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Sometimes, Jazz can have a tendency to aim too high – too high in the register, that is. While bassists have had success as leaders and featured voices, it is an instrument that is overshadowed by the louder instruments we all associate with classic Jazz. Yet John Davey’s latest record, which is also his first as a leader, called “Sound Bites,” is a bit of evidence that featuring a bassist can lead to interesting, and sometimes surprising, results – even if the overall integrity of the album is somewhat lacking. Accompanied by pianist Jeremy Wall, percussionist Brian Melick, guitarist Chuck d’Aloia, and Argentinian-born vocalist Lorena Guillén (on “Cenote Dreams” only), John Davey, who teaches Jazz at SUNY Oneonta and Hartwick College, has beautiful command of the tones and textures of a good Jazz album, and juxtaposes classic forms with a laid-back, expansive rhythm. The tone of the album is quiet intensity, reminding us that one doesn’t need brass for passion, or cymbals to get heaven to hear. First, the “interesting and surprising” points. The best three tracks – “Disembodied Souls,” “Udubop”, and “Soundbites II” – all feature an extremely melody-focused John Davey, and interesting support (or lack of support) from the rest of the rhythm section. Take “Disembodied Souls”, for instance. It opens with Brian Melick’s bass drum providing a steady rhythm that does not change the rest of the piece. Over this, Davey’s double-bass takes the role of both the melodic lead, and the harmonic support (echoing much of the pianist’s work). It’s almost as if the drums and the bass where participating in the same act, while Davey’s bass is also reaching beyond this standard rhythmic support. D’Aloia’s solo is well developed, and fits within the number nicely. Udubop, too, has some of the same features. This time the interplay between Melick’s steady rhthym and Davey’s three-note phrase gives the rhythmic support. The phrase is the epicenter with each melodic variation set to re-enter its sphere, repeating the phrase just enough to replace an entire rhythm section, while at the same time amplifying on it enough so we don’t get bored. The weakest tracks on this album – “Samba d’,” “Tongue n’ Groove”, and “Walt’s Suite”, suffer from a lack of consistent soloing. While the songs in themselves are not uninteresting, there is, especially in “Tongue n’ Groove”, for instance, a singular lack of development on the soloist’s part. In this number it seems the guitarist doesn’t know which type of solo he would like – a spacious, expanded version, or a blistering, high-intensity version, and then opts for both with poor results. “Samba d’”, with its Latin-rhythm and fast-paced, if quiet, tempo, has a different defect of being somewhat muddy and inconclusive. There are some instances where is sounds like the tempo ends up catching up with the pianist’s hands, and the effect is awkward. There are other decent tracks on the album – such as “Goodyear.” Davey’s bass plays the melody, while d’Aloia’s guitar provides a counterpoint. Yet, there are times where it seems Davey is actually following parallel to d’Aloia, and then other times where they play in unison (all over Melick’s rock-steady snare) and the effect is striking. “A Peacock’s Tale” is another interesting number, with a very brooding, heavy sound. Played in a minor key, with a very simple melody and interesting chord changes, this track features a wonderful solo by both Davey and d’Aloia. Both – especially d’Aloia - do a nice job with the mood and internal development, and the listener is quite compelled with the feeling and emotions of the piece. Overall, John Davey’s first effort as a leader is admirable, even if it does not have the luster of brilliance. There are some interesting things done with rhythm and melodic structure, and one has to be impressed, and hopeful, that Davey will continue to make records. Austin Eisele is a jazz enthusiast and saxophonist originally from Ilion, NY. He now resides in Marlboro, Massachusetts with his wife Julie and dog Emerson. |
