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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
Format:Audio CD
The second album by Michigan jazz pianist Craig Taborn -- known to most jazz fans as a sideman to James Carter -- is a giant leap past the adept musicianship shown on his DIW debut. Taborn's trio, with drummer extraordinaire Gerald Cleaver and new bassist Chris Lightcap, plays a kind of jazz that's new in a sense, even though it is rooted in time-honored traditions. In Taborn's pianism, Andrew Hill and Randy Weston meet Duke Pearson, Horace Silver, and Hilton Ruiz. There is an elegance of concentration and presentation that exceeds rhythmic and stylistic rigidities.
The opener, "Bodies We Came Out Of" (which opens and closes the album, making the entire presentation a kind of suite), echoes the opening bars of "Don't Stop the Carnival" before it moves through Latin phrasings and textures into a modal openness that shifts toward a funkier, dirtier kind of blues. In a blazing time signature, Taborn layers sevenths and ninths over augmented minor chords and plays as rhythmically as Cleaver. Lightcap, for his part, doesn't just keep it on track; he insures the entire thing sings by moving the track toward Cleaver, who juices the rhythm and double-times Taborn. But in his solo, Taborn leaves the melody and undoes the harmony, filling it with legato phrasing and sharp angular arpeggios that equate him playing counterpoint to himself. Taborn's read of "I Cover the Waterfront" is clearly influenced by the man who signed him, Matthew Shipp. Taborn deconstructs the harmony while leaving the melody intact, coursing over it with a series of bop arpeggios and moving the entire tune into overdrive before returning it altered, and simmering from so much trio heat. There is plenty of balladry left in Taborn's playing, as evidenced in "Morning Creatures" and the title track, and his blues are blacker than ever as evidenced by the intensely rhythmic "Whiskey Warm," which pits all three members of the ensemble take turns shifting the meter against the key changes and dive deep into the funk. This is one of the best records in Thirsty Ear's "Blue" series thus far, and, more importantly, it reveals to American audiences what a monster Taborn really is as a pianist. ~ Thom Jurek
This is part of Thirsty Ear's "Blue" series.
2nd Rel;Piano Trio
Craig Taborn Trio: Craig Taborn (piano); Chris Lightcap (bass); Gerald Cleaver (drums).
Personnel: Craig Taborn (piano); Gerald Cleaver (drums).
Recording information: The Studio.The Wire (1/02, p.66) - "...Very highly recommended."
Down Beat (3/02, p.62) - 3.5 stars out of 5 - "...Noteworthy..."
1 Bodies We Came Out Of 4:57
2 St. Ride 2:03
3 I Cover The Waterfront 3:09
4 Crocodile 6:44
5 Light Made Lighter 5:24
6 Whiskey Warm 2:57
7 Morning Creatures 2:26
8 St. Ranglehold 2:56
9 American Landscape 4:22
10 Light Made Lighter - Piano 1:57
11 Bodies We Came Out Of - Part Two 3:39
The opener, "Bodies We Came Out Of" (which opens and closes the album, making the entire presentation a kind of suite), echoes the opening bars of "Don't Stop the Carnival" before it moves through Latin phrasings and textures into a modal openness that shifts toward a funkier, dirtier kind of blues. In a blazing time signature, Taborn layers sevenths and ninths over augmented minor chords and plays as rhythmically as Cleaver. Lightcap, for his part, doesn't just keep it on track; he insures the entire thing sings by moving the track toward Cleaver, who juices the rhythm and double-times Taborn. But in his solo, Taborn leaves the melody and undoes the harmony, filling it with legato phrasing and sharp angular arpeggios that equate him playing counterpoint to himself. Taborn's read of "I Cover the Waterfront" is clearly influenced by the man who signed him, Matthew Shipp. Taborn deconstructs the harmony while leaving the melody intact, coursing over it with a series of bop arpeggios and moving the entire tune into overdrive before returning it altered, and simmering from so much trio heat. There is plenty of balladry left in Taborn's playing, as evidenced in "Morning Creatures" and the title track, and his blues are blacker than ever as evidenced by the intensely rhythmic "Whiskey Warm," which pits all three members of the ensemble take turns shifting the meter against the key changes and dive deep into the funk. This is one of the best records in Thirsty Ear's "Blue" series thus far, and, more importantly, it reveals to American audiences what a monster Taborn really is as a pianist. ~ Thom Jurek
This is part of Thirsty Ear's "Blue" series.
2nd Rel;Piano Trio
Craig Taborn Trio: Craig Taborn (piano); Chris Lightcap (bass); Gerald Cleaver (drums).
Personnel: Craig Taborn (piano); Gerald Cleaver (drums).
Recording information: The Studio.The Wire (1/02, p.66) - "...Very highly recommended."
Down Beat (3/02, p.62) - 3.5 stars out of 5 - "...Noteworthy..."
1 Bodies We Came Out Of 4:57
2 St. Ride 2:03
3 I Cover The Waterfront 3:09
4 Crocodile 6:44
5 Light Made Lighter 5:24
6 Whiskey Warm 2:57
7 Morning Creatures 2:26
8 St. Ranglehold 2:56
9 American Landscape 4:22
10 Light Made Lighter - Piano 1:57
11 Bodies We Came Out Of - Part Two 3:39
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
4 reviews
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
Poor ol' piano trio's gettin' a make-over . . .
3 July 2003
Format:Audio CD
. . . and Craig Taborn's leading the pack, along with Brad Meldhau, The Bad Plus, EST, and Jean-Michel Pilc.
I don't know why I waited so long to review this disc. I guess I've been giving the seven or eight Thirsty Ear Blue Series albums I own a second listen, and this one stood out as one of the very best.
Of all the great young pianists out there, Craig Taborn may be the most talented. One of the things I love most about him is his playfulness. For example, in his nearly unrecognizable take on "I Cover the Waterfront," his outro features several sly quotes of "Mary Had a Little Lamb." Why? Just for fun. Another thing I like about him is the fluidity of his playing. In the modern piano trio, time and tempos shift dramatically. This trio reacts with instant recognition and pulls off some incredibly glib musical conversations. Also Taborn, like Meldhau, has a romantic streak that comes into full blossom on the title cut, a simply gorgeous ballad.
Some may indeed object to the seeming lack of cohesiveness in these proceedings. But as has been pointed out, this isn't three chords and a static drumbeat. This is highly sophisticated, melodically and rhythmically nuanced music. Certainly, it's not for everyone. But if you've got even the slightest inclination toward modern piano trio music, I believe this will be a very rewarding and memorable listen for you.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
A Rhythm Record
29 Jun 2005
Format:Audio CD
For me, this is a recording all about rhythms; challenging, dynamic, flowing polyrhythms. It's a joy to hear. The three musicians are certainly masters, playing into and out of one another with ease. The bass and drums create a solid foundation, strong without being overbearing, so Taborn can do his thing and swoop in and out with his percussive style in the higher range. Some of the tracks are actually just short sketches in sound, an idea explored for only a minute or two then set back down. The end result is a percussion heavy, atmospheric sound, missing much of the traditional melodic elements, but rich in rhythm. I highly recommend it to those listeners who enjoy the modern NYC downtown scene and Blue Series/Matthew Shipp et al. For those of you looking for a more traditional sound, it's best to look elsewhere.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
This is a developing jazz Megastar.
7 Dec 2004
Format:Audio CD
If Craig Taborn was listed on the stock exchange of jazz musicians I would buy a boatload. I first heard him backing up James Carter on Carter's "Jurassic Classic" CD and I was so impressed that I asked myself "who is playing that piano?" This started my quest to search out this talent. I have since bought his music and seen him perform on several times. He keeps growing. After starting as a sideman he is quickly working his way up the ladder to being a major star. "Light Made Lighter" is his latest installment. You have to laugh at the reviewer who thought the group was not playing together. What he found so disconcerting is precisely what makes this CD so intriguing and such a success. Yes the music and rhythms are complex and seemingly conflicting but so is the music composed by Stravinsky. I say Taborn is a genius.
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