Review of the first trio album that the lauded bassist, drummer, and pianist have made together
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It’s almost impossible to think up a stronger trio than the one Grammy winning pianist composer Bill Cunliffe has put together for this album. Always lyrical and melodic with a perfect sense of swing, he brings together two of the finest in bassist John Patitucci and drummer Vinnie Colaiuta, both who grew up together, and you can hear the benefits of a long standing symbiotic relationship. All three of these gents have resumes that are encyclopedic, so to get them all together is a real treat-don’t expect any gigs, but if there is one, GO!
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Again new label Le Coq Records takes a page out of the fabled Blue Note history, creating an in-the-moment recording session in just one day amongst three of its core musicians, three of the biggest names in jazz. Pianist Bill Cunliffe, bassist John Patitucci, and drummer Vinnie Colaiuta. If you’ve been following, label founder/producer Piero Pata just established his label last month, beginning with a release by The Le Coq All Stars followed by vocal album from his wife, Andy James (Tu Amor) where these three were prominently featured in the respective rhythm sections. During these various recording sessions at Capitol Studios, Pata had the notion of having the three do a spontaneous recording session. As stated, they had played together on sessions before, both for Le Coq and previously, but never together as a trio.
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Since winning the Thelonious Monk International Jazz Piano Award in 1989, Los Angeles-based pianist-composer-arranger Bill Cunliffe has performed and recorded prolifically. Imaginacion features a collection of his eclectic Latin/Caribbean-style arrangements of originals (mostly his) and a few standards.
The focus is on Cunliffe as an arranger, since he does not solo on half the tracks. When he does play, however, he displays his usual sparkling inventiveness. But he doesn’t need to improvise on every tune thanks to such superb cohorts as tenorist/flutist Bob Sheppard, trumpeter Bobby Shew and trombonist Arturo Velasco. Cunliffe’s engaging charts are scored for a smallish ensemble that also includes a second trumpet and trombone and a rhythm section augmented by two percussionists.
The economy and the state of the nation wax and wane, but through it all, Americans still find meaning in the December holidays. That includes reconnecting with our favorite music and looking for new musical expressions of Christmas and Hanukkah. For recording artists, the Holy Grail is a Christmas release that the public will return to in coming years. There may not be a new “White Christmas” this season, but the 2011 season gives us some fine new jazz and vocal albums.
**** That Time of Year,’ Bill Cunliffe, Metre
The material may be common to the season, but pianist Bill Cunliffe’s probing solo jazz renditions are anything but standard, and they amount to a tour de force. He taps into the spiritual with “Angels From the Realms of Glory” and “Lo, How a Rose e’er Blooming,” while showing us how Bud Powell might handle “O Little Town of Bethlehem.”
West Coast pianist Bill Cunliffe has released a most welcome holiday disc in That Time of Year. With Christmas coming commercially before Halloween in bigger and more brazen waves each year, having the music of the season reduced to its sheer elements by a well-versed master is refreshing, if not spiritually reviving. Cunliffe's pianoism is urbane and lyrical, perfectly suited for interpreting a well- worn and loved repertoire. Cunliffe has previously demonstrated his knack for freshly focused concepts for old songs on Bill Plays Bud (Naxos, 1998) and The Blues and the Abstract Truth, Take 2 (Resonance, 2008). He transfers this knack to seasonal fare seamlessly, painting with a much finer brush than that used by holiday piano mavens like George Winston and David Lanz while still retaining their dedication to simplicity.
Which is not to say that Cunliffe is new age. To the contrary, Cunliffe transcends these categorizations by the sheer information of his talent and experience. Cunliffe easily casts each carol in its own universe, cleverly moving among genera. "Angels From The Realms of Glory" a Christmas hymn from Cunliffe's Episcopal childhood is played gently with neither too much nor too little ornamentation. Cunliffe's left hand provides a soft undulation over which his right weaves the Christmas spell. If songs could have aromas, Cunliffes "Angels" would brag of frankincense, eggnog and pipe tobacco in a wood fire-warmed room. "God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen" is given a solid Ray Charles by way of Dave Franks treatment. With an introduction full of soul and rhythm and blues, the pianists warms up to walking-bass solo section that swings hard before dissolving back into a more traditional treatment. Cunliffe buffs all of the R&B rough edges to a high sheen of elegance.
Two carols that lend themselves to improvisation are "Coventry Carol" and "Carol of the Bells." Cunliffe handles both darkly, exposing a gravity in the pieces not often heard. Nothing ominous, merely respectful and reverent. He properly ornaments both pieces with thoughtful filigree and flattering tempi. "Coventry Carol" is a rumination pinned with a Lisztian left hand bubbling beneath the melody. He leaves plenty of space for consideration and and idea expansion. "Carol of the Bells," with its four-note repeating motif, sets up a hypnotic atmosphere sustained by Cunliffe's ethereal playing.
The real treat here is Cunliffe's duet with vocalist Denise Donatelli, whose When Lights are Low (Savant, 2010) was nominated for two Grammy Awards. Donatelli gives a creamy, rich reading of "I'll Be Home for Christmas." Her inclusion here, a last minute decision by her and Cunliffe, begs for a full-scale holiday offering from Donatelli. Hopefully Donatelli will choose Cunliffe as her accompaniment and her full-scale holiday recital will be a simple duet. Should that happen, all will be well and welcome. Until then, it is clear That Time of Year is the holiday release of the year.
by Clark Griffin
Christmas music and Christmas albums are usually a win-win situation for the artist and for the listeners. The artist experiences the joy of creating new songs and/or arrangements and performances and the possibility of evergreen returns - and listeners get the gift of timeless music to be enjoyed in perpetuity. After numerous accomplishments, well hones skills as a piano player, composer and arranger, Bill Cunliffe has created a noteworthy and memorable album full of music for the season, with his release of “That Time of Year”.
For those unfamiliar with his work, Bill Cunliffe began developing his name on the national scene in the 1980s as the pianist in the Buddy Rich Big Band. Among the many influential artists Cunliffe has performed and/or recorded are Frank Sinatra, Ray Brown, Joe Henderson, Freddie Hubbard and others. With a degree from the Eastman School of Music, he is a jazz educator at the university level as well. Among his many awards, he won a Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Arrangement for his “West Side Story Medley” on the Resonance Big Band Plays Tribute to Oscar Peterson.
With that introduction, you’d expect that a Christmas album from Bill would be a compelling listen, replete with compelling arrangements and superb playing - and indeed that’s exactly what it is. Bill commented that in the tradition of Mel Torme, this Christmas album was recorded on a hot day in July and that somehow Christmas tunes sound better in summer.
The album opens gently with Cunliffe in a pensive mood, delivering a lovely ballad rendition - solo piano throughout - with rich and sonorous voicings to complement the melody on “Angels From the Realms.” This is an ideal antidote to the hit you over the head cliché Christmas stuff we all experience this time of year. Cunliffe picks up the pace on “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen.” The track opens with a magnificent exposition of this well known theme, with some bluesy grinds to spice it up. He takes things into a toe-tapping, relaxed swing groove - and colors this chestnut with a solo demonstrating his ample and harmonically sophisticated technique. It’s clear that Cunliffe has thoughtfully programmed this holiday set, as the next track “On Christmas Day” moves delightfully into a jazz waltz groove. For his solo, he takes the festivities into a two beat swing groove. Bill’s deep understanding of the groove and his bebop roots are woven into this creative tapestry - momentarily tipping the hat to a potpourri of stylists from Bud Powell to Vince Guaraldi. Cunliffe delivers a clever syncopated introduction to “Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairies.” You’ve never heard a rendition like this one - swinging, cycling - fabulously swinging medium groove solo heavily laden with bebop ideas and some McCoy Tyner quartal-type harmoniy surfacing to make it clear that this is an amalgam of sounds by a mature jazz solo artist. Among the many highlights on this extraordinary set is “O Little Town of Bethlehem” which Cunliffe takes up tempo - delivering another wonderfully swinging, harmonically developed articulated with crystal clarity - at once thoroughly improvised, and a textbook study into the bop vocabulary. If you had tired of “Jingle Bells,” Bill’s swinging rendition will rejuvenate your appreciation for this classic. If you’re not one of those listeners who is pre-conditioned to think that listening to music associated with Christmas is only for “the season,” you’ll find yourself listening to this gem again and again throughout the year.
by Ernie Rideout (Keyboard Magazine)
Hearing Bill Cunliffe on CD is always a major treat - though all too rare - for in addition to his superb piano playing, you usually get his extremely clever arrangements, tailor-made for a hand-picked group of first-rate players. That's the case with this release, but what takes this CD from great to sublime is the source material, which are the compositions of Earl Zindars. Bill Evans favored a couple of Earl's tunes, notably, "How My Heart Sings," and the piano legend's recordings of that tune have earned Zindars a place in the Jazz Hall of Fame.