DMITRI MATHENY - Cascadia
Origin Records
Dmitri Matheny - Flugelhorn; Charles McNeal - tenor and soprano saxophone; Bill Anschell - piano; Phil Sparks - bass; Mark Ivester - drums
Flugelhornist/composer Dmitri Matheny has been active in the Pacific Northwest jazz scene since 1995 when he first began touring the region from his home base in San Francisco. After graduating from Interlochen Arts Academy and the Berklee College of Music, Matheny came to the attention of music lovers during the 1990s, as the protégé of the legendary Art Farmer. Since then he has garnered critical acclaim and a loyal international following, touring extensively throughout the United States, Europe and Asia, travelling to 19 countries. He has appeared on 120 recordings and has released twelve albums as a leader.
A Washington resident since 2016, Matheny continues to receive acclaim for his musicianship and composing. He was voted Jazz Instrumentalist of the Year in Seattle's Earshot Jazz Golden Ear Awards. With his group, the Dmitri Matheny Group, ( DMG) Matheny performs around 100 concerts annually. The D M G, as this new release demonstrates admirably, is a well-honed unit of tight, expressive players.
'Cascadia' is out on Origin Records on June 17th and is available through all physical and online outlets. It is Matheny's twelfth album as a leader and contains inspired renditions of classics and original compositions.
The DMG comprises Matheny, saxophonist Charles Mc Neal ( Pee Wee Ellis, Jimmy Scott, The Temptations, and more), pianist Bill Anschell (Bill Barron, Brent Jensen, TV series, and more), bassist Phil Sparks ( Wayne Horowitz, Teddy Edwards, Randy Weston and more), and drummer Mark Ivester ( Freddie Hubbard, Eartha Kitt, Charlie Byrd and more ).
'Cascadia' is a gentle, thematic number, with Matheny sparkling on flugelhorn across the steadfast support of the rest of the DMG, who add their own lustre to the accompanying music, with the saxophone soaring its response to the rolling melody and bass, drums and piano offering a steady foundation underneath the two soloists.
'On A Misty Night' begins with piano chords introducing the smoochy, tastefully worked version of Tadd Dameron's number. Not the hard bop you might expect, but a gentle, steadied walking gait permeates the number, showing how different approaches can work. The piano and bass interlude with brushed drums is beautiful and tastefully ensconced within an effectively arranged number.
Matheny's 'Evergreen Girl' has a familiarity to it, with a regular return to the founding chords. Yet the variations and interpretation of a relatively simply themed number work wonders with striking flugelhorn, a crazy little piano interlude, and some wonderfully deceptive duo work between musicians. The piano solos in the middle section, and Matheny rises out of the background like an eagle and soars away on flugelhorn. The sax of McNeal is a delight on this track, which merges soul and shuffle jazz ( cue mesmeric drum solo) beautifully.
Matheny's 'Dark Eyes' is a seductive noir ballad, providing the perfect chance for the flugelhorn to rise in melancholic singing, with sax offering counter diction and a smooth offset response. The bass and drums interaction is superb. The piano plays a delightful mini sonnet of its own while the track gently travels along dream like ways, taking the listener with it before 'Perfect Peaches', another Matheny track, lifts the pace a little and rolls into a lyrical bossa nova rhythm which the band deliver in style.
The Lonesome Road is a weary traveller's lament, and it feels like that with its sleepy, nodding lilt and beautiful melodies, delivered by horn and sax but also emphasised by the rest of the DMG, with restorative interludes provided by sax, flugelhorn, and some intriguing rhythm patterns being played with by bass and drums. The track rises to lift the listener in volume and layers, so the attention is never allowed to wander.
'Bourdain' is a tribute to a great man who took his life in 2018. The track is at once profoundly evocative and sad and also contains such vibrancy; its improvised, warping, mismatched keys and tones, make a sense of anger and non comprehension also apparent. When the drums emerge with defiant energy, they nearly blow your head off before they fade and the theme re-enters—standout track.
Jimmy Webb's 'Wichita Lineman' is given an individual treatment by the DMG, and really, there is nothing to add to this, but when Anschell's ' Humble Origins' begins, any misgivings (mine) about the choice of track are dispelled. This is glorious, fulsome, and delivered with rich developments from the entire ensemble with lovely solos from flugelhorn, piano, and a deeply textured rise towards the finish.
Coltrane's 'After The Rain' is a good vehicle for Matheny's flugelhorn to shine on, and he takes the opportunity to develop and work the melody lines well. The piano offers supportive reactions, and the DMG delivers steadfast, solid support. Respect is given to the Coltrane lines, which are taken mainly by the flugelhorn and the track works.
Matheny says of the band, "I'm so proud of this band and so grateful for their brilliant work on this project. We set out to celebrate the sound and spirit of our beloved home region, its luminous wonders, enchanted forests, healing waters, and vibrant creative community. There's an aspirational sense of place here in the upper left. I believe our music reflects that life-affirming ethos."
I agree the music is at once jazz with a nod to many different styles and influences but there is also a distinctive take, as Matheny is apt to do in his arrangements which makes even the familiar numbers laced with surprising elements and inspiration.
In 2022 the DMG is staging a northwest series of album launch celebrations in July.
Reviewed by Sammy Stein
Origin Records
Dmitri Matheny - Flugelhorn; Charles McNeal - tenor and soprano saxophone; Bill Anschell - piano; Phil Sparks - bass; Mark Ivester - drums
Flugelhornist/composer Dmitri Matheny has been active in the Pacific Northwest jazz scene since 1995 when he first began touring the region from his home base in San Francisco. After graduating from Interlochen Arts Academy and the Berklee College of Music, Matheny came to the attention of music lovers during the 1990s, as the protégé of the legendary Art Farmer. Since then he has garnered critical acclaim and a loyal international following, touring extensively throughout the United States, Europe and Asia, travelling to 19 countries. He has appeared on 120 recordings and has released twelve albums as a leader.
A Washington resident since 2016, Matheny continues to receive acclaim for his musicianship and composing. He was voted Jazz Instrumentalist of the Year in Seattle's Earshot Jazz Golden Ear Awards. With his group, the Dmitri Matheny Group, ( DMG) Matheny performs around 100 concerts annually. The D M G, as this new release demonstrates admirably, is a well-honed unit of tight, expressive players.
'Cascadia' is out on Origin Records on June 17th and is available through all physical and online outlets. It is Matheny's twelfth album as a leader and contains inspired renditions of classics and original compositions.
The DMG comprises Matheny, saxophonist Charles Mc Neal ( Pee Wee Ellis, Jimmy Scott, The Temptations, and more), pianist Bill Anschell (Bill Barron, Brent Jensen, TV series, and more), bassist Phil Sparks ( Wayne Horowitz, Teddy Edwards, Randy Weston and more), and drummer Mark Ivester ( Freddie Hubbard, Eartha Kitt, Charlie Byrd and more ).
'Cascadia' is a gentle, thematic number, with Matheny sparkling on flugelhorn across the steadfast support of the rest of the DMG, who add their own lustre to the accompanying music, with the saxophone soaring its response to the rolling melody and bass, drums and piano offering a steady foundation underneath the two soloists.
'On A Misty Night' begins with piano chords introducing the smoochy, tastefully worked version of Tadd Dameron's number. Not the hard bop you might expect, but a gentle, steadied walking gait permeates the number, showing how different approaches can work. The piano and bass interlude with brushed drums is beautiful and tastefully ensconced within an effectively arranged number.
Matheny's 'Evergreen Girl' has a familiarity to it, with a regular return to the founding chords. Yet the variations and interpretation of a relatively simply themed number work wonders with striking flugelhorn, a crazy little piano interlude, and some wonderfully deceptive duo work between musicians. The piano solos in the middle section, and Matheny rises out of the background like an eagle and soars away on flugelhorn. The sax of McNeal is a delight on this track, which merges soul and shuffle jazz ( cue mesmeric drum solo) beautifully.
Matheny's 'Dark Eyes' is a seductive noir ballad, providing the perfect chance for the flugelhorn to rise in melancholic singing, with sax offering counter diction and a smooth offset response. The bass and drums interaction is superb. The piano plays a delightful mini sonnet of its own while the track gently travels along dream like ways, taking the listener with it before 'Perfect Peaches', another Matheny track, lifts the pace a little and rolls into a lyrical bossa nova rhythm which the band deliver in style.
The Lonesome Road is a weary traveller's lament, and it feels like that with its sleepy, nodding lilt and beautiful melodies, delivered by horn and sax but also emphasised by the rest of the DMG, with restorative interludes provided by sax, flugelhorn, and some intriguing rhythm patterns being played with by bass and drums. The track rises to lift the listener in volume and layers, so the attention is never allowed to wander.
'Bourdain' is a tribute to a great man who took his life in 2018. The track is at once profoundly evocative and sad and also contains such vibrancy; its improvised, warping, mismatched keys and tones, make a sense of anger and non comprehension also apparent. When the drums emerge with defiant energy, they nearly blow your head off before they fade and the theme re-enters—standout track.
Jimmy Webb's 'Wichita Lineman' is given an individual treatment by the DMG, and really, there is nothing to add to this, but when Anschell's ' Humble Origins' begins, any misgivings (mine) about the choice of track are dispelled. This is glorious, fulsome, and delivered with rich developments from the entire ensemble with lovely solos from flugelhorn, piano, and a deeply textured rise towards the finish.
Coltrane's 'After The Rain' is a good vehicle for Matheny's flugelhorn to shine on, and he takes the opportunity to develop and work the melody lines well. The piano offers supportive reactions, and the DMG delivers steadfast, solid support. Respect is given to the Coltrane lines, which are taken mainly by the flugelhorn and the track works.
Matheny says of the band, "I'm so proud of this band and so grateful for their brilliant work on this project. We set out to celebrate the sound and spirit of our beloved home region, its luminous wonders, enchanted forests, healing waters, and vibrant creative community. There's an aspirational sense of place here in the upper left. I believe our music reflects that life-affirming ethos."
I agree the music is at once jazz with a nod to many different styles and influences but there is also a distinctive take, as Matheny is apt to do in his arrangements which makes even the familiar numbers laced with surprising elements and inspiration.
In 2022 the DMG is staging a northwest series of album launch celebrations in July.
Reviewed by Sammy Stein
