Pianist-composer-double bassist John Funkhouser is a man of many talents. He teaches “ear training" at the Berklee College of Music in Boston and plays in several ensembles.  He has worked with artists and ensembles as far-ranging as vocalist Luciana Souza, Mark Harvey's Aardvark Orchestra and the MIT Wind Ensemble. 

He and his Trio mates, bassist Greg Loughman and drummer Mike Connors, are in the midst of a short tour of the Northeast in support of their new CD.  “Time“, a 70 minute-plus collection of impressive reworkings of standard tunes and 6 fine originals, has just been issued on the pianist's Jazz Syzygy label.  They'll play Tuesday (11/17) in the Killian Recital Hall at MIT and on Wednesday (11/18) in the David Friend Recital Hall at Berklee College. On Friday, they'll perform in the Jazz Underground Cafe, 33 Golden Street in New London.  I think you'll like what you hear.  Like many of today's more “progressive" piano trios, the Funkhouser 3 blend many different styles into its repertoire, moving easily and, often, gracefully, from richly melodic pieces to Latin flavored romps to more abstract moments to funky rumpshakers.  The press release for the  new CD makes reference to the trio's penchant for odd time signatures but that should not put you off.  This music is so well-played and enjoyable, this “time" is of the essence.  To find out more about the John Funkhouser Trio, go to johnfunkhouser.com.  To learn more about the New London jazz club, go to jazzundergroundcafe.com.  Check out their lineup - it's one that should draw jazz fans to the Whaling City.

Alto Saxophonist-composer Darius Jones, a native of Virginia, created one of the more debut recordings released in past few years.  “Man'ish Boy (A Raw & Beautiful Thing") was issued by AUM Fidelity in October and took many listeners by surprise.  The title hearkens back to a Muddy Waters' song but this is no Chicago-style blues album. It introduces a dramatic new voice on alto saxophone backed (on the majority of the tracks) by legendary drummer Rakalam Bob Moses and pianist and diddley-bo player Cooper-Moore. At times, the music on the CD reminds me of the early work of another fine alto player, Arthur Blythe - spare instrumentation, the keening  saxophone, and the melodies and rhythms that hint at “free" but have their basis in the language of the blues. The multi-rhythmic work of Moses and Cooper-Moore's unique home-made “diddley-bo", a one-stringed instrument that gives the music its bottom (it sounds as if it is amplified) supplies Jones with free-wheeling rhythms and a strong cushion for his solos.  The rhythm section is supplanted on the final track (a bluesy, hard-edged, bonus cut titled “Chaych“ that follows the lovely ballad “Forgive Me“) by Jones' regular trio of bassist Adam Lane and drummer Aaron Nazary. 

It's Moses and Cooper-Moore who will join Jones on Friday at Firehouse 12 as the recording studio/performance space continues its Fall 2009 Performance series. They'll play 2 sets, 8:30 and 10 p.m. - call 203-785-0468 for tickets or go online to firehouse12.com. 

CATCHING UP Part 2:

Tsuker-zis - Lorin Sklamberg/Frank London - (Tzadik) - The revival of interest in Eastern European Jewish music is well over 2 decades old and has produced some fascinating groups and musicians, including the Klezmer Conservatory Band, the Isle of Klezbos/Metropolitan Klezmer, Brave Old World, and The Klezmatics.  From the last group listed comes vocalist/accordionist Lorin Sklamberg (he of the golden tenor voice) and trumpeter Frank London and this CD finds them continuing their occasional exploration into religious music (most often recorded for John Zorn's Tzadik label.)

It's an interesting lineup with the guitar and electronics of Knox Chandler (who has worked with Cyndi Lauper, Dar Williams, Depeche Mode, Natalie Merchant and REM), Ara Dinkjian (oud, saz, cumbus) and Deep Singh (tabla, dhol) working through this ethereal material alongside London's various brass and in step with Sklamberg's passionate vocals. Pieces like “Our Parent, Our Sovereign“, a trance-like reworking of the Yom Kippur prayer “Avinu Malkeinu“, sit alongside the spiraling rhythms of “Increase Our Joy“, a medley of prayers from Purim, Simchat Torah, and Passover, that sounds like dance music from India, complete with an overdubbed brass section.  Dinkjian's different stringed instruments add so much to pieces such as “The Lord Sent His Servant“, a work that could easily be mistaken for an Appalachian folk tune if not for the Yiddish lyrics. Chandler's squalling guitar opens the high-stepping Passover tune from the Hasidic tradition “Mighty Blessed...“   The piece has phrases all praising the Lord God, phrases that build up one by one and each chorus adds one more verse.  Sklamberg skips through the lyrics at a breathless pace and it's absolutely joyful. 

I suppose “Tsuker-zis“ (sugar-sweet) won't appeal to a large audience but this music transcends its religious message.  Yes, it serves the word of God - much of it is meditative
and serene, one needn't understand the words to fall under its spell. The sonic experiments (such as the blending of electronics with traditional acoustic instruments) really enhances the mysterious nature of the music.  The faster tracks help set up the slower prayers and nigns and one has the urge to go right back to the first track, “A Sukkah of Branches“, to keep the sweet experience from fading into the madness of what passes for the real world.  For more information, go to tzadik.com.