Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Tardo Hammer: Look Stop & Listen: The Music of Tadd Dameron

145

Tardo Hammer: Look Stop & Listen: The Music of Tadd Dameron

By

View read count
Tardo Hammer: Look Stop & Listen: The Music of Tadd Dameron
Nearly a decade ago I had the pleasure of reviewing Hammer Time, the impressive debut album by (as I wrote then) an "enormously talented" young pianist, Tardo Hammer. While we've both grown older since then, I am happy to report that at least one of us (guess who) has continued on an upward path. Hammer's latest album for Sharp Nine Records (his fourth) is another handsome feather in his cap. The lively and engaging session is devoted entirely to music by the remarkable pianist, composer and early bopper Tadd Dameron, several of whose compositions have become Jazz standards.

For one who was on the cutting edge of Jazz when Diz, Bird and others were rewriting the rulebook, Dameron was quite the melody-maker, which is one reason why so many of his songs have stood the test of time and are still being played today, albeit seldom with greater warmth and understanding than Hammer marshals. One has the feeling that if Dameron were still alive this is the way he'd be playing them too. Stylistically, Hammer is from the Hank Jones / Tommy Flanagan / Barry Harris school of euphonic resourcefulness: placing charm and accessibility above self-absorption and never inflating his remarks when forbearance will suffice.

That's not to imply there's no fire in Hammer's belly. He can scorch the keyboard when necessary, but always ignites his bonfires with utmost care. And when the script calls for finesse, as on the ballads "Dial B for Beauty" or "If You Could See Me Now," Hammer lays bare an abundant storehouse of graceful exposition. For rhythmic support, he leans on two veteran sidemen who have in effect become Sharp Nine's "house rhythm section"— bassist John Webber and drummer Joe Farnsworth—neither of whom gives him cause for concern while carrying out his assignment with proficiency and assurance. It's especially pleasing to hear Farnsworth use brushes so adeptly, as he does on several numbers, ably balancing the rhythm while remaining discreetly in the background. He's an engaging soloist too, as is Webber.

Even though Hammer leads a trio, one is tempted to call it a quartet, as the album would surely be less enjoyable were it not for the impressive recording, mixing and mastering skills of Mike Marciano who helps make it come alive. Great sound, a marvelous pianist and a world-class threesome presenting nearly an hour of splendid music by one of Jazz history's most renowned composers. It doesn't get much better than that.

Track Listing

Focus; Look Stop & Listen; Smooth as the Wind; Dial B for Beauty; The Squirrel; Hot House; Super Jet; If You Could See Me Now; Our Delight; Flossie Lou.

Personnel

Tardo Hammer: piano; John Webber: bass; Joe Farnsworth: drums.

Album information

Title: Look Stop & Listen: The Music of Tadd Dameron | Year Released: 2008 | Record Label: Sharp Nine Records

Tags

Comments


PREVIOUS / NEXT




Support All About 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 make 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.

Go Ad Free!

To maintain our platform while developing new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity, we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for as little as $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination vastly improves 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

Tramonto
John Taylor
Ki
Natsuki Tamura / Satoko Fujii
Duality Pt: 02
Dom Franks' Strayhorn
The Sound of Raspberry
Tatsuya Yoshida / Martín Escalante

Popular

Old Home/New Home
The Brian Martin Big Band
My Ideal
Sam Dillon
Ecliptic
Shifa شفاء - Rachel Musson, Pat Thomas, Mark Sanders
Lado B Brazilian Project 2
Catina DeLuna & Otmaro Ruíz

Get more of a good thing!

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

Install All About Jazz

iOS Instructions:

To install this app, follow these steps:

All About Jazz would like to send you notifications

Notifications include timely alerts to content of interest, such as articles, reviews, new features, and more. These can be configured in Settings.