CD Review: Paul Shaw Quintet - Moment of Clarity

Paul Shaw (drums); Alex Sipiagin (trumpet); Brad Shepik (guitar); Gary Versace (piano); Drew Gress (bass).

(Review by JC)

Because of the current crisis there is a lot of talk about new kinds of tests to help understand how to respond to the corona virus pandemic and we must hope that they develop quickly and are successful. However there is another kind of test about how to respond to new music that has been around for a long time in my house. It's called the Young Blonde Exclamation test and can give almost instant and definitive results. The way is works is that my accompanist walks in the room where some new album is playing, pauses briefly for about 20 seconds and then either says 'What the hell is that s----!' or, if it passes, says 'That's nice, who is it?'

I am pleased to say that Shaw and his band passed the test with flying colours, even getting the extra comment, 'I've always liked drummers' as Shaw launched into his solo on the track Peekaboo.

So that was a good start for this review of Paul Shaw's debut album as leader and composer of all the seven pieces. He has brought together a number of fine musicians who create an attractive group sound and they all get chances to show their individual musical ability over the seven tracks. Interestingly, as leader, Shaw stays in the back engine room driving the music forward in an understated way, taking just a couple of brief solos. Probably this comes from his extensive early experience as the drummer with a variety of U.S. Air Force bands both big and smaller and it seems as if he is happy to hear his compositions takes shape in the group.

The tracks themselves are a good combination of straight ahead jazz with some nice guitar playing by Shepik on the opener Heartland, Sipiagin's solid trumpet playing on the more rhythmic Shapeshifter and inventive solos on the title track Moment of Clarity. The more melodic, introspective pieces feature some pleasing interplay between piano and guitar on Song for Everyone and Sipiagin's trumpet again gets a chance to shine on Mary Oliver. The closing track Showdown is a good, lively workout for all the band members.

While I would hesitate to disagree with the result of the YBE test, my overall feeling was that the musicians were playing very well but within themselves (which is maybe how the band leader likes it) but I would liked to have heard them let loose a bit more and go for it. Otherwise a nice album with good compositions. And, oh yes, I like drummers too.

JC

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