HomeMusic Jazz New York All About Jazz-New York New York at Night New York @ Night: February 2010

New York @ Night: February 2010

February 1, 2010 By dev Comments are Off

In the new All About Jazz-New York:

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When Jack DeJohnette hires double-neck guitarist David “Fuze” Fiuczynski and acclaimed altoist Rudresh Mahanthappa as the frontline in his new quintet, he’s probably signaling an intention to shred. The legendary drummer did exactly that when he debuted the new Jack DeJohnette Group at Birdland (Jan. 5), completing his lineup with George Colligan (now living in Winnipeg) on keyboards and longtime associate Jerome Harris on bass. This was mostly a high-volume affair, full of angular microtonal vocabulary from the dueling horn and guitar. Far from just keeping funky time on post-Milesian, vamp-based vehicles like “Six Into Four” and “Spanish-Moorish,” DeJohnette reacted soloistically and brought down an avalanche of sound with deactivated snare and ample toms. Colligan knit together a sci-fi, retro-futurist approach on synths while Harris threw curves on his subtle-toned acoustic bass guitar (switching only occasionally to a Steinberger electric). The complex form and Afro-Caribbean vibe of “Third World Anthem” and the syncopated whimsy of “Monk’s Plum” added depth, and some of the set’s most intriguing moments were the sparse, unexpected trio breakdowns with just keys, bass and drums. Departing from the high-energy script with “Lydia,” DeJohnette played intimate passages on melodica alongside Colligan’s grand piano, and Fiuczynski’s weird rubber-band chords began to suggest something magical.
(David R. Adler)

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It’s good for jazz that Winter Jazzfest has grown too big for any one critic to handle in full. Bands can get lost amid the hubbub this way, but one of the standouts among this year’s 55 acts was drummer Mike Reed’s People, Places & Things (PPT), making its New York debut at Kenny’s Castaways (Jan. 10). Drawing on material from two 482 Music releases, Proliferation and the new About Us, the Chicago-based quartet had a lot to say but a short time in which to say it. So tenorist Tim Haldeman and altoist Greg Ward went to work quickly, tearing into the resolute straight-eighth pulse of “It’s Enough” by Jason Roebke, the band’s bassist. The set neatly encapsulated PPT’s dual mission — to generate original music while continuing to explore long-overlooked gems of Chicago hardbop. “Wilbur’s Tune” by Wilbur Campbell, “Is-It” by Walter Perkins’ MJT+3 and the closing “Status Quo” by John Neely were marvels of compositional wit and swinging abandon. A wily free-jazz prelude to “Status Quo” made the tune’s suddenly erupting, ultra-precise bop unisons all the more impressive. The mood changed with the slow, saucy-drunk shuffle of “Big and Fine,” by PPT colleague David Boykin (a guest on About Us, not present in New York). Roebke stepped up with his only solo, deep yet concise, yielding to interwoven dialogue from the horns until Reed cued a brighter midtempo feel — and before anyone could expect, the group fell into a manic accelerando, ending in a blur.
(DA)

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