Drum master
Steve Gadd is among the most
respected and emulated musicians in the world—an anomaly whose panache for
playing precisely what a piece of music requires plus bringing signature taste,
style and energy to the proceedings has resulted in hundreds of the most
rhythmically exhilarating moments in
recorded music history, across genres. Steve turned 70 on April 9th
and commemorates the milestone with the release of “70 Strong,” the second CD
by the Steve Gadd Band. The panoramic
sound palette of groove and grace features Larry Goldings on keyboards, Walt
Fowler on trumpet, Jimmy Johnson on bass and Michael Landau on guitar.
Since the beginning
of his illustrious career, pianist Joey
Calderazzo has mainly played in quartets led by remarkable saxophonists,
namely Michael Brecker and Branford Marsalis.
As a musician and composer, he had become comfortable in this format,
developing an intensity in his playing and composing that those ensembles’ size
demanded. Calderazzo saw the
establishment of his trio as a means to strengthen his craft by working on
material and musical concepts that he would not ordinarily work on. In light of
the progress he has made in that format, Calderazzo views his new recording, “Going
Home,” as a snapshot of a work in progress, an experiment that continues to
progress and wield an abundance of intriguing results.
Also this
week, guitarist Phill Fest, the son
of bossa nova pioneer Manfredo Fest, offers up a bit of samba-jazz with “That’s
What She Says”; singer Jose James
features music from the Billie Holiday songbook with “Yesterday I Had the Blues”;
and trombonist John Fedchock and his
quartet are captured live in Virginia
Beach on “Fluidity.”
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