Jeremy Monteiro - Live at No Black Tie

Jeremy Monteiro - Live at No Black Tie - Jazz Note Records

One of Singapore's premiere jazz artists, pianist Jeremy Monteiro's career has him playing and recording with such jazz giants and legends as James Moody Benny Golson, Michael Brecker, Herbie Mann, Ernie Watts, Charlie Haden, Carmen Bradford, and many more. In the eighties, he formed a partnership with Eldee Young and Redd Holt, who had been part of the Ramsey Lewis Trip before starting Young-Holt Unlimited. In 1986, Claude Nobs, who produced the Montreux Jazz Festival, was in Singapore and heard a recording by the trio. He called Monteiro and invited him to play the main stage in Montreux, provided he also brought Young and Holt. The trio played, and a live recording was issued of the performance. Thirty-five years later, the pianist was joined by another stellar duo, bassist Jay Anderson and drummer Lewis Nash for a live recording at No Black Tie in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Monteiro's influences include Oscar Peterson, Erroll Garner, Chick Corea, and Keith Jarrett. From the introductory notes of Dave Brubeck's "In Your Own Sweet Way" to the closing notes of Herbie Hancock's "Watermelon Man," he impresses with splendid technique, touch, timing, and dynamics. He can astonish one minute and then engender a sense of calm. One bravado performance is "Just in Time," where his solos build in volcanic intensity before Nash takes a solo that dances around the performance's rhythms. Bassist Anderson is equally compelling here. Then there is a delightful interpretation of Duke Ellington's "Prelude to a Kiss," where he delicately states the melody and an understated solo leads into bassist Anderson's masterful, imaginative solo. 

Other tracks include the easy swinging original that is a tribute to James Moody, "Mode For Love," with the fluidity and precision of Monteiro's playing standing out with the sublime support he receives. It is followed by a gorgeous melodic ballad, "Josefina," that he wrote for his wife. Then there is "Mount Olive" that he wrote for Eldee Young and Redd Holt, which evokes when Young and Holt took him to a Black Church one Sunday morning. This track suggests the classic late sixties recordings from Ramsey Lewis and then Young-Holt Unlimited. 

The rest of the album is on a comparable level. "Life Goes On" has an impressionistic flavor, while the trio's interplay is exemplary for "Monk on the Mountain." This number is not about the jazz pianist and composer but inspired by an American who gave up his worldly possessions to become a Buddhist monk. Monteiro's dazzling playing is complemented by Nash's pulse and Anderson's counterpoint. The closing take on "Watermelon Man" brings this superior piano trio recording to a close. It must have been quite a time for the audience at No Black Tie audience when Monteiro, Anderson, and Nash performed.

I received my review copy from a publicist. Here is an 2016 performance of "Mount Olive" by Jeremy Monteiro with a different group.

Jay Anderson Deepscape

Jay Anderson
Deepscape
Steeplechase

Bassist Anderson captivates listeners with a new recording that finds him in diverse musical settings that range from a bass solo to chord-less quartets and quintets to a bass-harmonium duet as he performs compositions by Keith Jarrett, Billy Joel, Gil Evans, and Morton Feldman. On this recording, he is joined by Billy Drewes, alto sax, soprano, and bass clarinet; Kirk Knuffke, cornet; Matt Wilson, drums; 
Frank Kimbrough, harmonium; and Rogério Boccato.

While I was not familiar with Anderson before this recording, he has performed with Maria Schneider, Michael Brecker, Frank Kimbrough, Ryan Truesdell, Bob Mintzer, Ira Sullivan, and Red Rodney. It was with the Red Rodney Quartet in 1988 that he participated in the first of over 100 recording sessions for Steeplechase. He has played on recordings by Vic Juris, Harold Danko, Dave Stryker, Paul Bley, Stanley Cowell, Freddie Redd, Louis Smith, and many others. Nils Winther of Steeplechase asked in early 2018 if he would be interested in his own project, and the result is this CD.

The title track opens this disc. Over a prerecorded drone, Anderson plays a melody and then recorded two additional layers of other bass sounds. The other bass solo is an extended examination of the melody of Billy Joel's "And So It Goes," where he displays the tone, articulation, and ability to improvise around the theme. There is an Ornette feel to the performances of two Keith Jarrett compositions, "Shades of Jazz," and "Southern Smiles." Knuffke establishes himself with a darting style while Drewes' alto playing has a bluesy spirit, and their interplay is outstanding. Anderson is rock solid while Matt Wilson is perhaps more Billy Higgins than Ed Blackwell, but helps drive and swing these performances.

There is a different feel to the interpretation of Gil Evans "Time of the Barracudas" with the horns riffing in support of Anderson's bass lead with Wilson providing adroit rhythmic accents before Drewes takes a soprano solo. The rendition of the standard "Sweet and Lovely" starts as a duet between Anderson and Wilson (the latter playing almost in a New Orleans groove. Knuffke enters midway, and his playful playing is reminiscent of the late Lester Bowie with a mix of slurs, short bursts, and extended notes. There is a lively, playful performance of "Bradford Marsalis' "The Mighty Sword."

On three selections, Anderson is joined by Kimbrough on the harmonium. The first of the three is the 5th Movement of Morton Feldman's "Rothko Chapel," where, in addition to bass Anderson also plays the Tibetan singing bowl. Drewes soprano sax floats over Kimbrough's harmonium along with Wilson's drums and Boccato's percussion for what is a haunting performance. The same musicians are heard on Jim Pepper's "Witchi-Tai-To." Anderson opens by stating the underlying chord sequence and the melodic phrase. Wilson's cymbal work leads to a transition into Drewes' soprano sax taking the lead over the accompaniment centered around the leader's bass. Kimbrough's harmonium lends a rendition of "Tennessee Waltz" a feel of an Irish folk song before turning into a captivating duet with Anderson's bass which 'sings' this classic country song.

"Deepscape" is a splendid recording with an intriguing mix of material and musical settings, as well as the superb performances by Anderson and his compatriots.

I received my review copy from a publicist. This review appeared in the September-October 2019 Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 386), although I made minor stylistic changes. Here is Jay Anderson performing in 2012.

Bob Mintzer Big Band - New York Voices Meeting of Minds

Bob Mintzer Big Band - New York Voices
Meeting of Minds
MCGJazz

This new recording represents "the integration of voices with [Mintzer's] Big Band," and is a wonderful success as Mintzer (on various reeds) leads a big band that includes Bob Shepard on Alto Saxophone, Roger Rosenberg on baritone sax, Scott Wendholt on trumpet, Jeff Bush on trombone, Phil Markowitz on piano, Jay Anderson on bass, and John Riley on drums, with the celebrated vocal group, New York Voices who are comprised of Kim Nazarian, Lauren Kinhan, Damon Meader and Peter Eldridge. Mintzer arranged all but two of the band arrangements with Meader arranging all of the vocal arrangements and two (one with Eldridge) of the band arrangements.

The arrangements provide a freshness to the very well known standards heard here starting with "Autumn Leaves," with lovely lead vocals from Nazarian and Kinhan wonderfully supported by the band and then the Voices scatting make turn them into an additional horn section during the middle break with pianist Markowitz standing out. Eldridge takes the lead vocal on "I Concentrate on You," with the Voices adding with their vocal harmony as well as vocal interplay another fresh touch with Rosenberg adding a burly baritone sax solo. The instrumental rendition of "I Want to Be Happy" again sports a superb band arrangement before terrific solos by Wendholt and Markowitz with a crisp drum break by Riley. Eldridge is on piano as well takes the lead vocal on "I Get Along Without You Very Well," with the scoring of the reeds (with flutes and clarinet) providing a sober atmosphere for this performance. Again the vocal arrangement and the integration with the big band is exemplary.

I could similarly rave about the leads of Nazarian and Eldridge on "The Way You Like Tonight," or the creativity of Mintzer in his band arrangement (also his tenor sax solo), or Mintzer's entrancing original "Weird Blues," another instrumental with  unusual voicings (especially of the trombones) with him and Rosenberg taking strong solos along with bassist Anderson. Then there is Mintzer's employment of muted trumpets on "Speak Low," along with the strong propulsive swing of the band. "Meeting of the Minds" is a superb meeting of a terrific big band with the wonderful New York Voices, resulting in an extraordinary recording.

I received my review copy from a publicist. This review appeared in the July-August 2018 Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 379). Here is the performance of "Autumn Leaves."