JEFF DAVIS
Dragon Father
Fresh Sound New Talent FSNT 444. 56:50
freshsoundrecords.com/dragon_father-cd-6140.html
jeffdavisdrums.com
Review by Craig Nixon
Tone. The faithful Webster defines tone as “musical sound of a
specific quality,” or better yet: “with respect to timbre and manner of
expression”. We speak about tone all the time with respect to
horn players, guitarists, bassists and many others, but not often do we
hear “tone” in regard to drummers. Jeff Davis is a drummer with
tone, and it's a tone that belongs only to him. Give him any
pickup drum kit to play and he immediately sounds like nothing else
other than...Jeff Davis.
Dragon Father
is Davis' third release as a leader, and second for Jordi Pujol's
remarkably consistent Fresh Sound New Talent imprint. The prior
album, 2012's Leaf House, was
a monumental piano trio recording with Russ Lossing and Eivind Opsvik,
both of whom return here to form the rhythm section for this quintet,
with the front line completed by cornettist Kirk Knuffke and Oscar
Noriega on alto saxophone and bass clarinet. It's a cohesive
group, and no wonder, given the amount of playing time they've had
together in different combinations on many gigs and recordings.
Davis, Knuffke, Opsvik and Lossing each have recordings as leaders that
utilize at least one of the other members. Just a few highlights
would be Knuffke's 2008 Clean Feed date Bigwig, with Davis, trombonist
Brian Drye and bassist Reuben Radding; Opsvik's Overseas series of
recordings (also on Fresh Sound, with Davis again, and an entire host
of NY players); and several dates by pianist Jesse Stacken's
trio...again with Opsvik and Davis. Oscar Noriega has been heard
with his own band Play Party, which did a fine disc on OmniTone, and as
a crucial member of Tim Berne's Snakeoil with two excellent albums on
ECM.
As on Leaf House
all the compositions come from Davis' pen and he's a witty, erudite
composer, not prone to showing off or wasting anything. Though
the band is made up of five leader/composers everyone gives his all to
the leader's compositions, and there is no clash of egos.
Everyone has expert solo turns beginning with the opening "Dirt
Farmer," Knuffke working seemingly backwards by starting with furious
16th note lines and then gaining space later, giving way to a strong
solo by Lossing that ends with what is possibly the most dramatic
flourish you'll hear all year, one which made me laugh hysterically
with appreciation. Speaking of appreciation, more and more of it
has been coming Russ Lossing's way in the last several years, and
deservedly so. A serious, prolific writer (his own book boasts
some 400 pieces), a gifted interpreter of others' music (see his solo
piano disc of Paul Motian pieces, Drum Music),
and a totally fearless improvisor, Lossing has become simply the best
working pianist in New York, a city that's not hurting for pianists.
I heard
someone recently refer to the "busy cornettist about town, Kirk
Knuffke," and is that ever true. In a few short years Knuffke has
become ubiquitous on the New York scene. He's seemingly
everywhere, and must have to turn down more work than other guys get in
the first place. And no wonder. He has a tone that is
perfection and is a witty and effective soloist in a wide variety of
situations, and his work here is up to his usual standard of excellence.
Oscar
Noriega, on alto saxophone and bass clarinet, has somewhat of a lower
profile but those in the know regarding the NY scene are aware of him
as a tireless worker in many different contexts, from his own bassless
quartet Play Party, to working with Berne's Snakeoil, with the band
Endangered Blood (with Chris Speed, Trevor Dunn and Jim Black) and with
vocalist Judi Silvano. He has a great round tone on alto,
sometimes very fleetingly calling Braxton to mind, and is just as
effective on clarinet and bass clarinet.
Eivind
Opsvik's lone solo turn on the date is used as a bridge between two
sections of "Eli's Progress," a piece written for and named after
Davis' son. Even with less solo space, the bassist is fully
integrated into this music and just as invaluable to the whole as the
others. Over the past fifteen years the transplanted Norwegian
has become a first call New York bassist. The people he has not
worked with could probably be counted on one hand, and he's a prolific
leader in his own right, most often with his Overseas ensemble with
Tony Malaby, Brandon Seabrook, Jacob Sacks and Kenny Wollesen.
One of the
smartest choices Davis makes with this release comes in the form of
liner notes. Rather than having some high profile "critic" do the
notes (which the artist has to pay dearly for, by the way) the leader
has recruited his cohort, the excellent pianist Jesse
Stacken. Not only is there the benefit of having a real
live musician doing the notes, Stacken is one who has actually played
the pieces heard on the disc. The pianist gives a thoughtful and
intelligent track-by-track breakdown of the pieces here, which is why
I'm not doing the same thing in this review...it's in better hands with
him.
Dragon Father
was recorded live at The Cornelia Street Cafe in New York, an intimate
listening room that regularly features some of the best programming in
the city. The live sound as captured by Joseph Branciforte is
immediate and realistic. Eivind Opsvik also handled mixing and
mastering at his own Greenwood Underground Studio.
In the
liners Jesse Stacken speaks of the musicians of New York celebrating
community, and of celebrating the scene. With this release Jeff
Davis has done just that, and gotten it all right to boot. The
playing (his own and the that of the band), the writing, the selection
of bandmates, everything here is firing on the highest of levels.
Dragon Father may just turn out to be the finest recorded example of small group New York jazz to be heard this year.
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