Home » Jazz Articles » Multiple Reviews » Dan Tepfer: Oxygen & Duets with Lee

316

Dan Tepfer: Oxygen & Duets with Lee

By

Sign in to view read count








Dan Tepfer

Oxygen

DIZ Productions

2009


Dan Tepfer

Duets with Lee

Sunnyside

2009


The full arrival of pianist Dan Tepfer has been signaled by his recent sideman work with the august alto saxophonist Lee Konitz. These two albums find him adopting a similar playing stance in different settings, both allowing ample space for his lightly classicist touch; he inhabits the rippling sensitivity zone of players such as Paul Bley, Bill Evans, Steve Kuhn and Keith Jarrett.

Tepfer leads his trio on Oxygen, its title track emblematic of the entire disc's approach. Angular and twisting, it grasps its groove cautiously, as Jorge Roeder and Richie Barshay's bass and drums briefly sit out while Tepfer wanders alone. All three are continually investigating the melody's forward path, until an emphatic climax is eventually reached, everything subsequently breaking down into dispersal. There's a low level of incidence as the three move into "Sweet Talk," with its brushing balladry. A few months ago, "Billie Jean" would have been a crass tune-choice, but now it's a crass tune-choice with an unexpected topicality. Anyway, Tepfer manages to perform a thorough dissection. Each tune (there are pieces penned by John Coltrane, Joe Henderson and Steve Lacy, besides Tepfer's majority of originals) is subject to a flowing motion, a gentle shifting of time's sands. Superficially, this is quite conventional piano trio music, but the participants usually push towards a slight tilt or gentle twist of the tune.

Tepfer's touch is highlighted even more on Duos With Lee, as he meets a fellow lover of spacious reflection. The session is dominated by its ten-part "Elande" sequence, each part of the suite keeping to around two minutes. The run is broken up between "6" and "7" by Tepfer's "Merka Tikva." These pieces are freely improvised, with the only frame being a gradual key-progression decided in advance. Even though spontaneity rules, these short creations revolve around lyrical melodies, instantaneously formed. The first "Elande" begins like it's already in progress, Konitz establishing a very verbal tone and phrasing as he elegantly sends out his lines. He bends and chews, sliding between the notes, as the stripling Tepfer dances around, nimbly echoing or underlining the veteran's bobbing path. On the bandstand, Tepfer is definitely capable of a lustier approach, but these two discs reveal a very compatible aspect that is his more studied and delicate side. They nestle together on the shelf with an intimate compatibility.

Tracks and Personnel



Oxygen

Tracks: Oxygen; Sweet Talk; Billie Jean; Moment's Notice; Inner Urge; Not for Sissies; Equivalence; Every Day; Bone.

Personnel: Dan Tepfer: piano; Jorge Roeder: bass; Richie Barshay: drums.



Duets with Lee

Tracks: Elande No. 1(F#); Elande No. 2 (Bb); Elande No. 3 (A); Elande No. 4 (B); Elande No. 5 (D); Elande No. 6 (G#); Merka Tikva; Elande No. 7 (F); Eland No. 8 (G); Elande No. 9 (E); Elande No. 10 (Free for Paree); No Lee; Trees.

Personnel: Lee Konitz: alto saxophone; Dan Tepfer: piano.

Comments

Tags


For the Love of Jazz
Get the Jazz Near You newsletter All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who create it. Our enduring commitment has made "AAJ" one of the most culturally important websites of its kind, read by hundreds of thousands of fans, musicians and industry figures every month.

You Can Help
To expand our coverage even further and develop new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for a modest $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination will vastly improve your AAJ experience and allow us to vigorously build on the pioneering work we first started in 1995. So enjoy an ad-free AAJ experience and help us remain a positive beacon for jazz by making a donation today.
View events near New York City
Jazz Near New York City
Events Guide | Venue Guide | Local Businesses | More...

More

Fiesta at Caroga
Afro-Caribbean Jazz Collective
Fellowship
David Gibson
Immense Blue
Olie Brice / Rachel Musson / Mark Sanders

Popular

Get more of a good thing!

Our weekly newsletter highlights our top stories, our special offers, and upcoming jazz events near you.