Though I have several
recordings on which Ray Bryant appears, I had been unaware of who he is and
where he fits in the musical scheme of things. Recently, while listening to
several demo CDs, I came across his newest recording, The Ray Bryant Trio:
Ray's Tribute to his Piano Friends, and fell in love with it. This is a
recording that is not unlike Oscar Peterson's A Tribute to My Friends (Pablo
PACD-2310-902-2, 1987) except that Bryant's tribute is to other Jazz pianists.
The Usual Suspects. Bryant's choice of pianists to honor is no surprise,
as are the compositions with which he pays tribute. Not only is the standard
fare present, but many are songs already familiar to Bryant's repertoire. The
surprise comes with the arrangements and performances. Surprise is really too
mild a word. Bryant's treatment of these standard's standards is revelatory. I
have not been so delighted with a piano trio treatment of standards since I
first heard Gene Harris' performances with his own trio and as part of the Ray
Brown Trio.
That Old Time Religion. I have always favored Gene Harris' big, churchy,
bluesey, orchestral sound and gospel influenced style. I came fully to that
opinion when Harris emerged as the result of a lot of listening. I had spent a
good bit of time and money looking for a pianist with a similar philosophy and
sensibility as the late Count Basie without his economy of notes. When I first
heard Harris' recording, Tribute to Count Basie (Concord CCD-4337, 1988), I
knew I had found that sound I was looking for. Since discovering Harris, I had
hoped that I could find a similar style in other piano players. I met with
limited success (though I did scare up some fine music while looking). Bobby
Timmons was very good, but uneven (and regretfully no longer with us). Monty
Alexander is talented but too tropical. Benny Green has enormous technique but
is too ornate (Oscar Peterson, also). Finally, I (gratefully) found that Ray Bryant
possessed the sound, that sound, and played it with an impressive depth and
breadth. He takes the standards included in this collection, and with loving
care and precision, shines them through the prism of his soulful, gospel
approach to product the best trio recording I have heard in some time.
The Canon. The disc opens with "C Jam Blues." The
piece begins with the straight Ellington introduction with Bryant's playing so
big the listener can almost hear the horn section enter. About half way
through, the drummer moves from the high hat to the ride cymbal and Bryant
starts to swing so hard the listener is in danger of a nosebleed. The
performance ends as confidently and proudly as it started.
This is only the beginning of
the standout performances. Bryant goes on to honor Ramsey Lewis with a spry
"The "In" Crowd"; Dave Brubeck with a solid "The
Duke" (with Brubeck's signature time and tempo orgies), and Horace Silver
with a diamond hard bop, "Doodlin'". Vince Guaraldi is recognized
with a Linus and Lucyish "Cast Your Fate to the Wind," and Count
Basie in a rollicking, "Cute".
The Heart of the Matter. Three of the remaining songs exist as absolute proof
of the sanctity of improvisation and arranging in Jazz. Under Bryant's skillful
hand "'Round Midnight" exercises for nine glorious minutes, passing
from a straight ballad head into a calypso rainbow, compelled forth by Bryant's
smart, two-fisted playing. Absolutely thrilling. Bobby Timmons'
"Moanin'" is made even more Pentecostal than the composer's original
trio version on This Here is Bobby Timmons. Bryant's left hand guides the choir
while his right punctuates his preaching with "Amens" full of
conviction. The final standout is Bryant's performance of Weather Report's
"Birdland." It was this piece that sold the disc to me. Never having
been a huge fan of fusion, my first hearing of Bryant's "Birdland"
forced me to replace my vinyl copy of Heavy Weather with CD and to listen to
what Joe Zawinul and Jaco Pastorius were really thinking with a better
understanding. Bryant's trio reduction is precise and brilliant, not unlike
Liszt's piano reductions of the Beethoven Symphonies. "Birdland"
illustrates the profound adaptability of jazz to different performance styles.
The Atomic Factor. Bryant's cohorts, Ray Drummond on Bass and Winard
Harper on drums mesh effectively with the leader to produce a swinging cohesive
unit. This is no better illustrated than on the last three songs discussed.
This trio is less a rhythm section and more an entire orchestra. Tasteful is
not how I would describe this trio's playing; necessary or essential might be
more appropriate. This trio treated this music with the respect it deserves
while transforming it in such a way that the listener can come to a different
understanding of what jazz is all about. ~ by C Michael Bailey, AAJ.
JMI Jazz, JMI-7503-2, 1998
Recorded 26th
& 27th June, 1997 Live At Sound On Sound Studios, New York City
Musicians:
Ray Bryant - Piano
Ray Drummond - Bass
Winard Harper - Drums
Tracks:
01. C Jam Blues {Duke
Ellington} (5:15)
02. The "In" Crowd
{Billy Page} (3:30)
03. The Duke {Dave Brubeck}
(7:37)
04. Doodlin' {Horace Silver}
(4:56)
05. Cast Your Fate To The
Wind {Vince Guaraldi} (3:34)
06. Cute {Neal Hefti, Stanley
Styne} (3:39)
07. 'Round Midnight
{Thelonious Monk} (9:48)
08. Moanin' {Bobby Timmons}
(7:02)
09. Sunshower {Kenny Barron}
(5:53)
10. Hi-Fly {Jon Hendricks,
Randy Weston} (5:44)
11. Birdland {Josef Zawinul}
(5:37)
Total Time: 62:35
Credits:
Producer - Larry Hathaway
Producer [Assistant] - Denny
Prewitt
Engineer - Malcolm Addey
Engineer [Assistant] - Ray
Salas
Graphic Design - Lisa
Sparks-Glines
Photography - Jeanette
Beckman
Creative Director - Sam Gay
Liner Notes - Scott Yanow
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