In 2008, while continuing to sing, play bass, guitar and drums in various groups, Jim Cavender produced three jazz CDs, Elephants In The Crosswalk and Halloween On Union Avenue by Rolling Jazz Revue and O Christmas Tree-O by the Keith Taylor Trio. The two Rolling Jazz Revue CDs feature mostly original tunes written by the group's members, Jim Cavender, Newt Johnson, Ben Cohen and Brian Palmieri, but they couldn't resist covering Ornette Coleman's “Ramblin'” on their debut CD, Halloween On Union Avenue. Ken Watters co-wrote “Flying Carpet” with Cavender on the same CD.
Cavender is currently in the mix-down process of Rolling Jazz Revue's third CD recorded in May 2009. “We were sorry to lose Brian Palmieri when he moved to Chicago, but we're excited to welcome two new members, Nick Walker on upright bass and Thad Brown on drums. Both are exceptional players, and Nick's tunes are a blast to play,” Jim says of the latest recording with a planned release date of early July. Newt, Jim and Ben also have songs on the new project. “Every song gives you something to sink your teeth into, and we have a few alternate takes. I hope to be able to provide a free download on the AAJ website again this time,” Cavender says, obviously pleased with the recording.
Jim has toured throughout much of the country with the bands The Jungle, Then Again and The Snake Doctors. He has performed with Percy Sledge, Bo Diddley and Chocolate Armenteros. He has also performed in Cuba (with pianist Roberto Carcasses and trumpeter Julio Padron, among others), Colombia and Sweden (with bassist Anders Eriksson and trumpeter Toti from Circus Maximus). Jim studied music at East Texas State University, and in his home state of Alabama he was lucky enough to get lessons with the late r&b session guitarists Tippy Armstrong and Eddie “Spanky” Alford.
Cavender has produced or co-produced albums in various genres since 1986 including The Jungle by The Jungle (jazz), It Creeps Up On You by Swine Cadillac (blues), Move To The City by Then Again (rock), Brothers by Ken and Harry Watters (jazz), The Snake Doctors by The Snake Doctors (rhythm and blues), Black Boots And A Suitcase by Joshua Black Wilkins (rockabilly), Along The Anchorline by Skip Heller (jazz), Halloween On Union Avenue and Elephants In The Crosswalk by Rolling Jazz Revue (jazz), O Christmas Tree-O by Keith Taylor Trio (jazz).
In addition to playing instruments and/or singing backup vocals on the above-listed albums, Jim Cavender played upright bass and guitar on Don Bowyer's Itchin' In The Kitchen (big band jazz) and co-wrote “Fall Festival” with Ken Watters on Brothers III by Ken and Harry Watters (jazz). Jim also contributed original songs for some of the albums he has produced over the years.
Jim continues to play solo and in various bands in the Huntsville, Alabama, area including Rolling Jazz Revue (jazz), Keith Taylor Trio (jazz), Trio El Camino (jazz-rock organ combo), The Lost Troubadours From The Ford Galaxie (honky-tonk country), Mambo Gris Gris (Latin/Carribean) and The Snake Doctors (rhythm and blues). He also teaches in the music department at the University of Alabama in Huntsville.
Derrick Bang of The Davis (California) Enterprise writes:
“The Keith Taylor Trio’s O Christmas Tree-O (Startlingly Fresh Records) is a seasonal joy from start to finish: a delectable example of the sort of trio piano jazz I could listen to forever. Taylor is joined on piano by Jim Cavender (bass) and Tom Branch (drums), and tenor saxman Greg Chambers sits in for a few tracks.
“The lengthy tracks allow plenty of improv work.... Taylor demonstrates his inventive keyboard work with the album-opening ‘The Second First Noel,’ which also benefits from the first of Cavender’s many slick bass solos. Taylor and Cavender trade licks on several tracks; I’m particularly impressed by their work on the mid-tempo handling of ‘Once in Royal David’s City.’
‘O Christmas Tree’ is an up-tempo finger-snapper, with a truly cookin’ bass solo from Cavender. An equally lively rendition of ‘We Three Kings’ proves that these heads of state really know how to groove on a track that boasts numerous tempo changes.
“But as much as I enjoy this trio’s faster selections, the slower pieces truly shine. ‘Silent Night’ and ‘I Wonder As I Wander’ are soft and mysterious: both lovely readings of these gentle carols. Chambers’ sax work highlights an unexpectedly slow and sentimental reading of ‘Frosty the Snowman,’ a song usually given a lively up-tempo reading that emerges here as a lament (Which I guess makes sense; Frosty did melt, after all!).
“The album closes with another quiet one: ‘Some Children See Him,’ introduced with Taylor’s gentle keyboard work, which guides this lovely standard -- and the entire album -- to a perfect conclusion. Great job, guys.”
-- The Davis Enterprise, December 10, 2009
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