JENNY SCHEINMAN

Music is Emotion
Ryan Keberle and Catharsis (Alternate Side)
by Elliott Simon
Music is Emotion is evidence that there is a lot going
on in both trombonist Ryan Keberle’s heart and head.
Without delving into the two-factor theory of emotion,
Keberle is clearly in sync with music being both a
reflection of a performer’s emotion and eliciting a
visceral response from the listener. That is not all that
Keberle is in synch with, however; his interplay with
trumpeter Mike Rodriguez is thrilling.
The self-penned compositions are the truest to the
session’s beliefs and on an emotional level opener “Big
Kick Blues” is filled with happiness while “Need Some
Time” is subtly complex as it mixes in some fear with
an upbeat feel. The trombone is custom made for this
role and Keberle is a nuanced player who rarely goes
over the top. He promotes a group atmosphere that
engenders a tight improvisational framework and
blends in phenomenally well with Rodriguez for what
are some great voicings.
Bassist Jorge Roeder is like-minded and his long
arco intro to the environmentally friendly “Carbon
Neutral” elicits a profound sadness that drummer Eric
Doob skillfully converts into anger. “Nowhere to Go,
Nothing to See” drifts into a lovely exotica soundscape
with harmonic horn interplay while “Key Adjustment”
is a cleverly composed vehicle featuring an expressive
drum and bass duet. While a few of the non-originals
don’t fit into the overall concept, both Billy Strayhorn’s
“Blues in Orbit” and Art Farmer’s “Blueport” are right
on. Saxophonist Scott Robinson joins the quartet on
these two cuts and lends ample support to Keberle’s
theory with a rich bluesy wail on the former and
swinging adrenaline-pumping bop on the latter.
For more information, visit ryankeberle.com. This group is
at Barbès Mar. 3rd. See Calendar.
New Myth/Old Science
Living By Lanterns (Cuneiform)
by Jeff Stockton
The spirit of Sun Ra hovers over New Myth/Old Science.
His spectral voice processed electronically, as if being
received on a frequency coursing through the Milky
Way, opens the CD with some brief philosophizing and
rhetorical profundities. This is something of a tribute
to the bandleader/pianist/composer/intergalactic
traveler, but not quite, given that the tunes here are
originals based on a tape drummer Mike Reed and his
partner, vibraphonist Jason Adasiewicz, plucked from
over 700 hours in an El Saturn archive. On the tape
from 1961, Ra, longtime tenor associate John Gilmore
and stalwart bassist Ronnie Boykins could be heard
rehearsing a series of roughly sketched musical
thoughts. Adasiewicz, a member of Reed’s band Loose
Assembly, fleshed out the arrangements for that fivepiece
band, which ultimately expanded into the nine-
member Living By Lanterns. In Chicago, Loose
Assembly is rounded out by bassist Josh Abrams,
cellist Tomeka Reid and alto saxophonist Greg Ward.
From New York, add cornetist Taylor Ho Bynum,
guitarist Mary Halvorson, drummer Tomas Fujiwara
and tenor saxophonist Ingrid Laubrock.
These compositions reflect Ra’s approach by
combining melody with a deep sense of swing,
peppering that foundation with experimental touches,
and each number offers a showcase for one or two
players. “Think Tank” lets Halvorson slather skronky
notes over Adasiewicz’ tasteful reverberations while
“2000 West Erie” is typically jaunty, but Ward and
Laubrock scrape and clash in the foreground. The
lovely, gently lilting melody of “Shadow Boxer’s
Delight” gives way to cello before the rhythm section
recedes and the tune takes on a soft glow, like an old
light bulb under a browning lampshade.
The back half of the record, divided into thirds,
finds the tunes blending one into the next, with
Adasiewicz featuring on “Forget B” (along with a
Laubrock solo) and Bynum and Abrams handling the
midpoint impressionism of “Glow Lights”. Finally, a
three-way conversation among the strings becomes the
drum-propelled “Old Science”, setting Halvorson
against Reid, sidestepping guitar versus cello chops.
When Ward comes in, his alto stretches like a sprinter
before stepping into the starting blocks. Then he’s off
and the band is right there with him as they break the
tape, moving forward the legacy of the great Ra.
For more information, visit cuneiformrecords.com. Ingrid
Laubrock, Mary Halvorson and Tomas Fujiwara are at Cornelia
Street Café Mar. 5th or 6th, Jason Adasiewicz is at Ibeam
Brooklyn Mar. 15th-16th with James Falzone and Greg Ward is
at Dominie’s Astoria Mar. 31st. See Calendar.
The Soul of my ALTO
Ian Hendrickson-Smith (Cellar Live)
by Ken Dryden
Ian Hendrickson-Smith has a different take on the
typical saxophone-with-organ session. Many of the
greats of the tenor sax of the ‘60s regularly recorded
with organists, including Eddie “Lockjaw” Davis,
Gene Ammons, Stanley Turrentine and Sonny Stitt.
Hendrickson-Smith, besides being an alto player, also
has a different twist: he omits the frequently present
guitarist and sticks with just organ and drums (Adam
Scone and Charles Ruggiero, respectively). The
saxophonist also conceived a sparser, lush sound while
still injecting a bit of soulfulness into this ballad date.
“The End of a Love Affair” is one of those forgotten
gems that used to be staples of romantic jazz albums;
the trio recaptures its magic with a gorgeous
interpretation, as the leader’s big tone is well supported
by Scone and Ruggiero’s soft brushwork. Benny
Golson’s “Park Avenue Petite”, a beautiful ballad, is
one of the composer’s songs from The Jazztet’s debut
album. Hendrickson-Smith caresses its melody in a
spacious manner, with Scone’s sensitive accompaniment
and Ruggiero’s adept percussion complementing his
rich sound. The leader’s impassioned playing of “My
Silent Love” conveys its message without needing the
lyrics, though it’s a safe bet that he, like Ben Webster,
probably knew them before he stepped to the
microphone. Billy Eckstine’s “I Want to Talk About
You” became the cornerstone of the vocalist’s repertoire
and was acknowledged by instrumentalists with John
Coltrane’s landmark recording. Hendrickson-Smith’s
arrangement is no less powerful with the alto
saxophonist’s carefully crafted statement and the
bluesy Scone solo that follows.
The date wraps with Hendrickson-Smith’s moving
original “Butterbean”, a deliberate, conversational
ballad with a theme that stands well in comparison to
the well-known works that make up the rest of the
album. This is the perfect release to cue up for latenight
listening with someone special.
For more information, visit cellarlive.com. Hendrickson-Smith
is at Jazz Standard Mar. 5th-6th with “Killer” Ray Appleton
and Smalls Mar. 22nd with Cory Weeds. See Calendar.
THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD | March 2013 23