Joel Frahm - The Bright Side

Joel Frahm
The Bright Side
Anzic Records

On "The Bright Side," tenor saxophonist Joel Frahm leads a trio consisting of bassist Dan Loomis and drummer Ernesto Cervini. This trio was born at a masterclass at the University of Toronto as an offshoot of Cervini's band Turboprop. During a European tour, a repertoire of recent original tunes by the band members. The present album provides a sense of the breadth of the band's repertoire.

One hears hints of trio albums by Sonny Rollins and Joe Henderson for some of this recording, starting with the opening "Blow Poppa Joe," which is dedicated to Joe Henderson. Frahm is a saxophonist with a robust tone able to improvise thematically or melodically. On this performance, he plays propulsively with Loomis as an anchor and Cervini driving things along, playing around the groove before taking a crisp solo. "Thinking of Benny" is dedicated to Benny Golson, and Frahm's playing has a playful and prancing quality to it. It is followed by Frahm's "Boo Sip Dip," a brisk performance based on a fascinating bebop-inspired line, and after an inspired sax solo, Frahm and Cervini trade fours.

 Loomis composed "Silk Road" with his bass stating the theme as Cervini adds percussive accents before Frahm enters on soprano sax on an alluring, atmospheric performance. It is followed by Frahm's salute to bassist Omer Avital, "Omer's World." Frahm and the trio play with considerable energy here. Loomis also contributed "X-Friends" a reimagining of the standard "Just Friends," with surging sax over a turbulent rhythm. Cervini composed the tone-poem "The Beautiful Mystery," with Frahm's tenor and the rhythm section inducing a sense of serenity,
 

The title track is said to be based on the opening riff of Lou Reed's "Walk on the Wild Side." It also sounds as it incorporates a bit of "Jumping' With Symphony Sid," along with Frahm quoting other compositions in the manner of Dexter Gordon. It provides an engaging close to a superb recording.
 
 I received a download to review from a publicist.Here is Joel Frahm in a trio setting.

TuneTown - Entering Utopia

TuneTown - Entering Utopia - Three Pines Records

About the debut album "There From Here," by the Canadian trio TuneTown, I concluded, "While the members of TuneTown are each excellent players, playing together, they are a superlative trio." This recording is the new release by the trio of Kelly Jefferson (Saxophones), Artie Roth (Bass), and Ernesto Cervini (Drums, Percussion & Bass Clarinet). The present album, like the debut, is a mix of originals (including contrafacts) and standards.

Cervini's "Hello Today" introduces all three as they alternate with brief solos. Jefferson particularly impresses on a bluesy performance that suggests an acidic Johnny Hodges. Roth contributed the title track, a radical reworking of "Out of Nowhere," with a gorgeous sax solo over a floating pulse. Cervini's "Billyish" is a hard-bop original showcasing Cervini along with Jefferson's sterling sax. 

Other notable tracks include Roth's "Sycamore," a contrafact of "Poinciana," set to 7/4 time with a captivating performance, and the interpretation of Charlie Parker's "Cheryl" with brawny sax from Jefferson and Cervini's propulsive drum solo. On the closing "Blue Gardenia," Cervini is on the bass clarinet instead of drums and provides texture and counterpoint to Jefferson's sax, with Roth's bass anchoring an evocative performance. 

Also, there are several free-form trio improvisations on an album that is an outstanding follow-up to their debut album. TuneTown certainly is making its mark as a first-rate contemporary jazz ensemble.

I received a download to review from a publicist. Here is their performance of "Sycamore."

Ernesto Cervini Tetrahedron

Ernesto Cervini
Tetrahedron
Anzic Records

Toronto-based Ernesto Cervini has established himself as a drummer-composer- bandleader, of considerable merit. His Quartet, his sextet Turboprop, and various trios have shown him to be a fresh, imaginative voice. Besides Cervini, the members of his quartet are electric bassist (Rich Brown), an electric guitarist (Nir Felder), and the Cuban-born, Toronto-based alto saxophonist Luis Deniz. The quartet initially started as a chordless trio with Brown and Deniz, to which Felder was later added. "Because we're so used to playing this music as a trio without any comping," Cervini notes, "we were able to incorporate Nir without having to worry about our traditional 'jobs' in the band."

The origin of the band as a chordless trio provides an understanding of the imaginative approach Cervini brings, beginning with an ingenious rendition of "Softly, As In a Morning Sunrise." It starts off with a lengthy unaccompanied bass solo, with the band playing off the underlying bass pattern until playing the melody late in this enthralling performance. Bassist Brown contributed "Forward Motion," with stunning guitar and sax before Cervini takes a drum solo. Listening to this performance I had a sense of "this reminds me of something else." After the drum solo, "Harlem Nocturne" was evoked. This superlative performance is I believe a contrafact to "Harlem Nocturne," although played at quite a quicker tempo than the strip club tempo of that tune.

Felder provides a stunning introduction to a lovely interpretation of Vince Mendoza's "Angelicus," as Deniz's alto sax gently develops the theme. Cervini adds to the atmosphere with his adept use of brushes. "Stro" is Cervini's funky minor-blues nod to Toronto Blue Jays (and New York Mets) pitcher Marcus Stroman. It has a descending electric bass loop that anchors the interchanges within the band, particularly Felder's percolating guitar and Deniz's bluesy alto sax. Deniz further impresses on the Bunky Green bebop waltz "Summit Song" with Felder adding his scintillating guitar. Deniz and Felder's opening to Cervini's "Wandering" provide a chamber jazz quality with the tension the dynamism of their solos against a rubato rhythmic feel.

Ernesto Cervini again leads a sterling band and brought together stimulating originals and imaginative arrangements of covers for some absorbing music. "Tetrahedron" is another first-rate recording from him.

I received my review copy from a publicist. Here this band performs "Stro."

 

TuneTown There From Here

TuneTown
There From Here
Slammin Media

"There From Here" is the debut album from Canada's newest collective, a chord-less trio, TuneTown. TuneTown was formed in 2015 and pools the talents of Kelly Jefferson (saxophones), Artie Roth (bass), and Ernesto Cervini (drums). The three are among Canada's top improvisers and contributed individually or collectively eight compositions that are played here along with covers of Duke Ellington and Cole Porter. There are, of course, precedents for this chord-less bands, including Sonny Rollins (Live at the Village Vanguard), Ornette Coleman classic quartet, Steve Lacy-Roswell Rudd's School Days Band, and Bill Dixon-Archie Shepp Quartet. In more recent years, we have had notable saxophone trios such as Joe Lovano, J. D. Allen, and Ravi Coltrane (with Matthew Garrison and Jack DeJohnette). Such a musical setting often can be a high-wire act without a net, but the trio is exemplary. There is plenty to stimulate the listener's attention throughout "There From Here."

One obvious thing is how well the members of TuneTown play together. While dedicated to Thelonious Monk, Cervini's "The Monks of Oka" is named after the monks in Quebec who make "really stinky cheese." It is a performance that suggests a classic Ornette Coleman recording with Jefferson's exhilarating saxophone elaborating on Cervini's theme. Roth and Cervini provide backing in a manner of Charlie Haden and Eddie Blackwell, before they each take very crisp, focused solos. Based on the Sammy Fain composition, "Alice in Wonderland, Artie Roth's "As She Wonders," is dedicated to his mother. As Roth's bass anchors the trio, Jefferson on soprano sax displays a mastery of dynamics in crafting his solo. On a standout interpretation of Ellington's "Sophisticated Lady," Roth's bass and Cervini's skillful use of brushes back Jefferson's exquisite tenor sax.

Roth's "Split Infinity" is a contrafact of "All The Things You Are" and again displays the bassist's virtuosity whether anchoring the trio or soloing. On Cole Porter's "All of You," Jefferson plays vibrantly in a manner of Sonny Rollins or Joe Lovano with Cervini displaying his ability to accompany and enhance the tenor sax solo. Jefferson's "Kindling," has a terrific serpentine soprano sax solo along with an excellent drum solo. "Transient Space" closes this recording on a meditative tone. It opens with Arco bass with it has an unhurried tempo. Jefferson's soprano sax adds to the reflective quality of the performance.

While the members of TuneTown are each excellent players, playing together they are a superlative trio. Their terrific debut is highly recommended.

I received a review copy as a download from a publicist. Here is a publicity video for this release.

Ernesto Cervini's Turboprop Abundance

Ernesto Cervini's Turboprop
Abundance
Anzic Records

About his band Turboprop, Ernesto Cervini observes " “although I am the band-leader, Turboprop truly feels like a collective due to the passion, commitment, and love everybody brings to each performance.” This sextet is a formidable one with some exceptional talents from Toronto and New York City: Tara Davidson on Alto and Soprano Saxophones and Flute (Toronto), Joel Frahm on Tenor Saxophone (New York), William Carn on Trombone (Toronto), Adrean Farrugia on Piano (Toronto), Dan Loomis on Bass (New York) and Ernesto Cervini on Drums (Toronto). Ms. Davidson is an addition to the personnel that was on their last recording "Rev," that I found full of "strong solo voices and first-rate ensemble work.

The present recording has a mix of 5 originals by band members (including two by Cervini) and three standards. It opens with Davidson's original "The Queen," with a slightly exotic flavor and strong solos from her and Farrugia. The pianist is also sterling on a terrific rendition of Tadd Dameron's "Tadd's Delight" which has riveting tenor sax from Frahm while Loomis and Cervini push this sterling performance along with the two trading fours. A fresh arrangement of "My Shining Hour" was derived from Geoffrey Keezer's recording with sterling ensemble playing and a shift into a Latin groove. Carn's melodic ballad playing graces the interpretation of Charlie Chaplin's classic "Smile."

Loomis' "Abundance Overture" opens with Cervini playing with his sticks before Davidson on flute and Frahm on tenor sax play a playful figure and then Cervini plays his entire kit before Loomis, Farrugia, and Carn join in for an exuberant performance. Farrugia contributed "The Ten Thousand Things" which opens with Loomis bass in addition to the composer's far-ranging piano solo followed by Frahm's fiery tenor sax.

Cervini contributed the final two compositions. "Gramps" is a lovely ballad dedicated to his late grandfather and has Davidson's charming, graceful alto saxophone set against an exquisite ensemble arrangement. The closing "For Cito," dedicated to the former Toronto Blue Jays manager Cito Gaston, is a robust performance with imaginative solos from Carn and Farrugia and fresh, creative arrangements.

As on "Rev," Turboprop impresses with their tight ensemble playing; inventive, fresh arrangements, and impressive soloing. The result is this striking recording.

I received my review copy from a publicist. This review appeared in the March-April 2019 Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 383), although I have made corrections and minor changes. Here is a video of Turboprop playing.