Dewey Redman - In London (1996)

Accompanied by pianist Rita Marcotulli, bassist Cameron Brown and drummer Matt Wilson, veteran tenor saxophonist Dewey Redman puts on a well-rounded program. On "I Should Care," "The Very Thought of You" (a tribute to Dexter Gordon) and the bossa nova "Portrait In Black & White," he shows that, although his roots are in avant-garde jazz, Redman is quite capable of caressing a melody. In contrast, his renditions of "I-Pimp," "Tu-inns" and "Eleven" emphasize freer improvising and plenty of fire. In both contexts, Dewey Redman emerges as an underrated giant. ~ by Scott Yanow, AMG. 

Palmetto Records, PM2030, 1998
Recorded October, 1996 Live at Ronnie Scott's, London, UK 

Musicians:
Dewey Redman - Tenor Saxophone, Arranger
Rita Marcotulli - Piano
Cameron Brown - Bass
Matt Wilson - Drums 

Tracks:
1. I Should Care {Axel Stordahl, Paul Weston, Sammy Cahn} (10:56)
2. The Very Thought Of You {Ray Noble} (9:29)
3. I-Pimp {Dewey Redman} (10:45)
4. Portrait In Black & White {Antônio Carlos Jobim, Chico Buarque} (9:17)
5. Tu-Inns {Dewey Redman} (7:20)
6. Kleerwine {Dewey Redman} (4:14)
7. Stablemates {Benny Golson} (5:23)
8. Eleven {Dewey Redman} (8:59) 

Total Time: 66:25 

Credits:
Producer - Matt Balitsaris
Engineer - Michael Waters
Engineer [Assistant] - Janet Moorehouse
Mastering Engineer - A.T. Michael MacDonald
Art Direction - Matt Hruska
Design - Yalitza Ferreras
Liner Notes - Bill Milkowski
Liner Notes [Poem] - Dewey Redman 

Dewey Mixes It Up
================
The opening two tracks really throw you off - because they are standards played straight - nice showing from Dewey, but not quite what I expected. But then I-Pimp came on and Dewey was back in the Avante Garde I was looking for. Turns out this album swings both ways, nice standards, mixed in with some challenging material. Rita Marcotulli in particular deserves mention. She's a pianist and does a great job. But then, the whole band have that "road" feel and plat very tight. Of the 8 numbers there are three Avante Garde numbers. The ebb and flow works great. Recommended CD indeed. ~ David Watts, 5 Stars. Amazon.com.

Matt Wilson, Larry Goldings, Dennis Irwin, Terell Stafford - Arts and Crafts (2001)

For his fourth Palmetto CD, Matt Wilson sends his regular quartet on a brief vacation and recruits Terell Stafford on trumpet, Larry Goldings on piano (not organ), and Dennis Irwin on bass. Previous efforts with the Matt Wilson Quartet and with Dewey Redman have gained Wilson a left-of-center reputation, but on Arts and Crafts the drummer confounds expectations altogether. He begins with Rahsaan Roland Kirk's "Stompin' Grounds," a no-frills ride through "Stompin' at the Savoy" changes. Two tracks later, the band runs down Bud Powell's "Webb City," packing an enormous punch without exceeding four minutes. But just when it seems this might be a bebop record, the band puts a boogaloo spin on Ornette Coleman's "Old Gospel" and throws yet more curves on Wilson's three adventurous originals. "Lester," written in honor of the late Lester Bowie, develops into a slow shuffle blues; "Final Answer," a diatonic free bop theme, features Goldings challenging the ears with some bracingly "outside" playing; and the title track, a slow groove, again finds Goldings reaching in subtle but marked contrast to the superb bop playing he does elsewhere on the disc. (Indeed, Goldings' presence is one of the album's biggest draws, not least because his outings on acoustic piano are so rare.) Back in straight-ahead mode, the group offers George Gershwin's "Love Walked In," Hal Hopper's "There's No You," and Nelson Cavaquinho's bossa classic "Beija-Flor." The disc wraps up with a soothing, simple arrangement of the folk melody "All Through the Night." On balance, this could be considered Wilson's most straight-ahead record yet, but it's clearly not Wilson's intention to fit neatly into any category. If anything, with Arts and Crafts he seems to insist, quite eloquently, that musicians need not declare allegiance to any of jazz's warring camps. ~ David R. Adler, AMG. 

Palmetto Records, PM 2069, 2001
Recorded 2nd October, 2000 At Maggie's Farm, Buck's County, Pennsylvania 

Musicians:
Matt Wilson - Drums
Terell Stafford - Trumpet
Larry Goldings - Piano
Dennis Irwin - Bass 

Tracks:
01. Stompin' Grounds {Rahsaan Roland Kirk} (5:37)
02. Lester {Matt Wilson} (5:21)
03. Webb City {Bud Powell} (3:43)
04. Beija-Flor {Nelson Cavaquinho} (5:40)
05. Final Answer {Matt Wilson} (4:43)
06. There's No You {Hal Hopper} (3:16)
07. Arts and Crafts {Matt Wilson} (5:35)
08. Old Gospel {Ornette Coleman} (5:12)
09. Love Walked In {George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin} (6:55)
10. All Through The Night {Traditional} (5:04) 

Total Time: 51:06 

Credits:
Producer, Engineer - Matt Balitsaris
Design - Jason Grotrian
Photography - Jimmy Katz

Larry Goldings - Quartet (2006)

Pianist Larry Goldings delivers modern jazz as true art, folding in classical music with traditional jazz themes and interpreting them sincerely. With trumpeter John Sneider, his quartet expresses soulful melodies and surrounds them with beautiful textures. Everything falls into place naturally, and the pianist ensures that not one ounce is wasted on glamour or glitz. With "Hesitation Blues", he's captured the original spirit that W.C. Handy handed down to us with the birth of the blues. With "Valsinha", he's fused a traditional European theme into the jazz that we feel intuitively. With Bjork's "Cocoon", he's found a path for slow ballad expression that remains timeless. Goldings explores eclectic paths on this quartet adventure. He navigates slowly, allowing for reflective introspection and couching drama in quiet surroundings. This peaceful celebration of jazz's rich heritage builds to great dramatic highs without becoming overbearing. The pianist and his musical partners keep a low ceiling on the intensity level while still driving. Even the nods to Jaki Byard and Thelonious Monk remain subtle enough to maintain a peaceful composure for the album's personality. The pianist and his cohesive quartet explore spontaneously and eschew concerns about meter and format. The quartet is traditional in concept but original in practice. The closing number, a duet between trumpet and piano, best displays the spirit of the album. Goldings and Sneider pour heartfelt emotion in song and arrange for it to flow naturally. A seamless concert of passion in jazz, Quartet comes highly recommended and will undoubtedly remain one of the best recordings of 2006. ~ by Jim Santella, AAJ. 

Palmetto Records, PM2115, 2006
Recorded 14^th-16^th February, 2005 At Maggie's Farm, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 

Musicians:
Larry Goldings - Piano, Wurlitzer, Organ, Harmonium, Accordion, Glock
John Sneider - Trumpet, Cornet
Ben Allison - Bass
Matt Wilson - Drums, Percussion
Madeleine Peyroux - Vocals (#5) 

Tracks:
01. Singsong {Larry Goldings} (4:09)
02. Au Bord De L'Eau {Gabriel Fauré} (5:58)
03. Valsinha {Chico Buarque, Vinicius De Moraes} (5:22)
04. The Wedding {Abdullah Ibrahim} (5:56)
05. Hesitation Blues {W.C. Handy} (4:06)
06. Jackie-ing {Thelonious Monk} (3:50)
07. Dario And Bario {Larry Goldings} (3:01)
08. A Dream About Jackie Byard {Goldings, Sneider, Allison, Wilson} (3:16)
09. Cocoon {Björk} (7:11)
10. Hidalgo {Goldings, Sneider, Allison, Wilson} (3:15)
11. Denouement {Goldings, Sneider, Allison, Wilson} (2:31)
12. We Shall Overcome {Traditional-Gospel} (3:35) 

Total Time: 52:10 

Credits:
Producer - Larry Goldings, Matt Balitsaris
Mixing & Editing - Chad Fischer
Mastering - A.T. Michael MacDonald
Design [Cover] - Ben Allison
Photography - Norman Seeff

Javon Jackson - Easy Does It (2003)

Tenor saxophonist Javon Jackson seems right at home on this nice set of soul-jazz tunes. He’s certainly helped by the presence of trombonist Fred Wesley, who’s still a great funk and blues stylist, as well as Dr. Lonnie Smith, a top-flight organist who’s never gotten the credit he deserves as a Hammond B3 stalwart. Guitarist Mark Whitfield and drummer Lenny White keep the groove steady and burning as well, and vocalist Eve Cornelious brings some sizzle and sultriness to “House Party.” This works both as a good party record and solid jazz set with one exception. The group’s cover of “Wake Up Everybody,” while exuberantly delivered, simply lacks the power and weight of the original. Their rendition sounds more like a rousing dance exhortation than the sweltering, commanding mandate that Teddy Pendergrass delivered in his definitive original performance that was also his swan song to Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes.

Otherwise, this disc brings back fond memories of late-night house celebrations and Sunday-afternoon radio shows on vintage black radio stations. Jackson’s “Kiss,” Smith’s “If (You See Kay)” and Wesley’s title track get excellent drumming on the bottom from White, blues-tinged, scorching solos by Jackson and Wesley and striding, full organ lines by Smith. Whitfield’s splayed; frenetic solos also add a tight edge. He can be either a frenetic or a sophisticated soloist, while also smoothly contributing during the unison sections. Jackson’s writing also merits praise, particularly the final numbers “Easy Does It” and “J-Soul.” These have a relaxed, catchy groove and good blend of instrumental fire and rhythmic assertiveness.

Throughout Easy Does It Jackson plays with more verve and swing on supposedly less jazz-oriented pieces than he has in the past doing mainstream material, which indicates to me that he’s really enjoying himself. Personally, I’d much rather hear him doing good blues and funk than tentative, detached hard bop. ~ by Ron Wynn, Jazz Times.

Palmetto Records, PM 2093, 2003

Recorded 30^th September & 1^st October, 2002 at:

Maggie's Farm, Buck's County, Pennsylvania

White House Sound Lab, Leicester, England

Musicians:

Javon Jackson - Tenor Saxophone

Fred Wesley - Trombone, Vocals

Dr. Lonnie Smith - Organ

Mark Whitfield - Guitar

Eve Cornelious - Vocals

Tracks:

1. If You See Kay {Lonnie Liston Smith} (4:13)

2. Right On {Marvin Gaye} (7:35)

3. House Party {Fred Wesley} (4:17)

4. Papa Lou {Javon Jackson} (3:13)

5. Kiss {Javon Jackson} (7:25)

6. Diane {Javon Jackson} (5:47)

7. Wake Up Everybody {Gene McFadden, John Whitehead} (4:49)

8. Easy Does It {Javon Jackson} (4:34)

9. J Soul {Javon Jackson} (6:20)

Credits:

Producer, Engineer - Javon Jackson

Producer - Lenny White

Producer, Engineer, Mixing - Matt Balitsaris

Mastering - A.T. Michael MacDonald

Design - Jason Grotrian

Photography - Jimmy Katz

"Saxophonist Javon Jackson plays funk with a slow hand...[he] doesn't beat matters to a froth but allows them to come to fruition in their own time. This approach to groove calls for the clear arrangements that focus the senses nicely on Jackson's titillating tenor and Dr. Lonnie Smith's snaky organ...A good funkin' time is had by all." ~ Karl Stark, Philadelphia Inquirer.