Rajiv Jayaweera Pistils

Rajiv Jayaweera
Pistils
Outside in Music

"Pistils" is the debut album by Sri Lankan/Australian jazz drummer and composer, Rajiv Jayaweera. The album features eight original compositions by the New York-based Jayaweera that draw inspiration from Sri Lanka. Jayaweera, who plays drums, cymbals, thammattama, and caxixi, leads a band of Chris Cheek (soprano & tenor saxophones), Aaron Parks (piano), Hugh Stuckey (guitar), and Sam Anning (double bass). Lara Bello adds her voice as a special guest.

Two versions of the title track open and close this recording. The initial rendition of "Pistils" features Lara Bello's enchanting vocal set against a sparse setting. This composition illustrates Jayaweera's ability to compose beautiful melodies. "Ellstandissa," opens with the leader playing the relatively unknown Thammattama drum (also known as a temple drum), a two-headed traditional drum that is played with a pair of fascinating curly wooden sticks. It incorporates rhythms from a Sri Lankan dance entitled 'Gajaga Wannama' in 7/8 time. Again, we are given a memorable melody, which provides Cheek an opportunity to display his marvelous tone as well as the ensemble's intricate rhythmic interplay. Parks adds a choice piano solo here as well.

The next song, "Welikadawatte," translates to Welikada Gardens in Sinhalese. This title refers to an area in central Colombo (the commercial capital and largest city in Sri Lanka). Against the stately rhythm, it affords another opportunity for Cheek to display the warmth of his saxophone. At the same time, Stuckey accents with his chords, and the leader's deft drumming lightly pushes the performance along. Anning's bass hints at Ahmad Jamal's classic performance of "Poinciana." Cheek's tenor sax is at the fore of "Galadari" with an intriguing rhythm and bass riff along with some stop-time passages. Stuckey contributes a scintillating solo. The ballad "Nilus" is a scrumptious performance with Cheek playing with a sublime tone, while bassist Anning also solos strongly.

Jayaweera incorporates the Thammattama drum on the playful "The Elephant," with Parks playing in a bouncy fashion. There is a bluesy feel to "Hirimbura," which takes its title from Rajiv's Grandfather's hometown in the south of Sri Lanka, with Cheek's robust tenor at the forefront, with Parks adding a well-constructed solo as well. Cheek switches to soprano sax for "A Malkoha Bird," playing an appropriately flighty solo.

An instrumental version of the title track closes this recording with Cheek's sax set against Stuckey's lush chords. Jayaweera adds his rhythmic accents with a deft touch on the cymbals and the snare drum in an evocative performance. It caps an excellent recording of first-rate performances of memorable and engaging compositions.

I received my review copy from a publicist. With a slightly different personnel, here is Rajiv Jayaweera performing "Pistils."

 

Dafnis Prieto Big Band Back to the Sunset

Dafnis Prieto Big Band
Back to the Sunset
Dafnison Music

Cuban-born drummer, composer, bandleader, and 2011 MacArthur “Genius” Fellow, Dafnis Prieto leads the Dafnis Prieto Big Band’s (DPBB) for their debut album. This was recorded after the DPBB debuted for three nights at the Jazz Standard. Immediately after this engagement, the DPBB recorded in Brooklyn August 28-29, 2017, joined by special guests Henry Threadgill, Steve Coleman, and Brian Lynch. The 17-piece DPBB showcases some of the world’s best Latin jazz musicians, many of whom have previously played Prieto’s music in his other bands.

The ensemble features three horn sections (saxophones, trumpets, and trombones) and a rhythm section of piano, bass, congas, and Prieto on drums. The personnel are: Trumpet and Flugelhorn - Mike Rodríguez, Nathan Eklund, Alex Sipiagin, and Josh Deutsch; Reeds - Román Filiú, Alto Sax, Soprano Sax, Flute, Clarinet, Michael Thomas, Alto Sax, Soprano Sax, Flute, Piccolo, Peter Apfelbaum, Tenor Sax, Soprano Sax, Melodica, Joel Frahm, Tenor Sax, Soprano Sax, and Chris Cheek, Bari Sax; Trombones- Tim Albright, Alan Ferber, Jacob Garchik, and Jeff Nelson; Manuel Valera, Piano; Ricky Rodríguez, Acoustic & Electric Bass; Roberto Quintero, Congas, Bongos, Percussion; and Prieto, Drums & Music Director

This is Prieto’s seventh recording as a leader, and is a deeply personal, handcrafted statement, as well as an acknowledgment of the musical figures that shaped his development. For it, he composed and arranged nine works, showcasing his compositional talents while honoring his musical heroes and mentors including Eddie Palmieri, Chico O'Farrill, Bebo Valdés, Jane Bunnett, and Michel Camilo (in addition to Threadgill, Coleman, and Lynch, among others). Prieto collaborated with GRAMMY and Latin GRAMMY-winning producer Eric Oberstein, heralded for his work producing large ensemble recordings, on this.

All the performances are dedicated to influences and masters. The disc opens with the volcanic Afro-Cuban "Una Vez Más" which is (dedicated to Tito Puente, Eddie Palmieri and Brian Lynch), with Lynch contributing the searing trumpet. Cheek's' unaccompanied baritone sax opens "Out Of The Bone" (dedicated to Steve Coleman & Michel Camilo) which has unusual twists and voicing while Coleman is featured with his alto sax on "Song For Chico" (dedicated to Chico O’Farrill, Arturo O’Farrill & Mario Bauzá), with the musical fires smoldering behind him (pianist Valera is outstanding in driving the rhythm).

The variety of influences can be seen on "Back to the Sunset" (dedicated to Henry Threadgill and Andrew Hill), which features Threadgill's acerbic, angular alto sax set against Pietro's orchestration and a languid tempo. The lengthiest performance is, "Danzonish Potpourri" (dedicated to Bebo Valdés, Art Blakey & Jane Bunnett), with the Big band easily navigating tempo shifts. A spirited soprano sax solo set against the stormy orchestration stands out as does Apfelbaum's melodica that closes this out.The closing "The Triumphant Journey," (dedicated to Dizzy Gillespie & Chano Pozo), has a memorable melodic line along with a number of excellent solos.

The other performances are of a comparable level with this Big Band delivering first-rate performances of the varied and challenging compositions that are heard on this exceptional Latin Big Band recording.

I received a download to review from a publicist. This review originally appeared in the May-June 2018 Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 378). Here is the opening track, "Una Vez Más."

Justin Mullens The Cornucopiad

Justin Mullens
The Cornucopiad
BJU Records

Justin Mullens is known for his work as an instrumentalist, composer and bandleader in pushing the boundaries of the French Horn as an improvising instrument in jazz. "The Cornucopiad," his new Brooklyn Jazz Underground Records release plays new compositions along with thee standards to display his flair as a improvisor as well as composer. He is accompanied with his octet that also includes Chris Cheek (Alto Sax & Clarinet), Peter Hess (Bass Clarinet), Ohad Talmor (Tenor Sax), Peter Thompson (Guitar), Desmond White (Bass), Matt Ray (Piano), and Marko Djordjevic (Drums).

While the French Horn has often been used to add tonal colors, Mullens is at the forefront of expanding the instruments role, borrowing technique more in line with what might expect from a saxophonist or trumpeter, yet still retaining the character of the French Horn. While featuring his playing, this recording also provides plenty of space for the various members to display their various talents. The leader opens the soloing on Freddie Hubbard's "Hub-Tones" and the tonal quality is not far from a trombone. He is followed by a sharp, yet dry-toned tenor sax solo, then piano and then guitarist Thompson whose ostinato figure first provides a foundation for Djordjevic and then the ensemble to conclude the performance.

After a brief short horn-guitar duo, one of three originals, "Amalthea," (named after the goat-nymph that reared Zeus, who accidentally broke off her horn which became the cornucopia), the displays not simply the leader's compositional skills but the wonderful tones of the ensemble with the bass clarinet helping fill out the bottom. White is featured on bass before Mullens solos with Thompson chording in support and certainly further demonstrates his skill and imagination. Two other originals "The Goatfish" (named after Aegipan, Amalthea's son who was reared with Zeus) and "The River Horn" (refers to the horn of Amalthea that Heracles received after battling the river god Achelous).

Mullens provides a very fresh setting for "You Stepped Out Of A Dream," with a bit of funk at the opening before he at first embellishes off the melody before crafting a solo taking off from the song's structure with considerable imagination and followed by Thompson's solo which also displays similar invention followed by Hess' woody bass clarinet before Mullens restates the melody for the coda. The octet also treats listeners to a very imaginative and lovely rendition of John Coltrane's "Naima," with Cheek contributing a bright solo on alto sax. The briskly paced "River Horn" first spotlights Talmor's singing tenor sax followed by Mullens spirited soloing and then Hess' serpentine bass clarinet.

"The Cornucopiad," is much more than a novelty of a jazz recording featuring a French Horn. Mullens certainly shows it to be quite capable of being more than part of an horn section and with his Octet has produced a recording that contains marvelous original compositions and quite original renditions of familiar standards that result in very wonderful listening.

I received my review copy from a publicist. This review originally appeared in the March-April 2016 Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 365). Here is the Justin Mullens Octet performing "You Stepped Out Of a Dream," at Smalls in Greenwich Village, New York City.