CHRIS ZIEMBA - Manhattan Lullaby
Chris Ziemba – piano, Michael Thomas – alto saxophone and bass clarinet, Hans Glawischnig – bass, Jimmy Macbride – drums
Moody cover, New York tenement blocks in background - check
Goatee in place - check
Jazz school schooling (Juilliard and Eastman) - check
The first track "Josie" shows off a classic piano trio sound, a cheerful and upbeat bop, with nothing unexpected. The drums start throwing in enough variation to keep it interesting, even during solo spots. The leader, bassist and drummer all get a chance to introduce themselves, solos are kept short and expressive and all play their part in raising interest higher.
On "The Road Less Traveled" the chords and rippling arpeggios accompany an alto sax which introduces and then states the melody while sitting well in the group’s sound. The sax fades and leaves the piano to answer, exploring the melodic implications fully. The trio's energy levels progressively rise until Michael Thomas returns on the alto to continue the exploration before leading the team round the post-bop melody several times during a calm descent and soft landing.
A quiet melody and chord progression is implied before a baritone clarinet joins the plaintive melodic statements on the title track. Again the group works equally well in quartet mode. The group’s interplay is demonstrated in the middle section. The clarinet solos with interest and then returns to join the bass as they guide the chord progression towards a final statement of the theme.
"I Wish I knew" gives the bass a chance to pluck the melody clearly and lead the trio fully into almost cool jazz territory. The bass continues to express itself and provides an inspiration to the rest of the trio. "Escher’s Loop" alternates soft, floating piano led sections with more energetic trio sections which push the leader to more expressive action. A contrast that works well in this piece.
"Little T" is another quartet excursion with the alto twisting and somersaulting to drive the rest of the trio into action. Things get lively, the tune is taken at pace and Ziemba shines. "An Introspective" does what it says on the tin. Understated mood setting from the leader who dominates alongside some sensitively deployed bowed bass and the occasional patter of percussion to give a calm and sombre end to the album. This change in feel works well as farewell after the jaunty start to this debut.
The set is well recorded, every instrument is clear, full bodied and well placed in the mix. Hans Glawischnig and Jimmy Macbride keep the trio in a constant dialogue that maintains interest throughout. Chris Ziemba’s compositions are varied and provide a good platform for all to express themselves. His playing is always in the service of the tune and soloing is melodic without being too saccharine. Michael Thomas’s contributions on alto and bass clarinet never sound out of place, sitting well in the group’s sound and in the tunes themselves.
After limited expectations I’ve enjoyed being surprised. Nothing earth shattering, just a well-paced, mature expression of intent from Chirs Ziemba, who’s movement from student to artist is guaranteed on the basis of this set. I’ll be keeping my eye out for whatever city he decides to explore next.
Reviewed by Darrell Smith
Chris Ziemba – piano, Michael Thomas – alto saxophone and bass clarinet, Hans Glawischnig – bass, Jimmy Macbride – drums
Moody cover, New York tenement blocks in background - check
Goatee in place - check
Jazz school schooling (Juilliard and Eastman) - check
The first track "Josie" shows off a classic piano trio sound, a cheerful and upbeat bop, with nothing unexpected. The drums start throwing in enough variation to keep it interesting, even during solo spots. The leader, bassist and drummer all get a chance to introduce themselves, solos are kept short and expressive and all play their part in raising interest higher.
On "The Road Less Traveled" the chords and rippling arpeggios accompany an alto sax which introduces and then states the melody while sitting well in the group’s sound. The sax fades and leaves the piano to answer, exploring the melodic implications fully. The trio's energy levels progressively rise until Michael Thomas returns on the alto to continue the exploration before leading the team round the post-bop melody several times during a calm descent and soft landing.
A quiet melody and chord progression is implied before a baritone clarinet joins the plaintive melodic statements on the title track. Again the group works equally well in quartet mode. The group’s interplay is demonstrated in the middle section. The clarinet solos with interest and then returns to join the bass as they guide the chord progression towards a final statement of the theme.
"I Wish I knew" gives the bass a chance to pluck the melody clearly and lead the trio fully into almost cool jazz territory. The bass continues to express itself and provides an inspiration to the rest of the trio. "Escher’s Loop" alternates soft, floating piano led sections with more energetic trio sections which push the leader to more expressive action. A contrast that works well in this piece.
"Little T" is another quartet excursion with the alto twisting and somersaulting to drive the rest of the trio into action. Things get lively, the tune is taken at pace and Ziemba shines. "An Introspective" does what it says on the tin. Understated mood setting from the leader who dominates alongside some sensitively deployed bowed bass and the occasional patter of percussion to give a calm and sombre end to the album. This change in feel works well as farewell after the jaunty start to this debut.
The set is well recorded, every instrument is clear, full bodied and well placed in the mix. Hans Glawischnig and Jimmy Macbride keep the trio in a constant dialogue that maintains interest throughout. Chris Ziemba’s compositions are varied and provide a good platform for all to express themselves. His playing is always in the service of the tune and soloing is melodic without being too saccharine. Michael Thomas’s contributions on alto and bass clarinet never sound out of place, sitting well in the group’s sound and in the tunes themselves.
After limited expectations I’ve enjoyed being surprised. Nothing earth shattering, just a well-paced, mature expression of intent from Chirs Ziemba, who’s movement from student to artist is guaranteed on the basis of this set. I’ll be keeping my eye out for whatever city he decides to explore next.
Reviewed by Darrell Smith
