Ernie Krivda Quintet: Plays Ernie Krivda

The hard-charging Ernie Krivda, with his sweeping, machinegun-like attack, is something of a perpetual motion swing machine. The Cleveland-based tenorist has a readily identifiable style, although he occasionally sounds like a cousin to Bennie Wallace, particularly in the way both of them sometimes swoop into their high notes and utilize the full range of the instrument. Plays Ernie Krivda (CIMP), as the title suggests, features Krivda compositions exclusively, some of them based on familiar harmonies. Krivda’s attractive tunes include a bebop head (“Blue Hokum”), a quick waltz (“The Jerry Turn,” over the changes of “All the Things You Are”), a Jobim-like Latin number (“Passage”), a medium-paced ballad (“Beauty Passing”) and a breathtaking Middle Eastern-sounding piece (“Panhandle Hook”) that contains a virtuosic passage evocative of a folk dance. In addition, Krivda and drummer Carmen Intorre team up for a short, frenzied duo interlude that sets off a firestorm.

Trumpeter Dominick Farinacci, who turned 20 in 2003, continues to impress as a surprisingly mature-sounding practitioner in the Clifford Brown tradition. He and the fine guitarist Bob Fraser offer a more reserved contrast to Krivda’s passion, although they can dig in when need be, just as the leader can show his reflective side when appropriate.

Originally Published June 1, 2004