Rich Peare: Blues For Peter

There is a special kind of pleasure in sitting in a jazz club, listening to talented musicians use their skills to explore some of the finest melodies of the last sixty years. In their debut album, Blues for Peter, Rich Peare (classical guitar) and Don Messina (double bass) offer just that experience. The album features eight improvised tracks—seven standards and one blues—plucked on a nylon-stringed classical guitar and a gut-stringed double bass.

Messina's connection to jazz is deep-rooted. He was initially inspired by Lennie Tristano and later studied with Sal Mosca, performing with him from 1999 until Mosca's death in 2007. Messina became the executor of the Mosca archive at Rutgers University and, in collaboration with the Mosca family, he produced nine albums. His own bass playing is influenced by jazz greats like Jimmy Blanton and Oscar Pettiford.

Peare, who began his musical journey with classical guitar, also studied with a Tristano devotee, Peter Prisco. Peare's use of a classical guitar in a jazz context is unusual; the most well-known predecessor is Charlie Byrd. However, Peare's technique brings out the instrument's unique qualities, as showcased on his first album with bassist Bill Crow. Blues for Peter is dedicated to Prisco, who was a master and a great inspiration to many. The album's liner notes were provided by his son, Andy Prisco.

The sound of the guitar on this album is immediately striking. It is bright, resonant, and powerful, capturing not just the notes but also the incidental sounds, like sounds of fingers sliding along the strings, which are skillfully woven into the music.

Peare and Messina's choice of standards is particularly bold. When a listener knows a melody, they can better judge the quality of the improvisation and appreciate how the musicians embellish the original. This setting discourages a mere display of virtuosity in favor of genuine invention. Avoiding clichés is a challenge, as it is often easier for musicians to fall back on well-worn patterns than to forge new paths.

On "Strike Up the Band," Peare's melodic lines are carefully considered. His rhythm has the grace of Freddie Green as he accompanies Messina's bass, and his early solo has a distinct, sinewy quality.

"All of Me" avoids the obvious, with an unexpected improvisation that ventures into unusual areas. The guitar's sound is completely fresh, following its own internal logic rather than mimicking any specific model. The creativity remains high, even after the bass solo.

"Don't Blame Me" is treated with a thoughtful, steady pace, allowing the melody to breathe. The improvisation is intriguing and heartfelt, highlighting the piece's inherent melancholy and bringing to mind the slow, creative exploration of a musician like Thelonious Monk.

This album is not just a simple guitar and bass collaboration; it is a deeply satisfying and imaginative journey through classic compositions. There is sincerity in every note, with a faint, but discernible, influence of Tristano evident throughout.

As one great jazz writer said about a recent concert with two jazz greats, "I knew after twenty minutes that I was seeing motions being gone through." Messina and Peare, however, do not go through the motions. They create something fresh, inspiring and meaningful.