(Review by Dave Brownlow).
Respected piano master and
composer Fred Hersch, together with the brilliant WDR Big Band conducted by
six-time Grammy winner Vince Mendoza re-visit nine of Fred’s original
compositions in an expertly-played showcase for this “team-of-all-the talents”
- this “Manchester City” of contemporary jazz.
The Cologne-based WDR Band, universally
acknowledged as a remarkable outfit and described by DownBeat as “one of Europe’s
finest large jazz ensembles” are packed with brilliantly expressive players
several of whom shine here.
Vince Mendoza, a world-renowned
composer and arranger in jazz and contemporary music, has, so far in his
career, received six Grammy awards and 33 nominations! His warm colourful
scores contain many ‘devices and techniques’ first pioneered by The Maestro Gil Evans in the 1940s, ‘50s
and ‘60s which enhance and develop Fred Hersch’s themes and attractive playing
judiciously and appropriately.
Begin Again, previously unrecorded, a flowing theme cleverly
conceived to incorporate numerous ‘time changes’ has piano and orchestra alternately leading towards a forthright
alto solo from Johan Horlen, an imaginative contribution from Hersch and a
call-and-response segment before the final theme statement.
Song Without Words #2: Ballad from a 2001 project has a tender
melody backed by tightly Harmon-muted trumpets and an emotional alto solo,
again from Horlen. The background figures are a delight in themselves and
Mendoza illustrates the arranger’s craft at its highest level.
Havana, from 2012, is a spritely romp through familiar-sounding
chord changes; a confident contemporary-style tenor solo from Paul Heller is a
feature here before the band takes it out in an exuberant coda. Out Someplace (Blues For Matthew Shepard) comes
from 1999 – originally a dance score to illustrate the brutal murder of Shepard
and how he must have felt in the lead-up to his lonely death. Eerie
avante-garde sounds attempt to convey the sadness and pain of this complex
scenario…Mendoza
here uses his imagination to utilise the vast aural resources of the WDR
ensemble.
Pastorale first appeared in 2011 as a homage to Schumann and the
“Scenes From Childhood” pieces which Fred learned as a young musician. This
song has one of those chord sequences that ‘everyone seems to know’ in a warm,
fluid composition with flutes, clarinets and muted trumpets providing supple
background figures as Fred solos.
Rain Waltz (early 1980s) is a ‘classy’ feature for a “Milesean”
Ruud Breuls, his warm breathy tone contrasting with the bitter-sweet alto of
Karolina Strassmeyer, her only feature. The ensemble takes us out with
harmonies reminiscent of “The Birth of the Cool”
The Big Easy (2018) with a nod to New Orleans , is a relaxed swinger, having
appropriate solos from Fred, trombonist Ludwig Nuss and trumpeter Andy Haderer
to sustain the bluesy groove. Forward
Motion from 1991 is a lively, swinging, challenging piece featuring drummer
Hans Dekker, tenorist Heller, Ruud Breuls on trumpet and trombonist Andy
Hunter. Hersch’s optimistic character shines forth in this music with its
driving exuberance.
The final song is a rendition of The Orb from “My Coma Dreams” as rich,
Jarrett-like chords flow reflectively from the piano where Fred’s lovely touch
at the keyboard really makes the music ‘sing,’ the ensemble leaving us with a
heart-rending chorale – Mendoza’s last, intense contribution.
Wonderful playing throughout,
together with imaginative contributions from a ‘stellar combination of
musicians’ makes this an “unmissable” album truly worth 5 stars!
Due out on June 7 and available
from palmetto-records.com
Dave B.
Johan Horlen, Karolina
Strassmayer, Olivier Peters, Paul Heller, Jens Neufang (reeds); Ludwig Nuss,
Andrea Andrioli, Andy Hunter, (trombones); Mattis Cederberg (bass trombone
& tuba); Wim Both , Rob Bruynen, Andy Haderer, Ruud Breuls (trumpets); Fred
Hersch (piano); Paul Shigihara (guitar); Paul Goldsby (bass); Hans Dekker (drums).
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