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FOR THE RECORD CONTINUED FROM PAGE 23 J. E. Chapman 364 Days Personnel: Allie Burik and Michael Shults, alto and soprano saxophones; Michael Herrera, alto saxophone and clarinet; Christopher Burnett, alto saxophone; Steve Lambert, tenor saxophone and clarinet; Erik Blume, tenor saxophone, clarinet and flute; Matt Baldwin, Hunter Long and Kody Kauhl, tenor saxophone; Brett Jackson, Chris Robinson and Gerald Turner, baritone saxophone; Russell Thorpe, baritone saxophone and bass clarinet; Sharra Wagner, Teri Quin, Michael Abrams and Melissa Champ, clarinet; Ryan Thielman, Aaron Linscheid, Clint Ashlock, Hermon Mehari, Nate Nall, Nick Howell, Ben Forshee and John Merlitz, trumpet and flugelhorn; Ryan Heinlein, Ben Saylor, Mitch Kauffman, Ashley Hirt and John Chittum, trombone; John Jenkins, trombone and bass trombone; Erik Augereau, bass trombone; Joseph Felton, tuba; Tyler Ross and Adam Schlozman, guitar; Paul Roberts, Alyssa Murray, Andrew Ouellette and Matt Williams, piano; Ben Leifer, Andrew Stinson, Brian Padavic and Joel Stratton, bass; Matt Leifer and Brian Steever, drums Tracks: 364 Days (Suite for Jazz Orchestra): ...And I Think of You, Cgoodnight, What Ifs, 364 Days, The Dreamer and the Realist; Looking Over A. Hill; Ancient Faces (Made of Stone); Lucky 13; Say What You Want To Recorded November 2012 to March 2013 at BRC Audio Productions, Kansas City, Kansas. Engineered by Bill Crain. Mixed and Mastered at BRC Audio Productions by Bill Crain. J.E. Chapman is a native of the St. Louis area, and has been around Kansas City since attending the UMKC Conservatory. He has played trombone in Clint Ashlock’s New Jazz Order Big Band the past six years. He is also a fine composer for large jazz ensembles. All of the music on 364 Days was written by Chapman and superbly recorded over several months by Bill Crain and BRC Audio. Given the lengthy musician list above, it is apparent that there was varied personnel in the band over the course of the recordings. It seems that the in the wake of Thad Jones, Gil Evans and Bob Brookmeyer there is a continuing growth in writing for big bands. Jim McNeely and especially Maria Schneider have joined them in aspiring yet another generation of composers. That one may hear influences from all of these writers in 364 Days is no surprise. I enjoyed all of the tracks here, and the “Suite” deserves special mention. Chapman shows his skill at melodic development and in using these melodies to support the soloists. The opening section, “And I Think of You,” has examples of this. The melody is rather simple, and the way he weaves this behind the solos by guitarist Tyler Ross and trumpeter Hermon Mehari adds a soaring dramatic quality to the work. These background melodies come from nice voicings from the reeds and occasional short solo statements from another horn. Subsequent sections also shine, from the ballad “Goodnight” with memorable solos from Allie Burik on soprano sax and Ben Leifer on bass, to the fast “What Ifs” and a fine sax section only solo after statements from Clint Ashlock and Michael Shults, the ballad “364 Days” and its held bass tone after which guitar, piano, clarinet and muted trumpet expand the sound for an excellent Ryan Thielman solo, and finally “The Dreamer and the Realist” with a hip-hop rhythm and solos by Shults (wonderful) and Ryan Heinlein. Other favorites include the funky “Lucky 13,” with more great voicings from the reeds, and the Latin-ish “Way What You Want To,” a feature for trumpeter Aaron Linscheid. (I note that there are solos from six different trumpeters and seven reed players on 364 Days, and all were enjoyable.) This is fine writing by J.E. Chapman played well by all. If you enjoy modern big band music, you will want to check this one out. 364 Days is available from CDBaby.com. —Roger Atkinson Ben Van Gelder Reprise Pirouet Records Personnel: Ben Van Gelder, alto saxophone and bass clarinet; Peter Schlamb, vibraphone; Sam Harris, piano; Rick Rosato, bass; Craig Weinrib, drums; Mark Turner, tenor saxophone on tracks 5 and 8; Ben Street, bass, tracks 5 and 9 Tracks: Introduction, All Rise, Crystalline,Tribute, Into Air It Disappears, R.E.L., Yarnin’, Reprise, Evocation, August, Without Haste Netherlands-born and New York-based saxophonist Ben Van Gelder had been making waves in the international jazz scene long before earning a spot in the finals of the prestigious Thelonious Monk International Saxophone Competition in the 26 APRIL + MAY 2014 • JAZZ AMBASSADOR MAGAZINE
summer of 2013. His 2011 debut release, Frame of Reference, featured superstars like Aaron Parks and Ambrose Akinmusire and served notice to the jazz world that Van Gelder is an important new voice in contemporary jazz. With a cold-air approach sometimes reminiscent of Lee Konitz, a compositional style favoring unpredictable intervallic relationships and a premium placed on texture, and nearly unparallelled command of the altissimo (high) register, Van Gelder is immediately recognizable. His most recent release Reprise, on the rising German label Pirouet Records, suggests that jazz fans may be in for a steady stream of memorable albums from the Dutchman in the coming years. Kansas City’s own Peter Schlamb holds down the vibraphone chair in Van Gelder’s regular quintet, and his contributions on the CD are stellar. “All Rise”, with its straightforward harmonic rhythm and mesmerizing flashes of sunlight at the top of each chorus, serves as an indefectible vehicle for pianist Sam Harris’s rhythmically inventive solo lines and affinity for upper neighbor tones. Van Gelder drops in late with a concise solo statement, making deft use of the full range of the alto. The relentless bass drone of “Crystalline” provides a simple rhythmic underpinning beneath a rubato-ish melody and gives drummer Craig Weinrib ample space to shine in an accompanying role during solos. Tenor saxophone titan Mark Turner makes a guest appearance on the title track, which possesses an infectious, simmering groove and alternating sections in 4 and 3. Turner is in fine form here, striking coolly and with detached precision. Schlamb excels in several spots, most notably on his original composition “R.E.L.”, which will sound familiar to any who have attended his local outings. Peter unleashes a characteristically fluid torrent of notes to launch into a stunning second chorus, making expert use of both his deeply personal rhythmic feel, and a dazzling confluence of logic and the element of surprise. Bassist Rick Rosato is particularly excellent on this track, providing rhythmic interest and variety. Throughout the album, his sound and intonation are sublime. On “Tribute”, Schlamb creatively darts in and out of the harmony and shows off a devastating arsenal of rhythmic groupings. Reprise is an important document of one of the top young working jazz groups in the world and one of the seminal modern jazz releases of 2013. —Michael Shults Jazz at The Hotel Phillips Friday and Saturday – 5 to 8 p.m. Victoria Barbee Joe Cartwright Stan Kessler Millie Edwards This spring, come in and enjoy an evening of jazz in 12 Baltimore at the Hotel Phillips. Savor specialty jazz themed cocktails, a full bar and tempting menu from executive chef Justin Voldan. So come to the Hotel Phillips, order a libation and then sit back and hear some wonderful jazz. Cynthia Van Roden Lacey Wolff Candace Evans Molly Hammer Complimentary Parking for Jazz at Hotel Phillips Hotel Phillips | 106 West 12th Street | Kansas City, MO 64105 | (816) 221-7000 | www.HotelPhillips.com JAZZ AMBASSADOR MAGAZINE • APRIL + MAY 2014 27
Page 1 and 2: ® NewVenues APRIL/MAY2014 KansasCi
Page 3 and 4: LIVE JAZZ BY KC'S TOP TALENT FIVE N
Page 5 and 6: CONTENTS April + May 2014 | Volume
Page 7 and 8: Spirituality and All That Jazz Seri
Page 9 and 10: Grafton Plastic Saxophone played by
Page 11 and 12: Gerry Mulligan, Chet Baker and Cobh
Page 13 and 14: New Venues Jazz Up the Kansas City
Page 15 and 16: Of the new venues, this is the only
Page 17 and 18: The Green Lady does not charge a co
Page 19 and 20: Sponsors Tommy Ruskin Julie Turner
Page 21 and 22: STORYVILLE Duke: A Life of Duke Ell
Page 23 and 24: It was drummer Matt Kane who develo
Page 25 and 26: Of the twelve tracks, seven are wri
Page 27: ON THE AIR KPR-FM 91.5 (1-888-577-5
Page 31 and 32: tooting our horn JAZZIN’ UP THE T

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