Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » David Dzubinski: Recyclical

312

David Dzubinski: Recyclical

By

View read count
David Dzubinski: Recyclical
This marvelous debut recording reveals David Dzubinski as one of the most uniquely creative, introspective pianists on the contemporary Pennsylvania scene. Like many of the best post-boppers, he displays an encyclopedic knowledge of jazz styles without sounding too derivative. One of his more prominent influences is Dave Burrell, who co-produced this disc with Dzubinski's wife, vocalist Kayl' Brecher. This is a fascinating album that reveals new layers and textures with each successive spin.



At times, especially on the opening Monk medley, Dzubinski's unhurried pace is reminiscent of Misha Mengelberg. On the deft blending of "Straight No Chaser" (initially played with the right hand) and "Blue Monk" (left hand), the pianist takes his time exploring the special nuances of Monk's gems. "Well You Needn't" is quicker and more percussive, rich with humor and surprises. It's simply marvelous the way he maintains a steady walking bass line while practically reassembling the high end of the keyboard. On three short visits to the neighborhood of "Blue Moon" he dismantles the melody each time to analyze the bare bones of the standard. Several other standards are also tackled: "A Night in Tunisia" simmers with dark urgency, while a snail's-pace "All the Things You Are" plumbs new emotional territory. Dzubinski even manages a truly original assay of Brubeck's "The Duke," a tune that can be hard to remold from its original conception.



Dzubinski's original compositions merit special attention. "A Little Demon - A Little Dance" flashes with fiery Spanish passion without emulating Chick Corea's usual style, as many pianists are wont. The lovely, understated "Spanish Kay" takes a different tack on the Iberian inspiration. From the subtly funky sound of it, "Gene Pullen" presumably honors Gene Harris and Don Pullen with inimitable flare. "With Open Eyes" is an uplifting tune recalling Keith Jarrett, one of the many highlights here.



Kayl' Brecher is one of Philly's finest, most undersung vocalists, as original an interpreter of song as her husband. The spouses team up here on two tracks. On a captivatingly dusky "Autumn Leaves," augmented by Edgardo Cintron's percussion, Brecher bends and stretches the lyrics in the manner of a fine jazz poet. "Sunny Side" bubbles with giddy freshness as the pair tussle and spar. Delightful.



While one should use real discernment in labeling an artist as "one to watch" or a "rising star," Dzubinski more than earns those plaudits. His is a truly fresh voice, straddling the fickle fence between innovation and tradition, and much more should be heard from him in the future. Highly recommended.

Track Listing

Straight No Chaser/Blue Monk; Well You Needn't; A Little Demon - A Little Dance; Autumn Leaves; Blue Moon (phase one); A Night in Tunisia; All the Things You Are; Gene Pullen; Blue Moon (phase two); On the Sunny Side of the Street; Spanish Kay; The Duke; With Open Eyes; Easy to Love; Blue Moon (phase three).

Personnel

David Dzubinski
saxophone, alto

David Dzubinski, piano; Kayl? Brecher, vocals (4,10); Edgardo Cintron, percussion (4).

Album information

Title: Recyclical | Year Released: 2004 | Record Label: Penchant Four 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.