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Kenny Werner: The Space
by Dan Bilawsky
Need can be the greatest enemy of the improvising artist, as the hunger to prove oneself, the self-inflicted imperative demanding the addressing of a naked canvas, and a deep-seated desire to create all tend to have a stunting effect, engendering the exact opposite result of what it means to truly live in the moment. Only with an embrace of the space, a true release from conscious decision-making, can an artist paint without caution and explore to the fullest. Pianist Kenny ...
read moreKenny Werner: The Space
by Dan McClenaghan
Let's ruminate on the state of jazz piano in the year 2018. It is a rich time, when perhaps a dozen hugely talented artists have reached the peaks of their artistry. Keith Jarrett, Marc Copland, Brad Mehldau, Bobo Stenson, Denny Zeitlin, Fred Hersch and a handful more are creating some of the richest and most beautiful and original sounds imaginable with eighty-eight keys. Geniuses all. With a perhaps lower profile among this exclusive group is Kenny Werner, who ...
read moreLarry Goldings / Peter Bernstein / Bill Stewart: Toy Tunes
by Dan Bilawsky
Just look at the cover art--the swirl of colors, the bodies drawn to the eye as misshapen designs, the beauteous blotches, the sturdy rhythms of angularity. In some ways it's almost inconceivable to imagine all of that acting as one, yet these images form a perfectly perceivable whole--a picture that feels like home yet sits in its own space, artfully different yet accessible and inviting. It's a perfect parallel for the work of these three master musicians, collectively viewed as ...
read moreFrank Kimbrough: Solstice
by Budd Kopman
Pianist Frank Kimbrough's latest offering, Solstice on the Pirouet label, is a joy from beginning to end. Pirouet is the home of some other fine piano trios, including those of Marc Copland (see Some Love Songs, Modinha, Voices and Night Whispers). Copland, arguably working from the Bill Evans aesthetic is, of course, quite different than Kimbrough, who resides much more within the aesthetic of Paul Bley, who worked with and influenced many players including Satoko Fujii ...
read moreFrank Kimbrough: Solstice
by Mark Sullivan
Pianist/composer Frank Kimbrough presents a trio album with only one of his originals, a reversal of his usual approach. He was a student of the late Paul Bley, and although there is no formal dedication the program has an air of homage about it. Kimbrough first heard three of the selections played by Bley's mid-60's trio. This group with bassist Jay Anderson and drummer Jeff Hirshfield has a similar adventurous, open spirit. There are also nods to drummer Paul Motian ...
read moreFrank Kimbrough: Solstice
by Jerome Wilson
Frank Kimbrough is a veteran New York pianist known best for playing with Maria Schneider's orchestra and leading his own small groups. On his new CD, Solstice, he pays tribute to several people who have inspired him in his career and life. Most of the people he tips his hat to such as Paul Bley, Shirley Horn and Paul Motian are known for their measured use of space and time and Kimbrough, Jay Anderson and Jeff Hirshfield stay ...
read moreFrank Kimbrough: Solstice
by Dan McClenaghan
A stellar interlude of three-way instrumental interplay can be found on composer/conductor Maria Schneider's first masterpiece, Concert In The Garden (ArtistShare, 2004), on the set's title tune, beginning about five and a half minutes in. Ben Monder lays down a ghostly guitar solo that climbs to an eerie climax, as a handoff to pianist Frank Kimbrough, who weaves a glistening, dew drop-beaded web of a story, soon to be joined by the accordion of Gary Versace, his instrument sighing, singing ...
read moreFrank Kimbrough: Solstice
by Dan Bilawsky
Gravitas and weightlessness may seem like odd compeers, but both are ill at ease with one another and beautifully in league in the music of pianist Frank Kimbrough. On Solstice--the latest of many fine trio dates in Kimbrough's discography, and his first release on the Pirouet imprint--Kimbrough does what he does best, conjuring the elements through his piano and capturing the emotional essence of the songs he inhabits. Originals are scarce here--the muted and mutable, blues-coated “Question's The Answer" is ...
read moreHenning Sieverts: Double Quartet
by Glenn Astarita
The press kit discloses a wealth of thought-provoking information behind bassist, composer, Henning Sievert's motivation for this Double Quartet release. In sum, these compositions reflect the output of his deep dive into 600 years of the Bavarian Irsee Monastery and his discovery of a mass created in 1614, namely for the Abbey's festival of St. Benedict. But no matter how you spin it, this is a progressive jazz outing and at the time of this writing the record label has ...
read morePablo Held Trio: Recondita Armonia
by Phillip Woolever
This solid release furthers the evidence that Held's trio (with bassist Robert Landfermann and percussionist Jonas Burgwinkel) continues to set lofty goals, and proves again the group is quite capable of splendid results. After achieving success with a project like their collaboration with John Scofield, some performers might have taken a pause simply to collect the accolades or follow up with a similar, market-proven formula. Demonstrating once again they are indeed unique, the musicians took more ...
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