Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Gary Versace: Time and Again

149

Gary Versace: Time and Again

By

Sign in to view read count
Gary Versace: Time and Again
Some band leaders put recordings together as if they should be the only soloist, the other musicians mere accompanists. Gary Versace, here as organist, has successfully sidestepped that boring, egotistical approach. "First Things Last, a simple piece that serves the function of an up-tempo swing tune, is a good example of how the band really plays together. It's great to hear how drummer Billy Hart and Versace interact during his organ solo, trading snappy rhythmic ideas. Rich Perry's tenor solo follows—he also possesses significant rhythmic power and fantastic sound. His solo builds to a boiling peak through Hart's prodigious dynamic control.

John Abercrombie's guitar playing draws you in, making you want more, as the ensemble starts the out-head. The guitarist's "Excuse My Shoes, the only non-Versace tune, has a very interesting spacey, straight-eighth note feel that is pushed rhythmically, almost exclusively, by the drums letting the guitar, organ, and tenor create further rhythmic freer lines without the organ bass pedals hammering out the chord changes. Hart's drumming here at times harkens back to his work on Miles' On the Corner.

The title track is a gentle jazz waltz in which Abercrombie plays part of the melody, then passes it to Perry's tenor. Versace's inspired organ solo is the highlight. "Ours, a ballad, goes into a soft double-time feel for the solos; Abercrombie, Perry, and Versace all play wonderfully. The seventh and last track is "Russian Playground, which sounds like the soloists enjoy playing over these changes in the slightly mysterious, dark-hued multiple of three.

Throughout this recording, Abercrombie displays a composer's sense of dynamics (background and foreground) that most players just don't have. Throughout, Hart's drumming provides the perfect groove, dramatically disappearing here or exploding there, pushing the soloist or, in a subtle manner, getting out of the way. He is truly a jazz great.

Track Listing

Homeland; 2 2 2; First Things Last; Excuse My Shoes; Time And Again; Ours; Russian Playground.

Personnel

John Abercrombie: guitar; Billy Hart: drums; Rich Perry: tenor sax; Gary Versace: Hammond B3 organ.

Album information

Title: Time And Again | Year Released: 2005 | Record Label: SteepleChase Records

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

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.