Craig Pilo/Just Play

"Pilo is crisp and forceful but never intrusive on the drums..."

Label: Rue de la harpe Records
Personnel: Craig Pilo, drums/Mitchel Forman, Fender Rhodes piano/Ed Czach, keyboards/Tom Kennedy, Bart Samolis & others, bass/Roman Dudok & Doug Webb, saxophone
Genre: '70s jazz
Recommended for: everyone, but especially fans of '70s jazz fusion ala Weather Report

Connecticut native Craig Pilo has been a Los Angeles-based studio drummer since graduating from the University of North Texas College of Music in the 1990s. His musical evolution has included recording and touring gigs with everyone from Pat Boone to Maynard Ferguson and Frankie Valli.

But his love for '70s-style jazz fusion ala Weather Report and Chick Corea's Return to Forever is clear in "Just Play," his latest release.  Pilo and a revolving group of musicians tackle an assemblage of standards ("Autumn Leaves," "Impressions") along with several originals by Pilo, and the result is an eclectic and compelling mix.

Standouts include a cover of Jaco Pastorius' "Teen Town," Pilo's homage to one of the key compositions of the genre and the era. Pilo is crisp and forceful but never intrusive on the drums, and saxman Doug Webb offers his own innovative spin on the original Wayne Shorter solo. (This track takes on a particular poignancy now, just weeks after the death of Pastorius' Weather Report bandmate, keyboardist Joe Zawinul.) 

Miles Davis' "All Blues," meanwhile, gets a funky reworking that has to be heard to be believed. Pilo supercharges the tempo with shades of Cuban jazz, and keyboardist Mitchel Forman pulls out all the stops on (what else?) the Fender Rhodes electric piano. (What better to revive memories of '70s fusion than the sounds of a Fender Rhodes?) Forman starts subtly with block chords, but is soon letting loose with a series of rapid-fire arpeggios, just to keep pace with Pilo's beat.

Indeed, it's a tribute to Pilo that Forman's work is such a trippy highlight here; unlike some other drummer-leaders, Pilo is happy to share the spotlight and complement, not overwhelm, the rest of the band.  

 

-Tony Rogers

Peter Douskalis: The Dance of the Sea

"Douskalis is clearly a gifted musician, and his fleet-fingered attack often manages to make his Gibson ES-175 sound like several instruments."

Label: Shenandoah Records
Personnel: Peter Douskalis, guitar
Genre: Straight-ahead jazz guitar
Recommended for: everyone

Guitarist and Washington, D.C., native Peter Douskalis is currently an NYU grad student who plays everything from classical to world music, but his latest album, "Dance of the Sea," is a solo jazz effort. If nothing else, the nine tracks, mostly standards, convey an eclectic good taste: Douskalis mixes covers of such chestnuts as "The Girl From Ipanema" and "Whisper Not" with the Beatles' "Come Together" to mostly interesting effect.

Highlights include two takes of "Blue in Green," one a fairly straightforward account of the Miles Davis classic, the other a murkier reworking in which the melody is woven into a tapestry of Douskalis' moody, layered improvising. "Darn That Dream" is a quiet gem; Douskalis embellishes the tune but is smart enough never to veer too far from Jimmy Van Heusen's simple, perfect melody. 

Douskalis is clearly a gifted musician, and on the uptempo numbers his fleet-fingered attack often manages to make his Gibson ES-175 sound like an entire combo. If he's guilty of anything it's of occasionally pouring on too much of his ample technique; a cover of "My Favorite Things" has perhaps a few too many runs, probably in an effort to mimic the monumental energy of John Coltrane's iconic version of the Rodgers and Hammerstein warhorse.

But if Douskalis at times tries too hard that's hardly a sin, especially for a young musician with such obvious chops. All told this is an eminently enjoyable album, and I for one hope Douskalis has the opportunity to record more; paired with an experienced rhythm section, I predict he will settle down and produce music that jazz aficionados will be talking about for years to come.     

-Tony Rogers

Dave Brubeck: Legacy of a Legend

"There are, of course, the crowd-pleasers like "Take Five" and "Blue Rondo a la Turk." But there are rare tracks as well..."

Label: Columbia/Legecy
Personnel: Dave Brubeck, piano/Paul Desmond, alto sax/Eugene Wright, bass/Joe Morello, drums
Genre: straight-ahead jazz
Recommended for: everyone

Dave Brubeck just celebrated his 90th birthday, and with a life as long and amazingly productive as his there are almost too many accomplishments to recount. He's one of the most critically acclaimed jazz artists of all time, known both as a brilliant pianist and composer who pioneered the use of unusual time signatures in his wonderfully lyrical and melodic compositions. He's also probably the most commercially successful jazz musician ever. His 1959 record "Time Out" was the first jazz instrumental album to sell a million copies, and "Take Five," the album's big hit, is still the biggest-selling instrumental jazz single in history. Even people who know nothing about jazz recognize "Take Five," if only because it's been used in dozens of soundtracks and commercials. 

But Brubeck's achievements don't stop there. As a white musician in a genre dominated by African-Americans, he was an early advocate for civil rights. The mixed-race quartet he led in the 1950s and 60s was often barred from performing at venues in the South, and over the years he has penned compositions inspired by both Louis Armstrong and Martin Luther King. And when Brubeck graced the cover of Time magazine in 1954, he despaired that he had received such an honor before his idol Duke Ellington.

Even now, Brubeck still composes and tours. Indeed, he recently played a sold-out gig at the Blue Note in New York City just a month after having a pacemaker installed. And as he begins his 10th decade there are no shortage of tributes, including a new documentary on his life that was produced by one of his biggest fans - actor and director Clint Eastwood. The film, "Dave Brubeck: In His Own Sweet Way," is named for one of his tunes; it's airing on the Turner Classic Movies channel.

Brubeck's discography is enormous, and choosing the best of his work would be a daunting task for anyone. But Columbia has made a very good attempt with the release of "Dave Brubeck - Legacy of a Legend," a two-disc compilation drawn from the label's collection of 17 Brubeck recordings. The Columbia era covers much of the work produced by Brubeck's legendary quartet of the 50s and 60s, a combo that included the effervescent alto saxophonist Paul Desmond, bassist Eugene Wright and drummer Joe Morello. Needless to say, there is plenty of great stuff here. 

There are, of course, crowd-pleasers like "Take Five" and "Blue Rondo a la Turk." But there are rare tracks as well, such as a never-before-released version of "Three to Get Ready" performed at the quartet's last concert before it disbanded in 1967. There's also evidence of Brubeck's collaborations with other jazz greats, including a version of "Summer Song" with the inimitable Satchmo on vocals, taken from an out-of-print 1961 recording. Other highlights include the quartet backing singer Carmen McRae on "My One Bad Habit," and a live performance of W.C. Handy's "St. Louis Blues" featuring Gerry Mulligan and Brubeck trading solos in what amounts to a red-hot jam session.

For Brubeck neophytes, it's hard to think of a better introduction to his work than "Legacy of a Legend." But even longtime fans should find plenty to like with this release, which includes new liner notes by Brubeck's son, Darius, and a plethora of photographs of Brubeck, his family and the musicians he's worked with through the decades. Now, with Brubeck's place in the jazz pantheon firmly established, here's hoping he continues to make music, in his own sweet way, for many years to come.

-Tony Rogers

Taylor Eigsti: Daylight at Midnight

"Eigsti is often content to keep his technical prowess in check, playing in service not to showmanship or ego but to the demands of the music."

Label: Concord
Personnel: Taylor Eigsti, piano/Harish Raghavan, bass/Eric Harland, drums/Becca Stevens, vocals
Genre: moody, contemplative jazz
Recommended for: everyone
 

New York-based pianist Taylor Eigsti was the definition of a child prodigy: He started playing at age 4, and by the ripe old age of 12 was opening for Diana Krall and Al Jarreau. Now he's matured into something of a phenomenon. Though still only in his 20s he's already racked up a slew of albums and Grammy nominations, and played with the likes of Dave Brubeck, Christian McBride and Joshua Redman. With Eigsti's latest effort, "Daylight at Midnight," it's easy to see why he's garnered so much acclaim so fast. 

The album, which features Harish Raghavan on bass and Eric Harland on drums, is a combination of Eigsti originals and covers of moody compositions by groups and artists like Coldplay, Feist, Nick Drake and Elliot Smith. Things get started with the ominous chords of Coldplay's "Daylight." Eigsti states the melody in a simple, unadorned style, emphasizing the tension inherent in the piece. It's only when the group is halfway through the tune that he really lets loose with a solo of glistening, perfectly articulated arpeggios. Two things are clear at this point: Eigsti has been influenced by Art Tatum, and he's got the chops to do the great man proud. 

But what's striking about this album is the way Eigsti is often content to keep his technical prowess in check, playing in service not to showmanship or ego but to the demands of the music. On the album's very next tune - "Magnolia," penned by Eigsti and singer Becca Stevens - Eigsti is a more-than able accompanist to Stevens' vocals, and while he takes a brief solo the emphasis is on the tune and the interplay between the musicians. It's a brave choice for a young pianist, one that signals a confidence and musicality that's refreshing. 

Indeed, the entire CD represents an interesting direction for Eigsti; it would have been easy for him to turn out a crowd-pleasing album of jazz standards, full of bluesy influences and showy solos. Instead, the vibe on "Daylight at Midnight" is mostly muted, contemplative and even a little experimental (Eigsti nudges jazz boundaries by incorporating Mellotron samples on several cuts.)  

But jazz geeks can relax: On Mutemath's "Chaos" Eigsti and his bandmates push the pedal to the metal in a brief but smoking jam session that shows they can cook with the best of them. And as Eigsti says in the album's liner notes, he's got his whole life to play standards. Whatever he plays, I for one will be listening. 

-Tony Rogers

Eri Yamamoto Trio: In Each Day, Something Good

"As I listened to this CD I tried to think of another recent release that was at once so progressive and yet so accessible. I couldn't think of one."

Label: Aum Fidelity
Personnel: Eri Yamamoto, piano/David Ambrosio, bass/Ikuo Takeuchi, drums
Genre: contemplative piano jazz
Recommended for: everyone

Eri Yamamoto is an accomplished pianist and composer who has built a following in the jazz precincts of New York since moving to the U.S. from her native Japan in the 1990s. Her latest CD, "In Each Day, Something Good," is a quirky combination of Yamamoto originals; half the tunes were inspired by her life in New York, while the other half were originally composed as a kind of soundtrack for the 1932 silent film "I Was Born, But..." by famed Japanese director Yasujiro Ozu. The quirkiness doesn't end there. The tunes bear titles like "Sheep Song," "Let's Eat, Then Everything Will Be Ok," and "We'll Figure Out Blues."

But while Yamamoto (video) may be possessed of an offbeat sensibility, her musicianship is assured. The vibe throughout "In Each Day" is one of moody contemplation, buoyed by Yamamoto's compositions, tunes that start out as deceptively simple structures, then, as they progress, bob and weave to create ornate aural tapestries. 

Yamamoto avoids the predictability of the standard jazz construct - state the melody (or head), improvise around it, then repeat - with a style of playing that could almost fall under the heading of free jazz. On "Let's Eat," for example, she introduces an elusive and subtle melody through a series of quiet, silky arpeggios, then gradually builds upon the tune until it reaches a crescendo of block chords, a finale that's followed by still more quiet. Much like a wave crashing on the shore, then receding once again, Yamamoto's music draws on the pulse of nature and feels, for want of a better word, organic. 

But what sets Yamamoto apart from free jazz acolytes is her unabashed lyricism. Her tunes are eminently listenable, and might even be hummable if they weren't quite so complex. As I listened to this CD I tried to think of another recent release that was at once so progressive and yet so accessible. I couldn't come up with one.  

There's a temptation (a pretty silly one when I think about it) to compare Yamamoto to one of her jazz-playing countrywomen, Junko Onishi (another of my favorite contemporary pianists, as it happens). But the two are poles apart, musically speaking. Onishi is all about chops; just watch her fingers fly across the keyboard as she fires off Ornette Coleman's "Congeniality" in this awe-inspiring YouTube video and you'll see what I mean.

Yamamoto, on the other hand, isn't one to show off her technical prowess. Her compositions, and her playing, are the very essence of understatement. That's not to say she doesn't have a command of her instrument; on "We'll Figure Out Blues" Yamamoto, backed by bassist David Ambrosio and drummer Ikuo Takeuchi, shows she can swing with the best of them. Indeed, the song's title is a misnomer; from the sounds of "In Each Day," it's clear Yamamoto has things figured out pretty well. 

-Tony Rogers

Entry One: The Jazz CD Reviews Blog

I'm starting this blog as a way of adding fresh content to the website on a more timely basis. I love doing the full-out cd reviews but with with everything going on in my life (family, work, the radio show, other websites, etc.) I'm just not able to update the site as often as I'd like. And with the site becoming more popular I'm getting lots more cd submissions, and while I'd love to be able to write complete reviews of all of them, that's just not possible. So I'll use the blog to do thumbnail reviews of as many jazz cds as possible. I'll also post information about the music I'm playing on the radio show each week, as well as some general musings on jazz. Stay tuned. -TR