GARRY DIAL/ JAY ANDERSON - Living A Dream We're
Not In
STEEPLECHASE SCCD31924
Garry Dial (p); Jay Anderson (b)
Recorded NYC & Virgin Isles 2020.
Not your usual, typical duo set up, piano and bass but these two make it work rather well. During Covid lock down, Dial in the Virgin Islands began recording a few original songs and sent them to his friend in New York. Anderson asked if he could add bass parts to them and that is how this collaboration began. These two musicians met forty years ago when Dial was with the Red Rodney/Ira Sullivan band. They jammed together, got on well and have played music in various combos together ever since.
The original music is all written by Dial and is mostly relaxed, melodic lines. He is a chordal player mainly although with a light touch at the keyboard. All nine tracks were sent to Anderson as piano solos and came back as piano/bass duets after the bassist got to work. These two certainly have an affinity and a deep understanding of each other’s approach to music. The disc wouldn’t work otherwise. Tracks like ‘Kate, Get Me My Vic,’ and ‘Basic Sadness,’ are slow tempo featuring light touch piano and supporting bass lines.
I’m not sure how they worked out how to fit bass solos in and when but there are plenty on offer. The music played is all slow to medium tempo with melodic piano and lithe, probing bass lines. As it is all laid back it does have a sameness about it all but no doubt it was planned this way. A couple of up tempo pieces would not have gone amiss though and, perhaps, a standard. Highly suitable for late light or relaxing listening when you’ve had a busy day. All the compositions are attractive melodically though and work well in this unusual duo setting.
Reviewed by Derek Ansell
Not In
STEEPLECHASE SCCD31924
Garry Dial (p); Jay Anderson (b)
Recorded NYC & Virgin Isles 2020.
Not your usual, typical duo set up, piano and bass but these two make it work rather well. During Covid lock down, Dial in the Virgin Islands began recording a few original songs and sent them to his friend in New York. Anderson asked if he could add bass parts to them and that is how this collaboration began. These two musicians met forty years ago when Dial was with the Red Rodney/Ira Sullivan band. They jammed together, got on well and have played music in various combos together ever since.
The original music is all written by Dial and is mostly relaxed, melodic lines. He is a chordal player mainly although with a light touch at the keyboard. All nine tracks were sent to Anderson as piano solos and came back as piano/bass duets after the bassist got to work. These two certainly have an affinity and a deep understanding of each other’s approach to music. The disc wouldn’t work otherwise. Tracks like ‘Kate, Get Me My Vic,’ and ‘Basic Sadness,’ are slow tempo featuring light touch piano and supporting bass lines.
I’m not sure how they worked out how to fit bass solos in and when but there are plenty on offer. The music played is all slow to medium tempo with melodic piano and lithe, probing bass lines. As it is all laid back it does have a sameness about it all but no doubt it was planned this way. A couple of up tempo pieces would not have gone amiss though and, perhaps, a standard. Highly suitable for late light or relaxing listening when you’ve had a busy day. All the compositions are attractive melodically though and work well in this unusual duo setting.
Reviewed by Derek Ansell
