Jeff Reed Look For the Light Stricker Street Records
Jeff Reed is an acoustic bassist, electric bassist, composer, and educator, currently residing in Baltimore, MD, and part of the vibrant DMV (District of Columbia-Maryland-Virginia) jazz scene. "Look For the Light" is his first release as a leader and brings jazz standards and original material. The album was inspired by the birth of Reed's son Fox in 2011. Reed explains, "In the days after my son was born, I was reflecting on the power of the moment of his birth. It was a moment of great change in my life and also meant I had a new partner to share my journey with. One who I had only just met but felt as though I'd known him my whole life."
I was more familiar with members of his band than Reed himself having seen drummer Eric Kennedy, trumpeter Sean Jones and bass clarinetist Todd Marcus live as well as enjoyed their work on various recordings. Guitarist Jonathan Epley, like Reed, was someone I was previously not been familiar with. In any event, this is an exceptional band performing an engaging program that provides plenty of opportunities to showcase all the band members.
The program includes a couple of lesser-known Charlie Parker compositions, along with ones from Jim Hall, Oscar Pettiford, and Kenny Drew Jr., in addition to Reed's four originals. Reed's taut, assured bass, helps start Parker's "Segment," with Jones' bright, melodic followed by Marcus' deep, woody bass clarinet playing and then Epley's fleet guitar. Marcus is one of several bass clarinet specialists. The front-line with Jones might evoke comparisons with Eric Dolphy and Booker Little, although their playing is not as dissonant. Hall's "Waltz New" is a trio performance by Epley, Reed, and Kennedy with Epley displaying a gorgeous tone. Pettiford's "Tricotism" allows Reed to showcase his prodigious technique as well as his skill in developing a solo as well as anchor the performance. After Marcus and Epley solo, Reed trades fours with Kennedy on a sterling performance.
As a composer, Reed conjures exquisite melodies and themes such as heard on "Paragon" and "Conversion." The latter is built on a mesmerizing bass line with the band negotiating its changes and tempo shifts. The title track builds on a beautifully simple theme. There are sublime solos, with Marcus and Jones both exhibiting considerable warmth in their solos. Parker's "Quasimodo," is a first-rate feature for Jones' bright, dulcet trumpet supported just by Reed and Kennedy.
With consistent first-rate playing and the terrific tunes performed, "Look For The Light" is an outstanding recording.
I received my review copy from a publicist. This review originally appeared in the July-August 2020 Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 391). Here is a Jeff Reed performance of Oscar Pettiford's "Tricotism," from 2017 and with a different trio.
Kris Funn and the Corner Store are amongst the bands playing the New Vintage Jazz & Wine Fest at the DC Fairgrounds near Nationals Park in Washington DC. This takes place Saturday August 24 starting at 2:00PM
Curated by the folks at Capital Bop (http://capitalbop.com) here is the full line-up
The artists will perform at the following times: 2:30 – Tarus Mateen 3:15 – Kris Funn & Corner Store 4:15 – Todd Marcus Quartet 5:15 – Christie Dashiell Quartet 6:15 – Donvonte McCoy Quartet, Feat. Heidi Martin 7:15 – The Funk Ark 8:30 – Rafiq Bhatia
I have enjoyed Tarus Mateen (he is bassist with Jason Moran and The Bandwagon amongst other groups); Funn, bass clarinetist Marcus and trumpeter McCoy and they are exceptional artists. Vocalists Dashiell and Martin are performers I am really looking forward to see. Capitol Bop's website has much more information on what looks like an amazing event, including more information on the performers. Here is a link to their post that announced this event: http://capitalbop.com/2013/07/24/show-announcement-new-vintage-jazz-wine-fest-amazing-talent-wine-at-the-fairgrounds/.
One footnote. I met Kris Funn at the 2012 Mid-Atlantic Jazz Festival and he is the nephew of a former colleague of mine at the government agency I worked at. I kidded Kris that his uncle made the best pound cake I ever had. Kris is on a number of recordings of the brilliant young trumpeter, Christian Scott, in whose band he has been in for several years. His group was a highlight of a DC Jazz Loft show that was part of the DC Jazz Festival a couple years ago from which the picture at the top of this entry was taken. Here is the exceptional bassist, Tarus Mateen playing with saxophonist Brian Settles as part of a group led by drummer Lenny Robinson. Mateen will be leading his own group this day.
Donvonte McCoy is one of the Washington DC's premier trumpeters. My picture of him was taken during a salute to the music of Lee Morgan he performed at the Smithsonian Museum of American Art.
Todd Marcus is among the few who focus on playing bass clarinet exclusively. here he is at the 2013 Mid-Atlantic Jazz Festival.
This is the seventh post I am making to highlight some of the shows associated with this year’s DC Jazz Festival. I am specifically not highlighting the DC JazzLoft Fest since I have posted on this already. I will may also pick a few other shows around the DC Virginia area that should not be overlooked. I am posting this a day ahead of the date of performances. For more information visit http://www.dcjazzfest.org/content.cfm/schedule_and_major_events.
At 1:00 PM, as part of the East River Jazz Festival, Todd Marcus Ensemble will be at the East River Washington Senior Wellness Center. Todd Marcus, one of the few who specialize in the bass clarinet, leads a little big band which displays his compositions and ability to make use of a variety of musical colors. Capital Bop notes that he leads a nine piece ensemble. “Thankfully, both Marcus’s oddball instrumentalism and his offbeat ensemble are astonishingly strong, modern and infectious. Few people improvise with more fervor or write music better than he does.”
At 5:00PM, trumpeter Michael Thomas will be featured at the Phillips Collection with their hard bop and blues inspired by such legendary figures as Lee Morgan, Freddie Hubbard and Art Blakey. This is hard swinging music at its finest.
Roberta Gambarini
The Hamilton hosts the wonderful singer Roberta Gambarini along with the Cyrus Chestnut Trio, led by one of today’s most accomplished pianists.
The 6th and I Historic Synagogue will host the Anat Cohen Quartet. Proficient on saxophone as well as clarinet, Anat Cohen is a repeat poll winner on the clarinet and brings a contemporary approach to traditional jazz and Brazilian music as well as displays her mastery of the modern jazz canon.
I highlighted the upcoming DC Jazz Festival back in late April. Well the Festival starts in two weeks from today. One of the events associated with the Festival is the DC Jazz Loft Series that is being produced by the website Capital Bop, one of the DC area’s prime sources for what is happening jazz wise. Additionally they produce regular jazz loft shows highly upcoming performers and performers who have their own highly original approach to America’s musical art form.
To quote Luke Stewart and Giovanni Russonello, “We run CapitalBop.com, a website dedicated to promoting the city’s jazz scene by providing full-press coverage and by putting on concerts. … Since December 2010, we’ve been organizing D.C. Jazz Loft shows to spotlight this city’s vast and varied jazz talent in low-frills, exciting settings.” With respect to the DC Jazz Loft series, “[W]e’re proud to announce our return to the DC Jazz Festival for the second annual D.C. Jazz Loft Series. At three exciting shows next month, we’ll be presenting a tenacious argument for the relevance and power of contemporary jazz, and we'll be doing it at engaging, community-oriented venues." The shows at this year’s Jazz Loft series are:
June 1 // Todd Marcus Jazz Ensemble with D.C.'s Christie Dashiell Quartet, live at the Dunes. Baltimore’s Todd Marcus is among the few who specialize in the bass clarinet and is scheduled to lead his nine-piece ensemble headlining this show. Capital Bop notes that he leads a nine piece ensemble. “Thankfully, both Marcus’s oddball instrumentalism and his offbeat ensemble are astonishingly strong, modern and infectious. Few people improvise with more fervor or write music better than he does.” Opening will be vocalist Christie Dashiell featuring the former member of Howard University’s famed acapella group Afro-Blue. she’ll she’ll lead her own quartet through a blend of original compositions, and covers of jazz and pop songs.
June 2 // Tarbaby (Orrin Evans, Nasheet Waits and Eric Revis) with D.C.'s Kris Funn & Corner Store, live at the Fridge. Tarbaby is a jazz supergroup on a mission. Featuring pianist Orrin Evans (leader of the acclaimed Captain Black Big Band), bassist Eric Revis (a longtime collaborator with Branford Marsalis and a strong bandleader) and drummer Nasheet Waits (who performs with Jason Moran, among other greats), this band is uncompromisingly experimental and unabashedly outspoken. Opening will be bassist Kris Funn & Corner Store. Funn is currently a member of Christian Scott’s touring band, Corner Store, also features drummer Quincy Phillips of the Roy Hargrove Quintet. The band debuted at a jam-packed D.C. Jazz Loft where they “burned the house down, with Funn’s blues-battered bass lines, rocking originals, and dramatically danceable revisions of John Coltrane and Sam Cooke tunes taking center stage.”
June 9 // Jazz Loft MegaFest, feat. Marc Cary's Cosmic Indigenous with Lenny Robinson's Mad Curious and Elijah Jamal Balbed/Tarus Mateen/Lee Pearson II, live at the loft at 629 New York Ave. NW. “The series will culminate in a daylong Jazz Loft MegaFest on Sat., June 9. This won’t be any old concert: From 3 p.m. till 2 a.m., you’ll be immersed in a marketplace of improvised sound, visual art, quality food, drinks and creativity. We’re converting a gorgeous loft space on New York Avenue ( into a pop-up shop, music venue, art gallery, movie theater, and – with assistance from the foodies at the Taste of DC – an eatery and bar, catered by some of the top restaurants in the District.
With respect to Mark Cary, “His latest project, Cosmic Indigenous, throws everything into a pot and turns up the heat to a boil. The quintet is devastatingly danceable, which distracts you from how much creativity is happening onstage: Cary plays keyboard and laptop music, Malian singer and dancer Awa Sangho croons and yowls, two percussionists interweave (Sameer Gupta on tabla and drums, and Daniel Moreno on Latin percussion) and trumpeter Igmar Thomas brings a punchy rhythmic sensitivity to his melodic improvisations.”
Drummer Lenny Robinson is a DC fixture who plays with precision and grace, even at the swiftest tempos – but he’s also attuned to the malleability of a cymbal, or a snare drum. In his trio, Mad Curious, Robinson is joined by two of the greatest musicians in D.C. jazz, saxophone searcher Brian Settles and star bassist Tarus Mateen.
Tenor saxophonist Elijah Jamal Balbed is a young gun who plays every note like he’s got something crucial to prove. He swings hard, and calls up the memory of his forebears in the music such as John Coltrane, Dexter Gordon and Sonny Rollins. He will be accompanied by two veterans of the DC scene, bassist Tarus Mateen and drummer Lee Pearson II.
Capital Bop is also engaged in a Kickstarter campaign to raise funds to help produce this series. As I type this they still need to raise approximately 40% of their $4000 goal. I am one of those who are financially supporting this Kickstarter campaign and I encourage my fellow jazz lovers in the Washington DC area to show their support for the DC Jazz Loft Series, part of this year’s DC Jazz Festival. The Campaign is scheduled to end on May 31 at 11:00PM. Here is the link to the Kickstarter campaign, http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/capitalbop/capitalbops-dc-jazz-loft-series-at-the-2012-dc-jaz.
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