Ran Blake & Frank Carlberg: Gray Moon

  I’ve never been fond of two piano situations, but the gorgeous Gray Moon, by the duo of Ran Blake & Frank Carlberg reminds me that it’s really not the instruments that matter, it’s the creative minds that manipulate them. Beautifully recorded in the thousand-seat Jordan Hall at the New England Conservatory (where Blake was the founding chair of their Contemporary Improvisation department from 1972 through 2005, and continues to teach full-time), this hour-plus recital issued on Carlberg’s Red Piano Records covers plenty of ground. The pair takes on music by composers as varied as Thelonious Monk (the slowest version of ‘Round Midnight you’re likely to encounter), Billy Strayhorn (a playful Take the ‘A’ Train), Mikis Theodorakis (the opening Vradiazi, a Blake favorite), George Russell (a relaxed Stratusphunk), and Vincent Youmans (a delightful Tea For Two). There are also explorations of several Blake originals, including Gunther’s Magic Row, delicately shaped by the two pianists, and Short Life of Barbara Monk, a musical meditation that first appeared as the title track of Blake’s 1986 Soul Note album, and has been revisited by him periodically over the years in several different contexts. Remarkably, Blake and Carlberg almost never get in one another’s way, and the entire session has the feeling of two very close friends in a distinctively focused conversation. The pair writes of their “attempt to bring disparate sources together forming a unified whole, guided by a shared aesthetic ...” They’ve succeeded most admirably with this thoroughly enjoyable program. Highly recommended. 

Red Piano RPR 14599-4440; Ran Blake, Frank Carlberg (p); Boston, MA, July 5, 2016; Vradiazi/ Bebopper/ El Cant Dels Ocells/ Take the “A” Train/ Pinky/ Dr. Mabuse/ ‘Round Midnight/ Gunther’s Magic Row/ Stratusphunk/ Wish I Could Talk to You Baby/ Vanguard/ Memphis/ No More/ Tea For Two/ Short Life of Barbara Monk/ Mood Indigo; 62:49. www.redpianorecords.com 

Bruno Råberg Trio: Tailwind

The Bruno Råberg Trio jumps right into the hard charging Message XII to lead off Tailwind, bassist Råberg’s tenth CD as a leader. Here he joins veteran pianist Bruce Barth and drummer Adam Cruz for a fruitful journey into the realm of sensitive and deeply swinging piano trios. The Swedish-born bassist’s career was first documented with the Eje Thelin group in Stockholm in late 1974. He emigrated to the United States in 1981, and has been a professor at Berklee College of Music in Boston since 1986. His formidable presence with a warm and resonant tone is one of the key attractions here, along with Barth’s sparkling solos and Cruz’s enthusiastic support. Barth and Råberg first played together in the Boston-based ensemble Orange Then Blue, and Barth and Cruz have previously recorded together on a number of occasions, so the group chemistry is there, ready to be called upon. With the sole exception of Here’s That Rainy Day, the repertoire consists of a varied batch of Råberg’s originals, some recent work and a few that go way back. These days, he sometimes writes on the run between classes at Berklee, like the charming Paris Window or Message XII, which he sang into his phone and transcribed later. A Closer Look receives its first recording, though the piece dates from 1985, when roommates Barth and Råberg would play it as a duet. And Le Candide, also new to record and appearing here in two different treatments, is one of Råberg’s earliest tunes, dating back to his first year as a student at the New England Conservatory. I’m especially enamored of the title track, with its lovely melody and flowing rhythms, and Rainy Day Farewell, a sinuous groover based on the opening vamp to Here’s That Rainy Day. Tailwind is a winning effort, worth hearing again and again. Red Piano RPR 14599-4435; Bruce Barth (p) Bruno Råberg (b) Adam Cruz (d); Brooklyn NY, January 27, 2018; Message XII/ Song For Dolphy/ A Closer Look/ Le Candide II/ Tailwind/ Lone Tree Hill/ Paris Window/ Here's That Rainy Day/ Rainy Day Farewell/ Le Candide I; 55:49. www.redpianorecords.com

Noah Preminger & Frank Carlberg: Whispers and Cries

The tenor saxophone and piano duo of Noah Preminger & Frank Carlberg performs ten well-traveled standards and jazz compositions (plus one Civil War-era traditional song) on the luminous Whispers and Cries. From the beginning, with their version of the ever-beautiful Gershwin melody of Someone to Watch Over Me, the pair digs deeply into their material and emerges with over a hour of gorgeous music that will touch even the hardest of hearts. Recorded in Boston’s Jordan Hall, an acoustically resonant concert space at the New England Conservatory, Carlberg and Preminger seem to revel in their astute interactions and far-ranging improvisations. While I hate to pick favorites when every piece is imbued with such delicate charm, I’ll mention the duo’s tender dissection of Monk’s Reflections and their playful stroll through These Foolish Things as just two of the album’s many successes. In a brief liner note, Preminger asks “What is better than creating music with a like-minded friend in such a context?” with the implication that nothing could be better. After thoroughly enjoying every minute of Whispers and Cries, I’m inclined to agree with him. Strongly recommended.
Red Piano RPR 14599-4431; Noah Preminger (ts) Frank Carlberg (p); Boston, MA, July 5-6, 2017; Someone to Watch Over Me/ Take the A Train/ Embraceable You/ Reflections/ The Meaning of the Blues/ These Foolish Things/ Try a Little Tenderness/ Aura Lee/ Tea For Two/ I’ve Grown Accustomed to Her Face; 67:35. redpianorecords.com

Tetraptych

While some improvisers prefer the freshness of playing with new partners all the time, other practioners of the art find that playing in the same ensemble regularly breeds the kind of empathy and trust that helps them to dig more deeply into making music from the air. Today’s example is Tetraptych, a quartet of tenor saxophonist Hery Paz, pianist Bert Seager, bassist Max Ridley and drummer Dor Herskovits, that’s been playing a regular gig for a while. This is the band’s first release. Their time together on the bandstand and hanging out together during their monthly residencies, pays off in an hour of moody, blues-inflected improvisations. Pianist Seager, a mainstay of the Boston scene since 1981, wrote all the tunes, save for Equanimous Botch, a wide-ranging group improvisation that the band used as a sound check to begin their two days in the studio. As Seager notes, the quartet’s music is “democratic” as they bring his compositions to vibrant life. Paz’s gritty sound on tenor, Seager’s bright piano, Ridley’s minimalist approach to the bass, and Herkovits’ irresistibly bouncy drumming combine in fresh and sometimes unexpected ways. The opening track, Welcoming the Water, has Herkovits leading the way and establishing the fractured rhythms that lie at the heart of this rather angular composition. The quartet’s fierce interdependence is clear as soon as piano, tenor and bass join in, and one of the many pleasures of their music is hearing as it develops and expands in unexpected ways. Paz is strong on this one, rhythmically and harmonically astute. Last Snow is calm and reflective, featuring a breathy Paz evocative of the great Ben Webster. Star Wise, a contrafact of the classic Star Eyes, is lovely, played slowly at first, then picking up speed. The slightly bittersweet melody proves to be a real inspiration for the whole band. There’s at least one other standard lurking in the studio, as the slow ooze of Distances hints at I’m a Fool To Want You in the first section of the melody. In a charming performance, Paz uses the slight hesitation in the theme to give the piece a mildly Latin aspect. The feeling of the blues comes out into the open for the upbeat closer Blues You Can Use, a swinger that. Seager informs us was the first piece that the quartet learned. Paz’s playing here is bold and all over the horn in response to Herkovits’ energized playing. Seager contributes his usual incisive and bold pianism. I particularly enjoyed the bass and drum duet that takes over towards the end of the piece before heading back into the theme. While I admit I have a little trouble pronouncing Tetraptych, that’s the only gripe I have about this beautifully realized session. Enthusiastically recommended.
Red Piano RPR 14599-4426; Hery Paz (ts) Bert Seager (p) Max Ridley (b) Dor Herskovits (d); Boston, MA, July 6-7, 2016; Welcoming the Water/ Last Snow/ Star Wise/ Equanimous Botch/ Distance/ Blues You Can Use; 59:44. redpianorecords.com

Rogério Boccato Quarteto: No Old Rain

The Rogério Boccato Quarteto offers a captivatingly fresh look at songs from Brazil on the thoroughly enjoyable No Old Rain. Percussionist Boccato is joined by saxophonist Dan Blake, veteran bassist and recording engineer Jay Anderson, and keyboardist Nando Michelin, who sticks to Fender Rhodes electric piano. The unmistakable sound of the Rhodes gives the music a slightly retro feel that reminds me of Captain Marvel, a 1972 album by Stan Getz with Chick Corea on electric piano. The songs chosen for this outing, by Milton Nascimento, Egberto Gismonti, Tonino Horta, and Edu Lobo, engender wide ranging improvisations by the quartet. Boccato directs the flow from his drum throne. Anderson’s earthy bass anchors the music with a sure sense of time and propulsion. The passionate and imaginative Blake has a real affinity for the material. The arrangements put the Brazilian melodies in a jazzy context to consistently fine effect. Great tunes, beautifully played and recorded: what’s not to like?
Red Piano RPR 14599-4432; Dan Blake (ts, ss) Nando Michelin (Fender Rhodes el p) Jay Anderson (b) Rogério Boccato (d, perc); June 1-2, 2016; Cais/ Clube da Esquina No. 2/ Tango/ Bicycle Ride/ Bianca/ Cravo e Canela/ Canto Triste/ Pedra da Lua/ Viver de Amor/ Morro Velho; 55:57. redpianorecords.com