CD Review: Andy Ezrin, "I Was Here"

 

The title of Andy Ezrin's new CD, "I Was Here" was picked because Andy Ezrin was a prodigy on Piano since childhood.  When other boys were saving up for Strats and collecting Hendrix recordings, Ezrin was already in love with the Piano.  His first professional gig was at the age of 12, and with the advantage of starting his learning career so young, he was able to listen and acquire musical knowledge with many different schools of music provided by major Jazz players like Andre Previn, Oscar Peterson, Keith Jarrett and the Fusion years players like George Benson and Herbie Hancock.  He learned his lessons well as you will hear on "I Was There" where Ezrin showcases not only his playing skills but also his brilliance in composing.  Ezrin composed the 13 songs on this CD.  The playing and the composing of Ezrin's music is outstanding.  Sometimes when listening to new music,  it requires hearing it more than once before you can understand the greatness of the composing.  Not with Ezrin's compositions; while they possess tenderness they also project happiness that allow the listener to assimilate the music at first hearing.  

"I Was There" is a powerhouse of Jazz music!  I would like to share some of the promotion notes written by Adam Gopnik that were given to me with this CD because they are so wonderful and so true.  "No Instrument in Jazz has been more fertile, adaptable and misleadingly evasive than the piano.  The most workaday of all instruments-the lectern or drawing board where musicians teach, singers learn, songs get composed, recomposed, arranged and rearranged.  It has also been the place of the most sublime flights into personal ecstasy, as with Bill Evans and Keith Jarrett.  The Piano also displays the most virtuosic technique as with Art Tatum and Oscar Peterson, or the place of the most profound pure thoughts in Jazz, as with Bud Powell, Lenny Tristano and John Lewis."  These wonderfully written words were prompted after listening to the music of Andy Ezrin.   

PLAYERS:

Andy Ezrin- Piano, Rhodes, Compositions, Arrangement, Leader

Randy Brecker- Trumpet

Donny McCaslin- Tenor Sax

John Patitucci- Bass

Marcus Gilmore- Drums

Ari Hoenig- Drums

PLAYLIST:

1. Grapes

2. This Is What It Is

3. Greenwoman

4. Luna

5. Siren Song

6. Snowfall

7. Ain't That Some Shit

8. If I Don't See You

9. Wiggle Room

10. Never Enough

11. I'm Runnin' Outta Time

12. Lost Days

13.. Cascades- Andy Exrin Solo

    

                                                                            "I Was There"

"Never Enough"

 

CD Review: Ken Schaphorst Big Band, "How To Say Goodbye"

There are not many great big band CDs being recorded today and that is a shame.  In my opinion, nothing beats the sounds of Jazz being performed by a big band of talented musicians.  I guess it's just too costly, and I imagine hard to get all the band members in a recording studio at the same time.  But when are able to get a group of great players in the studio together and have a superb composer and bandleader, the magic starts to happen.   Composer/Bandleader Ken Schaphorst, chair of the Jazz Studies Department at New England Conservatory has just released a wonderful big band CD, "How To Say Goodbye" and it is terrific.  This CD has everything a big band CD would need to be excellent: Schaphorst composed and arranged 10 beautiful pieces of music and selected seasoned pros to join him in this effort.  The result is a gift to Jazz lovers of a big band CD of outstanding musical quality.  There is a lot of good stuff on this CD but the Schaphorst tune, "Blues for Herb" really appealed to me.  This tune was composed as a tribute to Ken's friend influential Trumpeter and Educator Herb Pomeroy.  Schaphorst developed a long musical relationship with Pomeroy who was always supportive of Ken and his music.  This cut showcases some wonderful Tenor work by Donny McCaslin who was also a student of Pomeroy.

The Band:
Ken Schaphorst: Trumpet, Fender Rhodes
Michael Thomas: Alto and Soprano Sax, Clarinet
Jeremy Udden: Alto Sax
Donny McCaslin: Tenor Sax
Chris Cheek, Tenor Sax
Brian Landrus: Baritone Sax, Bass Clarinet
Tony Kadleck: Trumpet, Flugehorn
Dave Ballou: Trumpet, Flugehorn
John Carlson: Trumpet, Flugehorn
Ralph Allessi: Trumpet, Flugehorn
Luis Bonilla: Trombone
Jason Jackson: Trombone
Curtis Hasselbring: Trombone
Jennifer Wharton: Bass Trombone
Uri Caine: Piano
Brad Shepik: Guitar
Jay Anderson: Bass
Matt Wilson: Drums
Jerry Leake: Percussion

The Playlist:
1. "How to Say Goodbye"
2. "Blues for Herb"
3. "Mbira 1"
4. "Green City"
5. "Amnesia"
6. "Take Back the Country"
7. "Float"
8. " Mbira 2"
9. "Global Sweat"
10. "Descent"

I found a "Youtube" of this cut and have attached it below for your review.