Joe Lovano - Trio Tapestry - Garden of Expression

Joe Lovano - Trio Tapestry - Garden of Expression - ECM

"Garden of Expression" is the second collaboration between saxophonist Joe Lovano, pianist Marilyn Crispell, and drummer Carmen Castaldi under the rubric of Trio Tapestry. It is a recording of captivating music, all of which Lovano composed. Lovano states, "Each of the pieces is a song of expression where rhythm doesn't dictate the flow. This is not a band that starts from the beat. The momentum is in the melody and the harmonic sequence, and rhythm evolves within each piece in a very free flowing manner." 

"Free flowing" is not a bad way to describe the performances here that display a chamber jazz quality. Lovano usually states a melodic theme that he and Ms. Crispell develop in a musical conversation to which Castaldi adds rhythmic accents. The trio primarily is heard on lovely, thoughtful improvisations such as on the title track or "The Secret Chant." There is a bit more energy in Crispell's piano opening for "Dream on That," leading to Lovano's probing tenor over Castaldi's percolating percussion. 

One should not be surprised that the exquisite music on this album is also superbly recorded. Every nuance of Castaldi's percussion, every note of Crispell's piano, and every tonal shade of Lovano's tenor is clearly captured on the closing "Zen Like." The typically superb ECM engineering enhances the pleasures of this marvelous recording.

I received a download to review from a publicist. Here is a performance from Trio tapestry.

Joe Lovano Reunites with John Scofeld for Past Present

Guitarist John Scofield's new album "Past Present" (Impulse), is a return to a musical partnership with Joe Lovano that he engaged in two decades ago. The group included drummer Bill Stewart and bassist Dennis Irwin. Irwin has passed and replaced by Larry Grenadier for the present recording in this same "electro-acoustic quartet" format to use annotator Josef Woodard's description. The album features nine Scofield originals, with several playing tribute to John's late son Evan who lost a battle with a swift and rare cancer. Scofield plays without pedals and FX on this recording.

There is a bluesy, groove-centered ambiance about the performances here starting with the opening "Slinky," with its appealing melodic base as Lovano's tenor wraps around the leader's prickly guitar whose marvelously constructed blues-infused solo is followed by Lovano's robust playing as Grenadier anchors things and Stewart adds rhythmic accents. Stewart's drums kicks off the playful "Chap Dance" which as Woodward astutely notes evokes both Ornette Coleman and Sonny Rollins or this lively and ebullient performance, and this is followed by the wistful "Hangover."

"Get Proud" hints at the classic Herbie Mann recording "Coming Back Home," as Lovano and Scofield imaginatively craft their solos here that are thoughtfully crafted, yet still full of energy and passion. "Past Present" is proof that jazz can be both playful, entertaining and yet musically challenging and one certainly hopes this quartet tours extensively.

I believe I received my review copy from a publicist. This review has appeared in the November-December Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 363). Here is Scofield and Lovano along with drummer Bill Stewart and bassist Ben Street at the 2015 Montreal International Jazz Festival.

Paul Motian's Monk In Motian

On Monk in Motian, the late drummer Paul Motian is heard leading a combo with guitarist Bill Frissell and saxophonist Joe Lovano with guest appearances by Dewey Redman and pianist Geri Allen. There is no bass on this, and with the exception of the tracks with Allen are piano-less as well. The CD was originally issued on the German JMT label in 1988 and reissued in 2002 on the Winter and Winter imprint, which I recently purchased from JazzLoft.com.

I really like the open feeling of the performance which the lack of piano contributes to as does Frissell’s really nice guitar. Frissell’s chords and riffs form the anchor of these performances which Motian and Lovano playing off of. There are a number of familiar Monk classics including Evidence, Bye-Ya, and Epistrophy. The ambience is somewhat similar to School Days, the wonderful Steve Lacy-Roswell Rudd group devoted to Monk’s music.

This is packed in a hardback styled cover. It is, as indicated above, not a new release which I purchased it from jazzloft.com.

Unsung Tenor Master With Energetic New Disc

The following review appeared in the June 2009 issue of Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 317) and Lalama impressed this listener immensely.

Veteran tenor saxophonist Ralph Lalama has been playing for decades, and probably is most noteworthy for his work with the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra on their long-standing Monday night gig at the fabled Village Vanguard, but has also been part of Joe Lovano’s Nonet. He has recorded several albums for the Dutch Criss Cross label. His most recent album is Energy Fields (Mighty Quinn) with a strong quartet filled out by John Hart on guitar, Rick Petrone on bass and Joe Corsello on drums for an interesting collection of material that is handled with robust authority throughout.

The disc opens auspiciously with a vigorous rendition of Woody Shaw’s “Moontrane,” followed by a boppish rendition of Charlie Parker’s “Buzzy,” with Hart and Lalama taking the head in a fashion akin to Parker and Gillespie. Hart’s fleet guitar with his single note runs punctuated by chords is a foil for Lalama’s vigorous playing with a sound at times suggestive of Sonny Rollins and Dexter Gordon. Lalama’s original “Nonchalant” showcases his ballad sense while Hart contributes a fresh arrangement to “Old Folks,” one of the staples of Ben Webster’s repertoire, but with Lalama’s strong playing following Hart’s initial solo, while his attack on “Like Someone in Love” is evocative of Rollins and Gordon in sound and approach

Other selections also taken at this high level include Wayne Shorter’s “United,” the classic ballad “Indian Summer,” and the swinging “Just in Time.” Lalama is marvelous through as is the entire group producing an excellent set of strong, contemporary jazz. This can be obtained at www.mighty-quinn.net or from amazon.

For FTC purposes, I received a review copy from the publication.

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Energy Fields

Duet between Hank Jones and Joe Lovano

It really does not get better than this. He turned 90 not too long ago and the jazz community expressed their love and admiration for him as among the greatest of all jazz pianists. Joe Lovano, one of today's outstanding tenor players is also a fan of the amazing Mr. Jones who has come a long way from playing at the Anchor Bar (in Buffalo and long before chicken wings were invented) across the street from where Art Tatum was playing.