I missed this album when it came out last year, but I want you to know about it now in case you missed it, too. Alvin Queen is a superb drummer with a beautiful, sentimental touch on sticks and brushes. Born in the Bronx, Queen lived in Canada in the 1970s and then relocated to Switzerland in 1979, where he created the Nilva record label, an anagram of his first name. On his most recent album, Night Train to Copenhagen (Stunt), Queen's trio—Swedish pianist Calle Brickman and Danish bassist Tobias Dall—channel the music and feel of the Oscar Peterson Trio with great alacrity.
Recorded a year ago in Denmark, the Alvin Queen Trio takes on Have You Met Miss Jones, Bags' Groove, I Got It Bad (and That Ain't Good), Farewell Song, Quiet Nights, Days of Wine and Roses, Goodbye J.D., Tranquility in the Woods, D&E, Georgia on My Mind, Night Train, C Jam Blues, People, Moten Swing and Some Other Time.
The challenge with any album that pays tribute to the catalog and sound of one of jazz's great trios is how far do you go to emulate. Ignore the artist in question and you leave listeners puzzled. Mirror the sound as closely as possible and you'll wind up dismissed by listeners who find your interpretations inferior to the real deal.
The Alvin Queen Trio manages to walk the fine line in between, capturing the Oscar Peterson Trio's elegance and thick swing without delivering a fawning, wax museum tribute. The three musicians shine as themselves, but with the flavor and essence of Peterson, bassist Ray Brown and drummer Ed Thigpen. In this regard, Brickman shoulders the Peterson feel on piano, delivering the essence of the pianist without the splashy flash or bombast. Dall's bass is big and woody, like Brown's. And Queen's drums are provocative, with snare shots and cymbal sizzles fired here and there to keep everyone on their toes.
If you have no idea who Oscar Peterson is, you'll still find this album thoroughly enjoyable and you'll likely be motivated to look into Peterson's catalog. If you already are familiar with the Peterson Trio, you'll love this album precisely because it isn't an impersonation. Instead, it's more of an ode.
JazzWax clips: Here's Have You Met Miss Jones...
And here's People...
Recorded a year ago in Denmark, the Alvin Queen Trio takes on Have You Met Miss Jones, Bags' Groove, I Got It Bad (and That Ain't Good), Farewell Song, Quiet Nights, Days of Wine and Roses, Goodbye J.D., Tranquility in the Woods, D&E, Georgia on My Mind, Night Train, C Jam Blues, People, Moten Swing and Some Other Time.
The challenge with any album that pays tribute to the catalog and sound of one of jazz's great trios is how far do you go to emulate. Ignore the artist in question and you leave listeners puzzled. Mirror the sound as closely as possible and you'll wind up dismissed by listeners who find your interpretations inferior to the real deal.
The Alvin Queen Trio manages to walk the fine line in between, capturing the Oscar Peterson Trio's elegance and thick swing without delivering a fawning, wax museum tribute. The three musicians shine as themselves, but with the flavor and essence of Peterson, bassist Ray Brown and drummer Ed Thigpen. In this regard, Brickman shoulders the Peterson feel on piano, delivering the essence of the pianist without the splashy flash or bombast. Dall's bass is big and woody, like Brown's. And Queen's drums are provocative, with snare shots and cymbal sizzles fired here and there to keep everyone on their toes.
If you have no idea who Oscar Peterson is, you'll still find this album thoroughly enjoyable and you'll likely be motivated to look into Peterson's catalog. If you already are familiar with the Peterson Trio, you'll love this album precisely because it isn't an impersonation. Instead, it's more of an ode.
JazzWax clips: Here's Have You Met Miss Jones...
And here's People...
This story appears courtesy of JazzWax by Marc Myers.
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