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CD Reviews: Howard Britz’s ‘Here I Stand’
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Posted by: eJazzNews Readeron Tuesday, March 18, 2008 - 07:07 PM |
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Here I Stand
Tee Zee Records
(Rec. October 2007)
Review by John Stevenson
Arguably one the more robust releases for 2008, Howard Britz’s ‘Here I Stand’ raises the bar from both compositional and bass-playing perspectives.
Bucking the trend towards near-slavish dependence on jazz standards, Britz ably demonstrates that he is conversant with tradition. What’s more, he makes his independent mark as a writer of catchy, and sometimes complex melodic pieces.
On the bright opening number, “Yaakology”, penned for Israeli drummer Yaaki Levi, Les-McCann-like gospel inflections playfully collide with Latin strains, artfully assisted by the remarkable ensemble and solo work of drummer Sylvia Cuenca and pianist George Colligan. Cuenca’s time-keeping is in notable lock-step with the gently persuasive lope of Britz’s plucked notes; a stance that becomes even more evident on the alternating second-line-shuffle/hard-bopping swing of “Lucky Friday the 13th”.
Which brings me to the horns on the CD. Alto saxophonist Casey Benjamin and trumpeter David Smith were surely brought on for their considerably combustible instrumental talents. Listeners can bear ear-witness to their burning blowing abilities on the hairpin changes to “New York Roast”.
But ‘Here I Stand’ essentially expresses the innate musicality of London-born, US-resident Britz. He has that special ability to channel aspects of Ray Brown and Scott La Faro (to mention a few of his influences) without being wholly imitative of either. A great example of this is on “Brown & Sizzle”, putting on show Britz’s elegant, dependable, rhythmic gait. It closely mirrors Ray Brown’s instrumental sophistication, recalling memories of the good old Oscar Peterson days. George Colligan’s bluesy flourishes also pleasantly tickle the ear.
“Goodbye (for Dad)”, written in memory of Britz’s recently departed father, is the mellowest of the eight original tunes on the CD. I would heartily agree with Howard that “it has resolve and peace in it as well as sadness”.
The cascading, downward-descending chords on the opening bars of “Oceans” blend in with Smith and Benjamin’s unison horn lines, Colligan’s intense but always inspiring solo – not to mention Britz’s probing pizzicato technique and Cuenca’s creative cross-sticking and polyrhythmic drumming. “Scatterbug” exemplifies Britz’s complex writing skills, a harmonic journey full of tight corners, while the 7/4 tune “Martha’s Song”, triumphantly bookends a fine library of pieces.
At a time when a younger generation of jazzmen can oftentimes sound jaded with clichéd bop and post-bop affinities, Howard Britz invests a familiar jazz tradition with new and inspiring guises.
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