Robby Ameen – Days in the Life (Two and Four Records – 2009)
Robby Ameen is one of those first call percussionists who has been chaffing at the bit to produce something all his own. Now he has his chance, with Days in the Life and he acquits himself with excellence. Things might have very well gone awry, as so often happens when self producing the first record. This, however, does not happen with Ameen, as he is careful to avoid the obvious, at all costs. The percussionist is well known for his abillity to slip into almost any kind of rhythmic mode, whether deriving from samba, or with clave or swing. He does just that and then some… Ameen soaks it all and, as it percolates in his percussion brain, he channels it out through his arms and fingers into a mix of rhythms that comes alive with surprises at almost every turn.
It seems that the prime directive of the music is to dance madly as one on hot coals or a tightrope or a trampoline. There is never a dearth of surprise in anything that Ameen does–alone, or in conjunction with bandmates such as guitarist Wayne Krantz and bassist Lincoln Goines. Of course the brassmen–Conrad Herwig and Brian Lynch, both deeply in the pocket at all times, light blue flames to the melody trailing in behind it or racing in front with florentine swirls and madcap runs. Trombonist Herwig, in particular, solos in great swathes of sound that begin rather quietly and then build up into mountainous tones of great harmonic consequence. John Beasley–probably missing clave in his wrists–makes up for it all by playing beguiling lines on Hammond B3 and Fender Rhodes.
Ameen is fiery on almost every song, but really pulls out the stops on his stunning composition, “Skateboard Intifada.” The title is brazen as his drumming, with furious rolls of the tom toms and heavily laid bombs on the bass drum at breakneck speed. The funky riff is followed simply but memorably by Goines, Krantz and especially Beasley. The composer also shows great tenderness in his ballad, “Una Muy Anita” and brings new fire to Joe Farrell’s “Sound Down.” “Stagger” is a fine example of a visually driven piece, where Ameen shows great skill in varying the beats to create a feeling of unsteady, but purposeful movement. His off-key figure with guitar and organ is also well knit into the melody. Krantz plays in gut-wrenching style. “RR” is a spectacular duet with conguero, Ritchie Flores.
Essentially, though this is a vehicle, which is crafted to display Ameen’s compositional skills. In this department, he brings off a near flawless performance. The percussionist also shows that he is unafraid to step outside the comfort zones of easy-to-execute rhythms. Nor does he shy away from brash and forthright manners of expression. His songs are based on sound melodies, which he writes cleverly for the bass as well as treble clefs, and this is a rare feat indeed for any percussionist to pull off.
Tracks: 1. Swiftboating; 2. Baakline; 3. Sound Down; 4. 2′s & 3′s; 5. Una Muy Anita; 6. Skateboard Intifada; 7. Ceora; 8. Stagger; 9. RR.
Personnel: Robby Ameen: drums, percussion; John Beasley: piano, Hammond B3, Fender Rhodes; Lincoln Goines: acoustic and electric basses; Wayne Krantz: guitar (1, 2, 4, 6, And 8); Ritchie Flores: congas (3 – 5, 7, 9); Conrad Herwig: trombone (2, 3, 5, 7); Brian Lynch: trumpet (2, 3, 5, 7).
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Robby Ameen on the web: www.robbyameen.com
Review written by: Raul da Gama
John Beasley – Positootly! (Resonance Records 2009)
John Beasley’s Positootly! is awash with Lydian modes. That and it is clear that Beasley has listened carefully to Herbie Hancock and Wayne Shorter. However, he is also a singular pianist who is chirpy and breaks up his dazzling melodic runs with staccato perfunctory harmonic statements that then bend the music in another surprising direction. Thus he is never predictable and always makes a new surprise flow through the tips of his fingers that take the keyboard to task every once and awhile.
Not usually gentle–or gruff, for that matter– Beasley prefers the direct approach to turn of phrase and will not waste time with niceties. On this record, he is often heard to comp restlessly when bassist James Genus or drummer, Jeff “Tain” Watts find a groove and start to get a bit cute. Nevertheless, Beasley is generous too and offers plenty of room for his cohorts to express themselves in towering solo when the song demands it. Otherwise, his compositions are short and tight and leave only wiggle room for bursting out, literally. This makes the ones on this record more urgent and breathtaking–as in “Caddo Bayou” and “Positootly!”
Beasley is a clever and bold interpreter of the familiar. He is willing to take chances. This is how “Dindi” came to be played in 5/4 time, with barely a hint of Tom Jobim’s bossa nova rhythm. However, the song does sound entirely charming and refreshing. The romance of “Dindi” is more sensuous than platonic as Jobim and Sinatra both had her. The other “Latin” track is Astor Piazolla’s nueva tango, “Tanguedia III.” Tango, unlike many other musical dance forms is more graceful and formal and while Beasley pays tribute to the authentic, he creates a puckish air about the piece, speeding up and slowing down the music, while maintaining a certain raffish swagger that is utterly charming.
The finest work on the record is, of course the music that he lives and breathes, body and soul and that is the music of the South, with its gris-gris and gumbo flavor. “Caddo Bayou” and “Positootly!” are two of his finest pieces to date. “Shatita Boom Boom” (Club Desire)” is a flaming track as is “Black Thunder,” dedicated to the legendary drummer, Elvin Jones. “Elle” comes as a surprise, not because the rest of the music is full of rhythmic fire, but somehow the tenderness embodied by the ballad is not something that was expected from this pianist. Nevertheless, “Elle” is a fine piece, with a soulful soprano saxophone solo from Bennie Maupin.
Brian Lynch has his moment of glory is yet to happen. On “So Tired”, it still is Bennie Maupin, who swaggers through his tenor solo. “The Eight Winds” provides the space for Brian Lynch to stretch and that too on a fast blues that is played at breakneck speed. “Hope… Arkansas” is another warm-blooded piece that shows a tender side to the pianist and this appears to be the perfect note on which to end a fine record.
John Beasley has learnt well from the last glory days of Miles Davis’ funky groove. With a little help from friends, Maupin and the restrained Munyungo Jackson, Beasley has pulled a memorable follow-up to his earlier Resonance record, Letter to Herbie. Only this record need not be reverential to a mentor and so can be more versatile and free to express the heart and soul of this ever-growing pianist.
Tracks: 1. Caddo Bayou; 2. Positootly!; 3. Dindi; 4. Black Thunder; 5. Shatita Boom Boom (Club Desire); 6. Tanguedia III; 7. Elle; 8. So Tired; 9. The Eight Winds; 10. Hope… Arkansas.
Personnel: John Beasley: piano, Fender Rhodes, synthesizer; Bennie Maupin: tenor & soprano saxophones; Brian Lynch: trumpet; James Genus: acoustic & electric bass; Jeff “Tain” Watts: drums; Munyungo Jackson: percussion.
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John Beasley on the web: www.beasleymusic.com
Review written by: Raul da Gama
