Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Reuben Hoch and Time: Of Recent Time

Reuben Hoch and Time: Of Recent Time

By Dan McClenaghan
May 16, 2006
View read count

Drummer Reuben Hoch takes time to go to church on Of Recent Time, literally. His fine piano trio—featuring pianist Don Friedman and bassist Ed Schuller—recorded the set of familiar modern jazz tunes at the Community Presbyterian Church in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, getting some warm and expansive resonance into their artistry.

It's all a church, of course, for us jazz fans, whether it's a recording studio or a stage.

Hoch and company roll in a gentle and organic fashion through some well-chosen tunes by Sam Rivers ("Beatrice"), Pat Metheny ("Question and Answer"), Brad Mehldau ("Unrequited"), Ornette Coleman ("Turnaround," a nicely thorny change of pace and a showcase for Friedman) and Wayne Shorter ("Yes and No"), plus originals from Hoch and Friedman.

Throughout, the trio locks in for cohesion. Reuben Hoch proves himself an adept colorist and a superbly vibrant timekeeper, and Friedman has a flexible approach to the piano, evoking an understated elegance on Hoch's "Ballad for Nori," an edgy crispness on "Turnaround," and cool, boppish grooves in front of Ed Schuller's solid bass lines on his original "Flamands."

A first-rate set.

Visit Reuben Hoch on the web.

Track Listing

Beatrice; Question and Answer; Unrequited; Ballad for Nori; Turnaround; Poem for no. 15; Flamands; Yes and No.

Personnel

Reuben Hoch and Time

Reuben Hoch: drums; Don Friedman: piano; Ed Schuller: acoustic bass.

Album information

Title: Of Recent Time | Year Released: 2006 | Record Label: Naim Label

PREVIOUS / NEXT

Planet Jazz: In Orbit
< Previous

The Wait of Glory
Next >

Support All About Jazz

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.