Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Ron Davis: Subarashii Live

159

Ron Davis: Subarashii Live

By

Sign in to view read count
Pianist Ron Davis is a player with many strengths. He is not afraid to pull several influences into his compositions and enrich them. He plays with a compelling passion, his journey marked by reflection as well as by abandon. He brings it all together, working in close harmony with his band to create an impressive musical palette.

Subarashii means great in Japanese and that is precisely what Davis says he felt after a tour of Japan. Back in Canada, he wasted no time in getting his band to play two dates at Paul Hahn Pianos, a venue in Toronto.

The music has a nice flow even as styles flit from one tune to another. The mood is set with "Allelujah, a gentle blues that vents its way in on Davis's piano before Richard Underhill takes it into gospel land on his alto saxophone. The whole is divined by the parts, and it comes thorough the seamless horn lines and all five comfortable in the groove.

Construction and freedom find their haven in "D'Hora. Underhill gets the klezmer melody singing, angling his notes and letting long lines sweep in. He then goes out on the trail opening a swell of ideas, firing them with burnished phrases. Sacha Boychouk adds the sweet sounds of the clarinet, swinging the pulse, but he is right in there with the hard interjections that push the boundaries without breaking them. Davis is lyrical, his run chockfull of harmonic delight. It's a fine tune that clasps attention, as does the stunning "Réel de Pointe-au-Pic. Davis pirouettes in with a light touch, opening reference points for Boychouk. Soon they are off on an entertaining path that takes in the delights of New Orleans music, some swing and Dixieland, making this compelling listening.

Davis has once more created music that appeals right down the line.

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.

More

What Was Happening
Bobby Wellins Quartet
Laugh Ash
Ches Smith
A New Beat
Ulysses Owens, Jr. and Generation Y

Popular

Eagle's Point
Chris Potter
Light Streams
John Donegan - The Irish Sextet

Get more of a good thing!

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