- Zach Brock: violin, baritone violin
- Aaron Goldberg: piano
- Matt Penman: bass
- Obed Calvaire: drums
This is the third Zach Brock CD I’ve purchased but there was a long break between my reviews of the first two and this one. I was overseas for six months and didn’t get to do any dedicated listening. So here I am, back in my recliner, locked into place on the Magnaplaner sound stage and enjoying the wonderful music.
This is really lively music, and above all, it swings. The first two cuts are pure positive energy. But just when you want to get up and dance, the tone goes totally mellow on the incredibly romantic and lyrical ballad, Swansea. The beat picks right up again on the funky Sunday Walk. Brock’s phrasing ranges from rhythmic staccato to vocalistic swooning and moaning. That’s what makes his sound so fresh and distinct.
Leonard Bernstein’s classic ballad, Some Other Time, brings us back into the mellow zone. But don’t get too comfortable because the next cut is Charlie Parker’s Segment… a light-hearted jaunt that is still very rich on substance and gives Goldberg some wonderful opportunities to sing those keys. Brock really cuts loose on this one too, eventually getting into a three way session of trading fours with Goldberg and Calvaire.
Sally’s Song slows down the tempo but isn’t really a ballad as such. More like a mood piece. Brock is followed by bassist Penman and then Goldberg. They all stay in the same, moody mode. It’s a piece that was written for Tim Burton’s 1993 animated Film, “The Nightmare Before Christmas”. Brock’s original, Summer Dance closes out this session. Once again, lots of energy and drive, deep swing with a modal feel to it. The bridge in this tune is really unusual, and creates a great platform for Calvaire to really heat it up.
At the beginning I mentioned the sound stage created by my Maggies. This recording was particularly unusual in that regard. It places the listener right in the studio, among the musicians. No sounds are ever heard coming directly from the speakers. The drums are behind and to the right of the right speaker, in the corner of the room. The piano and bass are behind and to the left of the left speaker. And Brock’s violin is directly to the left of the listener with overtones spanning the entire sound stage. While certainly an unconventional staging pattern, and clearly one that was not 100% natural, but rather created with some editorial magic, nevertheless it is a really fun experience for the listener!
All in all, this is another wonderful contribution by Zach Brock. His knowledge of and commitment to the art are manifest; his virtuosity indisputable, his energy and enthusiasm contagious, and his voice so profoundly unique. Check it out!
Jim's Jazz Notes 