CD Reviews: Marshall Vente Trio “Marshall Arts”
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Posted by: editoron Sunday, March 22, 2009 - 09:08 AM |
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By: Edward Blanco
Long-time Chicago jazz musician Marshall Vente is a keyboardist, composer, arranger and band leader of several groups. When the Chicago Sessions record label, which specializes in featuring establishes as well as undiscovered Chicago jazz artists, approached Vente for this album, he decided to feature the music from his two trios, the straight ahead jazz combo with bassist Scott Mason and drummer Isidoro “Isi” Perez and three tracks with his Tropicale Trio propelled by Brazilian-born drummer Luiz Ewerling and Jim Batson on the electric bass.
It is the music from his Tropicale Trio which, covers tunes like “Brazilian Folk Songs,” Samba Into The New Age” and “Ted's,” that tends to shape “Marshall Arts” as a decidedly Brazilian flavored album. Ironically, it is “Bossa 68” which is by far, the standout Brazilian-tinged piece of music on this recording and this one was performed with Mason and Perez who both form the heart of Vente's bands for more than twenty-five years. This number also includes appearances from Glenn Reitsma20on guitar and Chip Gdalman on alto flute.
But there's much more than just light bossa nova rhythms here, Vente crafts a spicy blend of contemporary straight ahead jazz with gorgeous melodies and crisp polished piano lines delivered with intensity. The straight ahead sounds starts with the beautiful and intricate chart,
“A Bill Evans Tune For RA” and flows to such creative scores like the “Black Circle” and “Song for The Peshmerga.” Just listen to Vente's “Endless Intensity,” performed with, as the liner notes state, “startling unison of alto flute and bowed bass,” for a taste of lively straight jazz. Vente follows this track with the sizzling modern jazz sounds of “Centering” and ends the session with the soft ballad-like “Pathos 2.75” where the pianist is the most pronounced dancing all over the keys.
Clearly one of the elite trio albums around, “Marshall Arts” blends a sophisticated version of straight jazz with tender bossa rhythms in one nice musical package that one will surely get a kick out of. Marshall Vente's talents as a composer, arranger and musician, are all displayed on this recording and let's not forget the excellent musicianship of his combos—all together making this album20a must for the discerning jazz audience.
Year: 2008
Label: Chicago Sessions
Artist Web: www.Marshallvente.com
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