Reprinted from http://jazzwax.com
One of my favorite new jazz piano albums so far this year is Denny Zeitlin's Early Wayne—featuring Denny's solo impressions of Wayne Shorter compositions. Denny's approach on the album is tremendously exciting and free-spirited. He covers Shorter's works with a range of interpretive attacks without losing the saxophonist's glimmering sensitivity. In Denny's hands, Shorter's music comes rushing at you like a team of horses. The thundering energy closes in on you, and the pounding rhythmic feel continues to churn on the back end until they all pass. In this regard, Denny's piano impressions are exhilarating.
Early Wayne was recorded before a live audience in December 2014 at the Piedmont Piano Company (above)—a Mercedes-Benz dealership of a piano emporium in Oakland, Calif., that provides top-notch instruments worldwide. The pianists on the calendar of Piedmont's upcoming in-store concerts is enough to get one to buy a round-trip ticket to San Francisco. On the new album, the acoustics of the concert space provide Denny's playing and Wayne's compositions with rich, dimensional fidelity. You feel as if you're seated on the piano bench.
All of the compositions on the album were recorded by Shorter in the 1960s, with the exception of Ana Maria, which Shorter recorded on Native Dancer in 1974. The song choices and their order are perfect: Speak No Evil, Nefertiti, Ju Ju, Teru, Toy Tune, Infant Eyes, Paraphernalia, Ana Maria, E.S.P. and Miyako.
As Denny points out in his brief liner notes, Shorter's music has been an inspiration since 1959, when Denny was a junior at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Back then, in the evenings, he played locally with Ira Sullivan, Wes Montgomery, Joe Farrell and many other jazz giants. Billy Taylor became a fan and mentor as did George Russell, and Bill Evans regularly performed and recorded Denny's composition Quiet Now. [Photo above of Wayne Shorter during a rehearsal for his Night Dreamer album in 1964 by Francis Wolff]
On Early Wayne, we hear Denny's passion for the music as he digs deeper and deeper on songs. What I love most is how Denny reconstructs Shorter's stormy and tender themes, launching waves of explorations that find new ground while remaining simpatico with Shorter's own vision. Early Wayne is a concept album meant to be heard from start to finish. In this regard, songs function as chapters of an engaging Shorter biography. Bravo Denny! [Photo above of the Denny Zeitlin Trio in 1964; from left, bassist Cecil McBee, Denny and drummer Freddie Waits]
JazzWax tracks: You'll find Denny Zeitlin's Early Wayne(Sunnyside) here.
JazzWax interview: For my four-part JazzWax interview with Denny in 2009, go here. This will bring you to Part 1. The additional segments can be accessed by going to the top, above the red date, and clicking on the next part.
JazzWax clip: Here's Denny on Early Wayne playing Infant Eyes...
Used with permission by Marc Myers
0 Comments:
Post a Comment