Burak Bedikyan (piano); Matthew Hall (bass); Can Kozlu
(drums) + Gabor Bolla (tenor sax on 4 tks.).
(Review by Lance).
Turkish
born, NYC based, pianist Bedikyan is one of the more interesting contemporary
players. The man from Istanbul doesn’t attack the piano with a sledgehammer,
reducing it to matchbox material as so many do. Instead, he cajoles it, makes
love to it and, leaves the listener enthralled until he finally, unleashes his musical
virility.
Gabor
Bolla plays some nice, straight down the middle tenor. Great tone, Don Byas,
maybe Hank Mobley comes to mind. He blows up a storm on four tracks and I wanted
more. But given that the other five tracks were by the trio I’m not
complaining - bass and drums are an essential part of the mix..
We often look back and refer
to our favourite eras as jazz’s golden age. Just about every decade has its fan
base and I’ve often fallen into the trap of allowing nostalgia to cloud my
judgement. It’s only when I hear an album such as this that I think that,
maybe, just maybe, the so-called golden age is now.
This
thought, for me, was emphasised at last night’s NUJO jam session at the Dun
Cow. I lost count of the number of singers and instrumentalists who had
absorbed the basics of blowing jazz. Some did it better than others but all
were heading in the right direction. I honestly can’t remember a time when
there was so many new kids on the block capable of challenging the old order.
If
any of them come close to the standard laid down here by these four musicians
then they too will have made it. What is more to the point, will they have made
it in Newcastle or via Leeds (current buzz word), London, Boston or New York?
Bedikyan
made it from Istanbul!
Lance
Available on
Steeplechase SCCD 3319.
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