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Dino Govoni: Hiding in Plain Sight
by Jack Bowers
Tenor saxophonist Dino Govoni acquits himself well on the curiously-titled Hiding in Plain Sight, his third album for Whaling City Sound, as do his colleagues on this basically bop-leaning, mainly quintet studio date. The qualifier “mainly" is necessary because trumpeter Alex Sipiagin performs on only five of the album's nine tracks. On the others, Govoni is cradled by his capable rhythm section, pianist Henry Hey, bassist Michael Pope and drummer Jeff “Tain" Watts. Each of the numbers ...
Continue ReadingEric Wyatt: A Song of Hope
by Jack Bowers
On A Song of Hope, his second album for Whaling City Sound, saxophonist Eric Wyatt offers more than hope; he offers assurance that contemporary jazz is alive and well in and around his home base of Brooklyn, NY. Wyatt, the godson of another rather well-known saxophonist, Sonny Rollins, performs in groups of various sizes, from quartet to octet, with vocals by Samara Joy on two numbers, “Fragile" and Wyatt's “Say Her Name." The almost-constants are pianist Donald Vega, bassist Eric ...
Continue ReadingBenito Gonzalez: Sing To The World
by Jim Worsley
Unbridled rhythmic fury fueled by a rich harmonic underbelly is the essence of Sing To The World. Pianist Benito Gonzalez has once again assembled a vibrant cast that flourishes on ten original creations. Inventive and energetic, the ensemble gels in the moment and establishes interplay with rich and intelligent conversation. The depth and articulation comes as no surprise, with reference to his previous works as a leader and the seven years Gonzalez spent as a member of Kenny Garrett's band. ...
Continue ReadingDan Wilson: Vessels Of Wood And Earth
by Chris May
Dan Wilson's Vessels Of Wood And Earth starts well. Just over a minute into track one, the guitarist launches into a lightning-speed solo which sounds a little like Wes Montgomery channeling Charlie Parker on speed. On track two, Stevie Wonder's well named “Bird Of Beauty," he rings the changes, exchanging Montgomery and Parker for Pat Metheny and sobriety, while pianist Christian Sands swaps his piano for a Lyle Mays-esque synthesizer program. Unfortunately, this early promise is not ...
Continue ReadingTroy Roberts: Days Like These
by Dan Bilawsky
Days like these, when you have the opportunity to hear Troy Roberts fronting an all-star organ group, are pretty nice. Roberts--one of the most underappreciated tenor saxophonists on the scene, a mainstay in organ kingpin Joey DeFrancesco's band and an erstwhile sideman for drummer Jeff “Tain" Watts--shows a particular affinity for this format. A complete artist with a muscular yet fluid sound, soulful bearing and unerringly sensitive ears, it's like he was made for this music. Bringing ...
Continue ReadingJeff "Tain" Watts' Elvin Jones Alumni Band at Jazz Standard
by Adrien H. Tillmann
Troy Roberts: Tales & Tones
by Jerome Wilson
Troy Roberts is a saxophonist from Australia who has made his way in America working with the likes of Christian McBride, Jeff “Tain" Watts and Joey DeFrancesco. On this CD he demonstrates a forceful saxophone sound married to original ideas in rhythm and tempo.Roberts' plays deep, swooping sax mostly over tricky, pounding beats set up by Watts. The drummer pushes a sprightly version of “Take The 'A' Train along with relaxed hip hop beats before Roberts lays into ...
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