Contributed by Andrea Canter
Tuesday, 28 December 2004
Jazz Police
"My theory is that in the piano you have the whole history of jazz reflected, a focal point—in melody, harmony, and rhythm." - Dr. Billy Taylor
If there was any question as to the viability of piano jazz in the Twin Cities, December 2004 should squelch any doubts. From the Ahmad Jamal Trio's awe-inspiring sets at the Dakota in early December to David Hazeltine's inventive improvisations at the Artists Quarter, from the always explosive Nachito Herrera and his Cuban All-Stars' monthly nuclear meltdown and Laura Caviani's fabulous holiday salutes with her quintet and Soul Café, the Twin Cities' keyboards are still smoldering. Yet there is more to come, with much-anticipated appearances by Ethan Iverson and the frenetic Bad Plus (Dakota, December 27-29); Peter Schimke (Artists Quarter, December 29); Herrera (Dakota) and Caviani (Rossi's) in New Year's Eve celebrations; and post bop master Rick Germanson back from New York (Artists Quarter, New Year's Even with Carole Martin and Irv Williams; in a trio January 1).
The week of December 20th, however, marked what was arguably the most diverse week in a month of endless keyboard pleasures, with Bill Carrothers on stage at the Dakota and Rossi's, Chris Lomheim at the Artists Quarter, and Larry McDonough at the Dakota. These three masters, all rooted in (or uprooted from) the Twin Cities jazz scene, reflect the depth of local piano talent, each approaching his craft from a somewhat different angle and different life experiences, and each producing some of the finest music of the year.
Bill Carrothers: Splitting his time between touring in Europe and family life in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, Bill Carrothers doesn't return "home" to Minnesota often enough to suit his many admirers. When he does find his way back to his native Twin Cities, you can count on a packed house and the best available rhythm section. Hot off the release of Armistice 1918 (Sketch), currently topping the jazz charts throughout Europe, Carrothers paid a holiday visit to Minneapolis with gigs at the Dakota (Monday night) and Rossi's Blue Star Room (Wednesday night). I can only speak for the Dakota sets, but the fact that this artist continues to fall below the radar screen of American jazz defies explanation. Maybe the latest recording will prompt change on this side of the Atlantic.
In the meantime, Minnesotans are blessed with the occasional appearance of one of modern jazz piano's true geniuses, known for his "patient improvisations and composerly senses of intrigue" (Jazziz). For the Dakota gig, Carrothers joined forces with two local giants—bassist Gordy Johnson and drummer Dave King, and the trio proceeded to create an evening filled with innovative takes on barely identifiable standards ("Stella By Starglight," "Easy to Remember," "All or Nothing at All," "On Green Dolphin Street"), a couple holiday classics ("Christmas Time Is Here," "Little Drummer Boy"), and several unnamed tunes that likely were spontaneous inventions. Carrothers has a wealth of technical and artistic devices which seem to fuse Debussy and Jarrett with sprinklings of Bill Evans and plenty of humor. He caresses the keys one moment and then stuffs his shoe into the innards to dampen the hammers. He explodes with two-handed runs, fleet sequences of chords, sudden changes in dynamics and rhythm, and well-placed twangs on the strings, all the while deconstructing melodies, particularly effective on "On Green Dolphin Street" where the improvisation was well underway before the first run through the head. Esbjorn Svensson, recently at the Dakota with his trio, E.S.T., creates somewhat similar space and movement with the assistance of electronic sampling; Carrothers achieves his sonic dramas with only acoustic manipulations.
And the rhythm section? Neither Gordy Johnson nor Dave King are known for "supporting" roles. Bassist Johnson, who actually studied flute at the Eastman School of Music, has particular affinity for pianists, as evidenced by his recordings of Trios (Volumes 1, 2, and the soon-to-be-released Volume 3.0). With Carrothers, he had plenty of solo opportunities, from his somber lines on "Stella by Starlight" and shifting tempos on "On Green Dolphin Street," to a melodic interlude on "Easy to Remember," here setting up a beautifully lyrical transition back to the piano, opening space for Carrothers to explore.
Those who have only heard Dave King with the Bad Plus or Happy Apple have heard but a fraction of the range of this amazing and creative percussionist. As demonstrated with Carrothers, King not only has an immense imagination, he has a wide range of sonic exploits, often at far less than the thunderous volume that has been a prime feature (and sometimes criticism) of his work with the Bad Plus. With his trademark menagerie of "instruments," King banged an inverted saucepan, struck his drums with a plastic apple toy, drew a bow across a contraption consisting of strings and steel spikes, and waved a pair of "E.T." dolls which emitted sounds that were definitely extraterrestrial. As the "Little Drummer Boy" turned inside-out, King's hand was at least as effective as the drumstick. Regardless of his weapons, King's arsenal never overpowered the music; rather his support ranged from gently shimmering rides on balladic passages ("Easy to Remember") to frenetic fills of clangs and bass beats ("All or Nothing at All").
This trio is a full partnership where the interplay is telepathic, the impact ranging from beautiful thunder ("All or Nothing at All") to dramatic plot twists ("Easy to Remember," "On Green Dolphin Street"). While on the surface there are incongruities—lyrical piano passages in tandem with oddball percussion gadgetry, it all melds together to produce a unique yet accessible, often swinging result, always challenging the audience to watch as well as listen. And this artistry—arguably on par with the most innovative trios of Moran, Mehldau, and E.S.T.—will be captured on Gordy Johnson's next recording, Trios, Volume 3.5. Let's hope for a reprise of the December gig when this recording is released.
Chris Lomheim: Chris Lomheim is a regular performer at the Artists Quarter, and is often seen anchoring the support for area vocalists. With his standing trio (Gordy Johnson on bass and Phil Hey on drums), one can more clearly appreciate what Jeremy Walker referred to as his "prodigious piano technique and an individual ear for harmony." The trio played two long sets at the AQ that more than substantiated such praise.
Among Twin Cities' pianists, Chris Lomheim is perhaps the most lyrical in his approach, even when running up and down the keyboard at finger-popping velocity. Although he does not typically stray far from the post bop comfort zone, even the most familiar melodies ("East of the Sun," "All the Things You Are," "Smile") bring new adventures, while his original compositions ("Bridge") are stunningly inventive. Among highlights on this Wednesday night was an exquisite rendition of "But Beautiful," the opening solo magnificently reflecting Lomheim's affinity for Bill Evans, adding a bit of syncopation that enhanced the emotional pull of the melody. Virtuoso bassist Gordy Johnson (barely cooled down from his gig with Bill Carrothers) proved that he, too, is master of a ballad, with long solo lines punctuated by chords that added to the heart-tugging tension. In delightful contrast was the Johnny Griffin tune, "Squatty Roo," filled with fast rising slides and ripples, Lomheim's energetic left hand and descending runs, decelerating into an equally playful bass solo filled with Monkish licks, all supported by Phil Hey's edgy drum groove. "Funkallero" may be as close to Monk as Bill Evans (and Chris Lomheim) get, with dissonant harmonies, funky rhythms, repeating clusters of chords and phrases—a tour de force for Lomheim whose deconstructions yielded melodic improvisations, and an opportunity for Phil Hey to unload his arsenal of sonic weaponry, from dancing rimshots to swirling snare.
It's not easy to selectively report the facets of such a glowing gem of trio jazz. The night was filled with variety in material and approach, from the swinging cascades of notes on "The Girl Next Door" and the dissected melody and chord clusters of "Our Delight" to Lomheim's circumnavigation of "All the Things You Are" and lushly elegant readings of "Blue in Green" and "We Will Meet Again." Only one original tune was offered this evening, but Lomheim's "The Bridge" (title track of his second recording) was a telling taste of his compositional chops, starting off as a Granados-flavored ballad of crystalline breezes and bell-like explorations of the top of the keyboard, contrasting with a lower-register solo from Gordy Johnson.
Lomheim's compatriots are perfect foils as well as outstanding soloists. Gordy Johnson's basswork was featured throughout the evening, and particularly engaging on his fleet-fingered run on "The Girl Next Door," with upper register slaps and left-handed slides; and on his eerily dissonant but gorgeous glissando and chord combinations on "Blue and Green." Phil Hey provided a drum workshop to an audience seemingly filled with young wide-eyed musicians, with his efforts on "All the Things You Are" ranging from cool to hot, from shimmering to smoking, covering the full dynamic range of his kit with bursts of rat-a-tat rims and jingling cymbals; his dazzling sleight-of-hand mining an endless vault of sound to magnificent effect on "Our Delights," but, indeed, throughout the evening. A live recording by this threesome seems long overdue!
Larry McDonough: Balancing a full-time law practice (he's a tenants' rights attorney for Minneapolis Legal Aid), fatherhood, and multiple music projects sounds daunting, but somehow Larry McDonough conveys nothing but spirited equilibrium in his far-ranging compositions and off-beat arrangements. With his working quartet (Richard Terrill on saxes, Craig Matarrese on bass, and Chaz Draper on drums), McDonough presented an evening of divergent delights, from reconstructed holiday chestnuts ("Ode to Joy," "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen," "Angels We Have Heard on High," "Silent Night") to inside-out renditions of pop and jazz standards (Steely Dan's "Asia," "They Can't Take That Away From Me," "My Favorite Things," "Red River Valley"). Along the way, writer/saxman Richard Terrill read from his autobiography, Fake Book (a very well-timed passage decrying audience chatter at jazz clubs), and his Minnesota Book Award-winning collection of poems, Coming Late to Rachmaninoff ("Listening to Miles Davis" read over the band's soft vamp on "Blue and Green").
It was a subzero night, so cold the city canceled the Holidazzle Parade, but inside there was nothing but warmth and occasional bursts of fire on the Dakota stage. McDonough has a feathery touch that recalls Bill Evans but with more fingers, a left hand that alternatingly propels and sings, dazzling two-handed runs with clear articulation from every digit, and a unique approach to time that makes the most worn carol or standard ("Ode to Joy," "Red River Valley," "My Favorite Things") a new adventure. And he brings his life mission—to support those with difficult life circumstances and special needs—to his music projects, with stellar results: From the Fingersteps Project—a program that encourages children with disabilities to compose music—McDonough offered "Rose for Two," melody composed by his daughter Rosie and pals Jennifer and Patrick Moffat that the pianist arranged in a minor key, and featuring Terrill's lyrically mournful soprano sax. Later the band performed another tune developed through this project (aptly named "Fingersteps"), highlighted by McDonough's explosive runs that seemed more like ascending trills, and Chaz Draper's propulsive percussion that suggested the drum kit had suddenly doubled in size, all over an effective electric bass vamp from Craig Matarrese. Another project close to McDonough's heart is the Wellstone Action program that funds activities to continue the work of the late Paul and Sheila Wellstone; his tune "Tuscarora" (named after a northern Minnesota lake) is dedicated to the Wellstones, as are the proceeds from the recording, Tuscarora: Short Stories for Jazz Piano. Playing the title tune with a quartet rather than as recorded in solo, Terrill's tenor sax was the melodic lead, lulling the listener like waves lapping on that northwoods lake, punctuated a bit too often by a few tables of Happy Hour lingerers.
The second set benefited aurally from a smaller, more serious audience, and was particularly marked by McDonough's harmonically rich clusters of sound on two tunes saluting cartoon characters: Vince Guaraldi's "Linus and Lucy" (which included a humorous quote of the Flintstones' theme song) and "All Alone in the World" from Mr. Magoo's Christmas Carol. McDonough engaged the audience with his warm tenor on several vocals throughout the evening, giving "Silent Night" a particularly pleasing jazz twist. The only tune that didn't seem to work was an interesting but odd-fitting rendition of "They Can't Take That Away From Me," with a more than usual wistful vibe from piano and tenor sax that didn't fit (for me) with the rock groove of the electric bass. Gershwin meets the Head Hunters? I much preferred Matarrese on the acoustic upright in general and particularly would have preferred it here.
But if there was one gem among the jewels from McDonough and company, it was the second set closer, "My Favorite Things," revisiting Coltrane with a driving piano/bass ostinato and Draper's clicking vamp leading into McDonough's Monkish deconstruction of time; Draper added to the drama with a series of heavy bass drum beats that set up Terrill's energetic solo on soprano. Draper slipped into a tribal dirge and then an all-out firestorm solo, and with a return of the piano-bass ostinato, the band closed with a final crash and rumble. It was a great night, and this was "My Favorite Thing."
"Learn to play the piano, man, and then you can figure out crazy solos of your own." (Dizzy Gillespie to Miles Davis)
For more information and discography on Bill Carrothers, visit www.bridgeboymusic.com.
Information about Chris Lomheim and his recordings is available at http://www.tcjs.org/Musicians/ChrisLomheim.html.
Larry McDonough's home page is www.larrymcdonoughjazz.homestead.com
