a Professor and Department Chair of Jazz and Contempor

ary Improvisation at University of Michigan’s School of Music in Ann Arbor who infuses her fourth CD, Courage Music, with colorful texture, palpable feeling and masterful interplay. Each of Rowe’s eight original tunes connects to one of the many personal milestones or experiences in her life, some marked by profound loss and others born of the joy of accomplishment, yet the impressive music is effectively melodic and gorgeously arranged throughout. The presence of trumpeter Ingrid Jenson is a key ingredient. Her precise, rounded tone has a sparkling quality in the style of Art Farmer, and her notes dance and leap off the charts. Jenson plays as if she’s singing along, highlighted by her voicing on Rowe’s quietly stunning “Circle Of Life” and later on the swinging “Summit Dog” where her upbeat and swaggering solo gives that tune an incomparable freshness.

Rowe’s arrangements intentionally flatter her quintet (the soulful horns distinguish “Leaves,” a Jensen original and one of the album’s best tunes.) As a pianist, Rowe tells stories with a style that’s resonant and tuneful. She adroitly comps behind her soloists and her own solos are immensely satisfying, such as the grounded resolve she brings to “If Time Stood Still.” Her band merit applause as well—saxophonist Andrew Bishop, trombonist Paul Ferguson, bassist Kurt Krahnke and drummer Pete Siers are perfect collaborators for the talented Ms. Rowe. (10 tracks; 65 minutes)

 Jamie Saft, Steve Swallow, Bobby Previte ★★★1/2

The New Standard

RareNoise

Without getting too hung up on labels, two members of the trio behind The New Standard have firm roots in the avant-garde and veteran bass player Steve Swallow traverses many styles, including free jazz, post-bop, and cool jazz. Playing together for the first time in an improvised setting makes for a quirky experiment in sound and musical interaction—rowdier moments are nowhere to be found here, but sonically it’s abuzz. The European label, RareNoise, pushes the boundaries of many genres while making sure that the recorded sound of their records is as engaging as their content.

The trio, de facto leader Jamie Saft on piano and organ, Bobby Previte on drums and the illustrious St

eve Swallow on electric bass, concentrates on groove-based originals and down tempo ambiance fueled by earthy melodies mostly derived from Saft. Swallow’s throbbing bass conjures an otherworldly sound—it’s all vibration and tremor that burrows into your head along with the boom of Previte’s kick drum and swoosh of his brushes. On acoustic piano, Saft aims for mainstream appeal (“Clarissa”), but these guys can’t help but play left-of-center, which keeps the tunes modern and attractive. When he switches to organ (playing gospel licks on “Clearing” and deftly giving “Blue Shuffle” a soul-jazz sheen), Saft opens up a chill out zone where the vibe is cool and the beats have some heat without breaking a sweat.

The New Standard was improvised throughout and recorded in three hours with engineer Joe Ferla (called the fourth member of the band by the group) and though the album doesn’t break new ground, it’s an unexpected and great sounding diversion—perfect for a late night hang. (10 tracks; 58 minutes)

Jamie Saft