Bassics
January/February 2005 By Ron Wynn
L'Histoie du Clochard (The Bum's Tale)
Palmetto Records
The outstanding composer/bassist Steve Swallow deletes drums and percussion from his instrumental array on L'histoire du Clochard: The Bum's Tale (Palmetto), a seven-song suite whose selections range from morose, somber numbers to pieces marked by frenetic...
January/February 2005 By Ron Wynn
Shapeshifter
GarrisonJazz
Matthew Garrison's three recent releases embody a striking, quite personalized approach to the electric bass. Shapeshifter (GJP) dips into electronica, smooth jazz and funk while billboarding Garrison's production and studio expertise. He utilizes computer...
January/February 2005 By Ron Wynn
Trilogy
Rounder
While he's earned more recognition and praise for his stints in folk, rock and pop, Rob Wasserman's technical mastery extends into jazz. The three-disc set Trilogy (Rounder) collects the releases Wasserman made in the '80s and '90s into one package containing...
January/February 2005 By Ron Wynn
Tales of the Stuttering Mime
11:11
Eric Revis' debut as a leader, Tales of the Stuttering Mime (11:11), stretches the jazz fabric without ripping it apart. Revis and the formidable drummer Jeff "Tain" Watts are the link uniting disparate groups on this disc's 11 selections. The most unusual...
January/February 2005 By Ron Wynn
Visual
Fresh Sound New Talent
Alexis Cuadrado heads a pianoless sextet for Visual (Fresh Sound New Talent). Along with drummer Mark Ferber, Cuadrado takes up much of the space usually occupied by a keyboardist, giving the frontline players more room to maneuver on such pieces as "Black...
January/February 2005 By Ron Wynn
Dig It!
Nagel-Heyer
Frode Berg plays six-string electric and acoustic bass with zeal on Dig It! (Nagel-Heyer). Tenor saxophonist Petter Wettre sounds somewhat bland and regressive on the band's rendition of "Giant Steps" but is quite spirited and exuberant on "41b" and "Hocum...
January/February 2005 By Ron Wynn
Lumpy Jazz
M.A.J.
Jeff Berlin turns the trio tradition a bit upside down on Lumpy Jazz (M.A.J.). There's a jovial sensibility and party flavor to many pieces, with Berlin, drummer Danny Gottlieb and pianist Richard Drexler vamping with each other, delivering playful retorts...
January/February 2005 By Ron Wynn
Boom
Playscape Recordings
Those expecting an exclusively outside session from Mario Pavone might be surprised by the thematic diversity on Boom (Playscape). Certainly Pavone, tenor/soprano saxophonist Tony Malaby, pianist Peter Madsen and drummer Matt Wilson can and sometimes do...
January/February 2005 By Ron Wynn
Winter Moon
Sirocco Jazz
Winter Moon (Sirocco), bassist Rodney Whitaker's fifth album as a leader, focuses on his current quartet, eschewing guest artists and highlighting either his compositions or those from his band: pianist Eric Reed, saxophonist Ron Blake and drummer Carl Allen...
July/August 2003 By Nate Chinen
Songs, Stories and Spirituals
Concord Records
Soulfulness has always been a motivating force for John Patitucci, the Brooklyn-born bassist of Chick Corea and Wayne Shorter renown. Songs, Stories & Spirituals (Concord) brings that factor to the forefront literally, in an ensemble setting that emphasizes...
