JAMIE LAWRENCE SEXTET - New York Suite
Self-released
Jamie Lawrence: piano; Marty Erhlich: alto saxophone, clarinet [1]; J.D. Farran: tenor saxophone, clarinet, alto clarinet [1]; Jim Pugh: trombone [1-4]; Carlos Henriquez: acoustic bass [1]; Peter Erskine: drums, percussion [1]; Ed Bialek: harmonica [1]; Lawrence Feldman: alto saxophone [2-4]; Eddie Daniels: tenor saxophone [2-4]; John Beal: acoustic bass [2]4]; Ronnie Zito [2-4]; Jon Faddis: trumpet [5]; George Young: alto saxophone [5]; Lou Marini: tenor saxophone [5]; Jeff Mironov: guitar [5]; Francisco Centeno: electric bass [5]; Jamey Haddad: percussion [5]; Chris Parker: drums [5].
Recorded by Danny Lawrence, Jamie Lawrence, Aaron Walk, Joe Martin between 1988-1990 and 2017-2018 at Clinton Recording Studio and Ringo Sound.
The set opens with a recent composition, the 20 or so minute ‘New York Suite’. This weaves together four or five segments that move from a rousing drum introduction into an ensemble statement of theme, through some gutsy harmonica work into a well developed saxophone solo and then into gentler segments in which the bass and piano build tension that gradually picks up the pace before the ensemble rejoin – with a particularly impressive turn by Pugh (making his trombone sound, at times, like a bebop trumpet). As a piece of composed jazz, there is plenty here for the listener to marvel at and concentrate on, and plenty of echoes of larger ensemble pieces which is all the more impressive in that the sound is produced by a sextet (plus one).
The next three tunes (‘Margot with a t’ , ‘Watts what’ and ‘Beluga triangle’) further show the breadth of Lawrence’s compositional skills, as well as his ability to switch from piano to synthesizer and produce his own recognisable style on each instrument. It should come as no surprise, given that Lawrence has one five Emmys for his music. These tracks also provide a platform for Daniel’s virtuoso sax playing.
The set closes with a session that was booked after the title track had been mixed, and features a different set of musicians. ‘Tongue Twister’ is carried by an electric bass that brings a touch of carnival to the tune and provides opportunity for Young to produce a gently lyrical solo and Faddis to blow his trumpet in all possibly ways.
It would have been more sensible for the album to credit ‘sextets’ plural (well, two sextets and one octet), but the changes in line-up reflect the gestation and development of this collection of tunes. It is, I think, a credit to the cohesiveness of Lawrence’s composition that one doesn’t get the sense of a ‘join’ across the collection – it feels as if much the same band is reuniting and working through the pieces – and one doesn’t notice the fact that the pieces are composed over a period of some 30 years (between the sessions). It is also worth (if you haven’t already) reading through the list of names that he has drawn into the recording sessions – it covers an impressive roster of New York talent from the recent history of US jazz.
Reviewed by Chris Baber
Self-released
Jamie Lawrence: piano; Marty Erhlich: alto saxophone, clarinet [1]; J.D. Farran: tenor saxophone, clarinet, alto clarinet [1]; Jim Pugh: trombone [1-4]; Carlos Henriquez: acoustic bass [1]; Peter Erskine: drums, percussion [1]; Ed Bialek: harmonica [1]; Lawrence Feldman: alto saxophone [2-4]; Eddie Daniels: tenor saxophone [2-4]; John Beal: acoustic bass [2]4]; Ronnie Zito [2-4]; Jon Faddis: trumpet [5]; George Young: alto saxophone [5]; Lou Marini: tenor saxophone [5]; Jeff Mironov: guitar [5]; Francisco Centeno: electric bass [5]; Jamey Haddad: percussion [5]; Chris Parker: drums [5].
Recorded by Danny Lawrence, Jamie Lawrence, Aaron Walk, Joe Martin between 1988-1990 and 2017-2018 at Clinton Recording Studio and Ringo Sound.
The set opens with a recent composition, the 20 or so minute ‘New York Suite’. This weaves together four or five segments that move from a rousing drum introduction into an ensemble statement of theme, through some gutsy harmonica work into a well developed saxophone solo and then into gentler segments in which the bass and piano build tension that gradually picks up the pace before the ensemble rejoin – with a particularly impressive turn by Pugh (making his trombone sound, at times, like a bebop trumpet). As a piece of composed jazz, there is plenty here for the listener to marvel at and concentrate on, and plenty of echoes of larger ensemble pieces which is all the more impressive in that the sound is produced by a sextet (plus one).
The next three tunes (‘Margot with a t’ , ‘Watts what’ and ‘Beluga triangle’) further show the breadth of Lawrence’s compositional skills, as well as his ability to switch from piano to synthesizer and produce his own recognisable style on each instrument. It should come as no surprise, given that Lawrence has one five Emmys for his music. These tracks also provide a platform for Daniel’s virtuoso sax playing.
The set closes with a session that was booked after the title track had been mixed, and features a different set of musicians. ‘Tongue Twister’ is carried by an electric bass that brings a touch of carnival to the tune and provides opportunity for Young to produce a gently lyrical solo and Faddis to blow his trumpet in all possibly ways.
It would have been more sensible for the album to credit ‘sextets’ plural (well, two sextets and one octet), but the changes in line-up reflect the gestation and development of this collection of tunes. It is, I think, a credit to the cohesiveness of Lawrence’s composition that one doesn’t get the sense of a ‘join’ across the collection – it feels as if much the same band is reuniting and working through the pieces – and one doesn’t notice the fact that the pieces are composed over a period of some 30 years (between the sessions). It is also worth (if you haven’t already) reading through the list of names that he has drawn into the recording sessions – it covers an impressive roster of New York talent from the recent history of US jazz.
Reviewed by Chris Baber
