Fred Randolph Mood Walk

Fred Randolph
Mood Walk
Creative Spirit Records

"Mood Walk" is the fourth album as a leader by bassist, composer, and leader Fred Randolph. He leads a quintet of some of the finest musicians in Northern California. In addition to Randolph's basses, his band includes Erik Jekabson on trumpet & flugelhorn, Sheldon Brown on tenor sax & flute, Greg Wyser-Pratte on drums, and Dan Zemelman on piano. Also heard on this album are Greg Sankovich on keyboards & organ, Silvestre Martinez on percussion, Brian Rice on percussion, and Dillon Vado on vibes.

There is plenty of variety in Randolph's compositions and the performances heard here. "On the Upside" was inspired by Clifford Brown, and the performance does conjure up the great Clifford Brown-Max Roach group with Jekabson and Brown evoking Brown and Harold Land. Randolph takes a solo here and displays his ability to drive the quintet as well as make a melodic statement. It sets the tone for this striking album. With Brown on flute and Vado on vibes, there is an airy quality to "Unaware." Randolph plays electric bass, and Sankovich organ and electric piano on "T-Bone Slide." Wyser-Pratte lays down a funky groove on a driving R&B flavored instrumental with riveting saxophone from Brown and some rubber band string-bending bass.

"Mood Walk" is an excellent bluesy swinger with a memorable theme and robust tenor sax, fiery trumpet, and an adept piano solo. It is followed by the relaxed rendition of Randolph's Latin-tinged "Knowing," with Jakabson's warm, melodious brass. "Mr. Now" is a brisk Coltrane inspired blues with standout solos from Zemelman and Brown. "Nouveau Monde" was inspired when Randolph heard a group from the Congo playing the Ndombolo rhythm. The leader and Wyser-Pratte lay down an irresistible, torrid rhythm with Brown's robust, heated sax.

There is an exquisite Latin flavored waltz, "Meadows" with Brown's melodious flute, before the exuberant "Funky N.O. Thing," built around a second-line groove. Jekabson is sterling with his trumpet figuratively dancing, while Brown adds his passionate tenor sax. Wyser-Pratte is particularly superb in propelling this performance while adding rhythmic accents. It closes an excellent recording. Fred Randolph is a terrific musician and composer, and with the first-rate musicians here, he has produced a fabulous album.

I received my review copy from a publicist. Here Fred Randolph is performing "Funky N.O. Thing," from 2016

Michael O'Neil Quintet with Tony Lindsay Pacific Standard Time

Michael O'Neill Quintet with Tony Lindsay
Pacific Standard Time
Jazzmo Records

"Pacific Standard Time" is a fascinating new album of vocal jazz by former Santana vocalist Lindsay backed by Michael O'Neill's Quintet. The members of the quintet are O'Neil on tenor sax, bass clarinet, clarinet and flute: Erik Jekabson on trumpet and flugelhorn; John R. Burr on piano; Dan Feiszli on bass; and Alan Hall on drums. Mile Olmos replaces Jekabson on two selections and Omar Ledezma is on percussion on three selections. This is a longstanding group, with O'Neill, Feiszli and Hall being together since the group formed, with Burr joining in 2006 and Jekabson coming aboard in 2011. This is the quintet's fourth album, but not the first with a vocalist as Kenny Washington was featured on their earlier recordings.

As suggested by the title, this is a collection of standards with the members providing arrangements to give a different flavor to these familiar numbers. This is evident with the opening "Just Friends" in which drummer Hall provided the setting in which Lindsay quickly establishes his vocal presence is no novelty. he brings warmth along with a flexibility in phrasing and his dynamics set against the quintet's wonderful backing and solos. I am not familiar with Sting's original of "Fragile," but Lindsay is quite at home from his years as part of Santana with the the leader's Latin jazz setting. Jekabson's brass solo is spirited and lyrical and followed by the leader's robust improvisation and Burr's fluid piano solo. 

On "Summertime," O'Neill's arrangement makes it into almost a suite with three movements with changes in tempo and groove starting as a lament before a funky groove kicks in with O'Neill tearing it up on his solo. Jekabson provided a 12/8 tinge for Lindsay's soulful vocal on Hoagy Carmichael's "Georgia," with more sterling accompaniment. There is pianist Burr's reharmonization of Hart & Rodgers' "The Way You Look Tonight," along with the leader's reworking of Monk's "Rhythm-a-ning," with Lindsay's horn like singing of Jon Hendricks' lyrics and terrific tenor sax and trumpet solos.

 Lindsay is superb whether with exquisite ballad singing on "Come Rain or Shine," or his relaxed delivery on "Night and Day" against a lively groove. Then there is the closing ballad, "You Don't Know What Love Is," with Feiszli's inspired arrangement employing O'Neill's woody bass clarinet and Jekabson's muted trumpet. O'Neill's plays a wonderful bass clarinet solo while Lindsay sings so fervently here.  With Lindsay's first-rate vocals and the superb backing and solos from O'Neill and band, "Pacific Standard Time" is terrific.

I received my review copy from a publicist.