CUONG VU 4-TET - Ballet: The Music Of Michael Gibbs
RareNoise
Cuong Vu: trumpet; Bill Frisell: guitar; Luke Bergman: bass; Ted Poor: drums
The collaboration with trumpeter Cuong Vu, and legendary guitarist Bill Frisell goes back to the trumpeter’s recording of “It’s Mostly Residual” (Artist Share, 2005) a project that in it’s genesis was originally supposed to be one of three Pat Metheny produced projects on Warner Brothers that never came to fruition. The album with Metheny was eventually recorded last year and released as the terrific “Cuong Vu Trio Meets Pat Metheny (Metheny Group Productions/Nonesuch, 2016)”. Vu blends incredibly well with guitarists, and the date with Metheny reached often for the extreme reaches of the avant garde, while the present album “Ballet: The Music of Michael Gibbs” is a carefully considered group effort where the whole is incredibly important, and is for a lack of a better term more inside in a lot of respects. Vu and Frisell, are a team just as compatible, their individual sounds and phrasing make a delightful experience over the course of forty two minutes.
The album, which follows hot on the heels of the Metheny date, was brought on as a desire of Frisell to have Michael Gibbs come to the University of Washington to use some of his arrangements of the guitarist’s music in an orchestra setting. Vu, who teaches at the University got the go ahead from Richard Karpen, Director of the School of Music, the music contained herein is from the quartet portion of the second night of concerts that also featured two student driven ensembles. The group, featuring Vu, Frisell, regular 4 tet bassist Luke Bergman and long time drummer Ted Poor approach the music with vim and vigor. The title track, one imagines with it’s sprawling melody, a modern dance routine, moves to a waltz with the solos, both Frisell, and the trumpeter at their sprightly best. Vu is a master of solos with a dramatic build, and here is no exception as he alternates between swinging, and straight eighths, torrential streams of notes in addition to. legato lines. Frisell is aided by the added lift of Poor’s switch from brushes to sticks in an extended conversation with the trumpeter. “Feelings And Things” is a sumptuous ballad, much like Vu’s haunting, “Let’s Get Back” on the Metheny album. Once again, the presence of a guitar brings a depth of kaleidoscopic texture, Frisell’s signature decay, bending in pitch along with his Americana roots is perfect for a deeply reflective solo statement. The trumpeter’s solo is filled with the sentiment of deep appreciation for a lover. On “Blue Comedy” first found on the Gary Burton Quartet’s “In Concert” (RCA, 1968) sees Frisell swinging with the same flair as when one hears his unforgettable speech cadence, and making connections to Thelonious Monk by quoting “Blues Five Spot”. The trumpeter grabs the ambling overall feeling just as easily. The group’s stretching out on “On The Third Day” featuring scorching distortion from the guitarist and Vu spiraling to thrilling heights also showcases the rich impressionistic color they create throughout the set.
“Ballet” is a terrific addition to the catalogs of both Vu and Frissell. Cuong Vu continues to refine his craft as his career reaches it’s maturity, simultaneously becoming even more lyrical and fiery, two qualities that have marked his playing from the start. Frissell is enjoying a wide range of creativity and freedom on projects, and like the excellent “Small Town” (ECM, 2017) with bassist Thomas Morgan from earlier this year, always finds enchanting outlets for his expression.
Reviewed by CJ Shearn
RareNoise
Cuong Vu: trumpet; Bill Frisell: guitar; Luke Bergman: bass; Ted Poor: drums
The collaboration with trumpeter Cuong Vu, and legendary guitarist Bill Frisell goes back to the trumpeter’s recording of “It’s Mostly Residual” (Artist Share, 2005) a project that in it’s genesis was originally supposed to be one of three Pat Metheny produced projects on Warner Brothers that never came to fruition. The album with Metheny was eventually recorded last year and released as the terrific “Cuong Vu Trio Meets Pat Metheny (Metheny Group Productions/Nonesuch, 2016)”. Vu blends incredibly well with guitarists, and the date with Metheny reached often for the extreme reaches of the avant garde, while the present album “Ballet: The Music of Michael Gibbs” is a carefully considered group effort where the whole is incredibly important, and is for a lack of a better term more inside in a lot of respects. Vu and Frisell, are a team just as compatible, their individual sounds and phrasing make a delightful experience over the course of forty two minutes.
The album, which follows hot on the heels of the Metheny date, was brought on as a desire of Frisell to have Michael Gibbs come to the University of Washington to use some of his arrangements of the guitarist’s music in an orchestra setting. Vu, who teaches at the University got the go ahead from Richard Karpen, Director of the School of Music, the music contained herein is from the quartet portion of the second night of concerts that also featured two student driven ensembles. The group, featuring Vu, Frisell, regular 4 tet bassist Luke Bergman and long time drummer Ted Poor approach the music with vim and vigor. The title track, one imagines with it’s sprawling melody, a modern dance routine, moves to a waltz with the solos, both Frisell, and the trumpeter at their sprightly best. Vu is a master of solos with a dramatic build, and here is no exception as he alternates between swinging, and straight eighths, torrential streams of notes in addition to. legato lines. Frisell is aided by the added lift of Poor’s switch from brushes to sticks in an extended conversation with the trumpeter. “Feelings And Things” is a sumptuous ballad, much like Vu’s haunting, “Let’s Get Back” on the Metheny album. Once again, the presence of a guitar brings a depth of kaleidoscopic texture, Frisell’s signature decay, bending in pitch along with his Americana roots is perfect for a deeply reflective solo statement. The trumpeter’s solo is filled with the sentiment of deep appreciation for a lover. On “Blue Comedy” first found on the Gary Burton Quartet’s “In Concert” (RCA, 1968) sees Frisell swinging with the same flair as when one hears his unforgettable speech cadence, and making connections to Thelonious Monk by quoting “Blues Five Spot”. The trumpeter grabs the ambling overall feeling just as easily. The group’s stretching out on “On The Third Day” featuring scorching distortion from the guitarist and Vu spiraling to thrilling heights also showcases the rich impressionistic color they create throughout the set.
“Ballet” is a terrific addition to the catalogs of both Vu and Frissell. Cuong Vu continues to refine his craft as his career reaches it’s maturity, simultaneously becoming even more lyrical and fiery, two qualities that have marked his playing from the start. Frissell is enjoying a wide range of creativity and freedom on projects, and like the excellent “Small Town” (ECM, 2017) with bassist Thomas Morgan from earlier this year, always finds enchanting outlets for his expression.
Reviewed by CJ Shearn
