JENNY SCHEINMAN

The Sirens
Chris Potter (ECM)
by Jeff Stockton
Even after more than 15 solo dates, as well as making
significant contributions to the bands of Dave Holland
and Paul Motian, Chris Potter’s ECM debut, The Sirens,
feels like a milestone achievement. Inspired by a
reading of Homer’s Odyssey (apparent mainly due to
the song titles), Potter has assembled a crack band
including pianist Craig Taborn (himself making a name
on ECM), bassist Larry Grenadier, drummer Eric
Harland and the ace-in-the-hole, pianist David Virelles,
pitching in with prepared piano, celeste and
harmonium. The two keyboards interweave
instinctively on “Wayfarer”, the celeste twinkles
against Harland’s cymbal taps on “Nausikaa” and
Taborn and Virelles are handed the CD’s ultra-quiet,
mid-air suspended coda “The Shades”. While the band
distinguishes itself with top-drawer technical facility
and simpatico interaction, the leader shines through
with powerful, aggressive, abundant soloing on the
opening “Wine Dark Sea”, the spiraling tenor arpeggios
of “Stranger at the Gate” and the profound solemnity
of the bass clarinet intro to the title track. In Taborn’s
accompaniment, Grenadier’s bowing and Potter’s
switch to tenor, the cut recalls nothing less than the
conclusion to A Love Supreme, as if Eric Dolphy had
written the preface.
“The Sirens” served as the apex among high points
during a set at the Village Vanguard last month, with
Potter and his band playing well over an hour in front
of a packed house. Potter is no stranger to the
Vanguard, having previously recorded two live albums
at the club, and he and his band were relaxed and
adventurous. The playing wasn’t free, but it was on its
verge, the solos cutting against the grain of the
compositions to create an internal tension within the
group that was built and then released. Commencing,
as on the CD, with “Wine Dark Sea”, the band segued
into a West African folk tune with Potter on flute and
Ethan Iverson (subbing for Taborn) standing to pluck
the innards of the piano before the leader switched
back to tenor, Iverson concentrated on the bass notes
and Grenadier plinked near the bridge of his bass. The
rhythmic repetition became hypnotic. From there on it
was one continuous performance, Potter moving from
soprano to tenor to bass clarinet and back to tenor.
Potter’s tunes have an innate ability to let his band
stretch out and the transitions were as seamless as they
were inventive. By the time Potter launched into an
extended solo outro, informed heavily by the blues, to
close the show, it was as if he was just getting started.
For more information, visit ecmrecords.com
Plays Don Friedman
Don Friedman
(Edition Longplay)
Alone Together
Hank Jones/Don Friedman
(Edition Longplay)
by Ken Dryden
The demise of the LP was forecast soon after the dawn
of the CD. Instead, it has clung to life as growing
numbers of discerning listeners find more warmth in
record grooves. Edition Longplay is a new label
established to pair audiophile recordings on heavyduty
180-gram pressings and fine art commissioned
for each album, with releases limited to just 500 copies.
A veteran pianist whose career dates back to the
‘50s, Don Friedman’s Plays Don Friedman is a rare
opportunity for him to focus on his originals, with the
performances coming from his solo piano set at the
2011 JazzBaltica Festival. “34 West 54th Street” has a
bustling postbop flavor, contrasting with the deliberate,
semi-classical feeling of “Friday Morning”. Friedman
sets up the listener for a ballad as he begins “Waltz For
Marilyn”, but the piece quickly turns into a lively
vehicle with inevitable comparisons to Bill Evans due
to its logical, intricate voicings. Another staple in
Friedman’s repertoire is “Almost Everything”, a thinly
disguised, yet brilliant reworking of the changes to the
standard “All the Things You Are”. His elegant tribute
“Chopinesque” is a masterful blend of virtuoso
playing, lyricism and swinging jazz. Friedman wraps
his solo set by segueing directly into an introspective
interpretation of Monk’s “‘Round Midnight”, which
takes it far from the usual path.
Alone Together documents a fine set of solo and
duo piano at the 2008 JazzBaltica Festival. The late
Hank Jones is featured as a soloist for the first three
numbers, including an elegant, reflective title track
and striding, buoyant “The Very Thought of You”. The
gem of his solo segment is a gorgeous rendition of
“Oh! What a Beautiful Morning”, blending
impressionism with Jones’ unmistakable bop touch.
Friedman joins him on a second piano for the remainder
of the performance; the two musicians are of like mind,
anticipating where his partner is headed and providing
the perfect accompaniment. The duo starts with “Have
You Met Miss Jones?”, which proves to be a terrific
musical conversation. “Body and Soul” is one of the
most beloved jazz standards and the duo’s moving
performance doesn’t need a vocalist to convey its
message. “My Funny Valentine” is a frequently played
standard, yet Jones and Friedman find something new
to say with a softly spoken yet lush treatment that
retains the essence of this timeless ballad. Bop fans will
be delighted with their hard-charging take of
“Confirmation”. Bassist Martin Wind and drummer
Matt Wilson join the pianists as they wrap the set with
“Moose the Mooche”, a Charlie Parker favorite that
showcases each of the players in turn.
For more information, visit editionlongplay.com. Friedman
is at Smalls Mar. 9th and Jazz at Kitano Mar. 29th-30th.
See Calendar.
new album
The other strangers
alternative folk - jazz
orioxy.net
orioxy.net
Yael Miller - vocals
Julie Campiche - harp
Manu Hagmann - double bass
Roland Merlinc - drums
« This Israeli-Swiss quartet (...) where
madness is never excluded, takes pleasure
in shoving us quickly from the comfort of
their pop-rock universe to capsize to other
more adventurous regions. In a word, fascinating.
»
Denis Desassis
citizenjazz.com
« A beauty that dees convention.
A beauty that almost disturbs. »
Jacques Prouvost
jazzques.skynetblogs.be
UTR 4400
Unit Records
THE NEW YORK CITY JAZZ RECORD | March 2013 33