Review
by Thom Jurek
The
last time Donald Harrison, Ron Carter, and Billy Cobham recorded
together as a trio was on 2005's New York Cool: Live at the Blue Note.
Carter and Harrison have worked together in a couple of episodes of the
excellent HBO television series Treme, but the particular chemistry this
trio puts forth has been missed because of its kinetic spontaneity, and
even more, its sense of balance. This Is Jazz was recorded in March of
2011. It contains originals, covers, and standards. Carter's "Cut &
Paste" opens the set with a beautiful knotty blues head in which the
swing is built-in hard. Cobham keeps his playing tight, focused on
Carter's bassline, as Harrison stops and starts in the melody before he
takes off. Cobham drops out briefly and lets Harrison solo as Carter
walks his bass furiously. When Harrison starts to sprint -- albeit
elegantly -- Carter's right there as Cobham comes back and the fun
begins in earnest. Harrison flirts with the outside but never quite goes
there. This is post-bop playing at a high and imaginative level. On
Carter's "MSRP," he and Harrison introduce a blues theme in unison
before Cobham enters. His playing is so seamless and intuitive, and
compared to the Cobham of old, quite restrained. He syncopates,
shuffles, and connects with Carter on every level, never offering more
than what's necessary, yet swinging like mad. The eleven-and-a-half
minute reading of Miles Davis' "Seven Steps to Heaven" is presented with
requisite fire and imagination, with Harrison pushing hard at the
tune's margins and Carter finding something new in the architecture (he
played on the original). In the reading of "I Can't Get Started," Cobham
introduces a beautiful -- and unexpected -- bossa rhythm before
Harrison goes over the top reaching for something on the horizon. Album
closer "Treme Swagger" is a deeply funky, second-line fingerpopper by
Harrison. Cobham has the breaks and bumps to make it jump, while Carter
gets into the bottom end of his bass to make the groove pour out of it.
Harrison punches up the melody, rhythmically and soulfully, strutting it
from uptown to downtown capturing the essence of not only NOLA jazz,
but its blues and R&B too. When Cobham pops his breaking solo and
Carter follows, it's a certified dance number. This Is Jazz is the
finest offering by this trio to date. Let's hope it isn't another six
years before they record again.
https://www.allmusic.com/album/this-is-jazz-live-at-the-blue-note-mw0002186152
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Reseña
por Thom Jurek
La
última vez que Donald Harrison, Ron Carter y Billy Cobham grabaron
juntos como trío fue en el New York Cool: Live at the Blue Note de 2005.
Carter y Harrison han trabajado juntos en un par de episodios de la
excelente serie de televisión de HBO Treme, pero la química particular
que presenta este trío se ha perdido debido a su espontaneidad cinética
y, aún más, a su sentido del equilibrio. This Is Jazz se grabó en marzo
de 2011. Contiene originales, versiones y estándares. "Cut & Paste"
de Carter abre el set con una hermosa cabeza de blues con nudos en la
que el swing está incorporado con fuerza. Cobham sigue tocando firme,
concentrado en la línea de bajo de Carter, mientras Harrison se detiene y
comienza en la melodía antes de despegar. Cobham se retira brevemente y
deja que Harrison solo mientras Carter camina furiosamente con su bajo.
Cuando Harrison comienza a correr, aunque con elegancia, Carter está
justo allí cuando Cobham regresa y la diversión comienza en serio.
Harrison coquetea con el exterior, pero nunca va allí. Esto es post-bop
tocando a un nivel alto e imaginativo. En "MSRP" de Carter, él y
Harrison presentan un tema de blues al unísono antes de que entre
Cobham. Su forma de tocar es tan fluida e intuitiva, y en comparación
con el Cobham de antaño, bastante restringida. Sincopa, baraja y se
conecta con Carter en todos los niveles, sin ofrecer nunca más de lo
necesario, pero balanceándose como un loco. La lectura de once minutos y
medio de "Seven Steps to Heaven" de Miles Davis se presenta con el
fuego y la imaginación necesarios, con Harrison empujando con fuerza los
márgenes de la melodía y Carter encontrando algo nuevo en la
arquitectura (tocó en el original). ). En la lectura de "I Can't Get
Started", Cobham presenta un hermoso e inesperado ritmo de bossa antes
de que Harrison se pase de la raya buscando algo en el horizonte. El
cierre del álbum "Treme Swagger" es un fingerpopper de segunda línea
profundamente funky de Harrison. Cobham tiene los quiebres y golpes para
hacerlo saltar, mientras que Carter se mete en el extremo inferior de
su bajo para hacer que el ritmo fluya. Harrison realza la melodía,
rítmica y conmovedora, estructurándola desde el centro hasta el centro
de la ciudad, capturando la esencia no solo del jazz de NOLA, sino
también del blues y el R&B. Cuando Cobham hace estallar su solo de
ruptura y Carter lo sigue, es un número de baile certificado. This Is
Jazz es la mejor propuesta de este trío hasta la fecha. Esperemos que no
pasen otros seis años antes de que vuelvan a grabar.
https://www.allmusic.com/album/this-is-jazz-live-at-the-blue-note-mw0002186152
1 - Cut & Paste - 9:29
2 - MSRP - 9:52
3 - You Are My Sunshine - 5:33
4 - Seven Steps to Heaven - 11:32
5 - I Can't Get Started - 8:45
6 - Treme Swagger - 11:09
Credits:
Alto Saxophone – Donald Harrison
Double Bass – Ron Carter
Drums – Billy Cobham
Executive Producer – Steven Bensusan
Liner Notes – Bill Milkowski
Producer – Jeff Levenson
Recorded At – The Blue Note Jazz Club
Recording Date: March 5, 2011 - March 6, 2011
Duration: 56:19
Label: Half Note Records, Inc. – HN 4550
Country: US
Released: 2011
Genre: Jazz
Style: Post Bop, Contemporary Jazz
https://www.discogs.com/release/8601143-Donald-Harrison-This-Is-Jazz
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