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| MATT ROLLINGS "THE VALENTINE SESSIONS" ALBUM RELEASE Friday, September 8th 7:30PM - 10:00PM @ The Django NYC Matt Rollings gained fame after joining Lyle Lovett's group in 1986, and since then he has appeared on over 1, 500 recordings with the who's who of country music, pop and rock. Rollings' acclaimed 2020 release, "Matt Rollings Mosaic" featured a "who's who" of iconic collaborators and hinted that he was headed back in a jazz direction. However his roots are in jazz and his early heroes were Oscar Peterson, Ramsey Lewis, and Bill Evans. The Valentine Sessions (which is a digital-only release) is the brilliant pianist's first trio album since 1990's Balconies. Joined by bassist David Piltch and drummer Elizabeth Goodfellow, Rollings performs ten of his originals which colorfully cover a variety of styles and moods. The opener, "Groove With A View, " is quite infectious with Rollings playing boogie-woogie type patterns during a particularly catchy performance. The uptempo "Catch The Rabbit" has an eccentric melody before the trio starts cooking with Rollings sounding a bit inspired by Bill Evans' chord voicings. "Small Bossa" features a pretty melody and finds the pianist drawing out the tune's beauty. He follows that up with "Weird Habit, " a quirky song that hints at Thelonious Monk and swings in its own way, and the moody and melancholy waltz "Always Waiting." The second half of the program begins with a piece built off of a simple rhythmic phrase ("Beez Buzz Blues"), the thoughtful and sophisticated ballad "Song 1, " and "Happy, Sad (Sad, Happy)" which evolves into becoming a joyful Latin jazz-flavored romp. The set concludes with the soulful but unpredictable "Chaos, Edith" which one could imagine Keith Jarrett playing, and the tender "Waltz For Bill, " a tribute to Bill Evans. Matt Rollings was originally a jazz pianist who attended the Berklee College of Music in the early 1980s. However after he joined Lyle Lovett, he moved to Nashville and became a top session player, producer, and arranger. Rollings' musical talents and versatility were obvious from the start and resulted in him having an endless resume. In addition to working with Lovett for over 30 years, he has contributed to recordings by the likes of Eric Clapton, Willie Nelson, Billy Joel, Johnny Cash, Queen, Metallica, the Dixie Chicks, Alison Krauss, Mavis Staples, Sheryl Crow, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Reba McEntire, Bruce Springsteen, and countless others. Back in 1990, Rollings led a jazz trio album (Balconies) that teamed him with bassist John Patitucci and drummer-percussionist Carlos Vega. Since then he has occasionally recorded in jazz settings, including with Larry Carlton, Kirk Whalum, Mark O'Connor, and Martin Taylor. However The Valentine Sessions (which was recorded at Valentine Recording Studios in Los Angeles) is his first jazz showcase in decades. Matt Rollings shows throughout The Valentine Sessions that, in addition to his many other accomplishments, he is a top-notch jazz pianist with a style of his own. Artist: MATT ROLLINGS TRIO Title: THE VALENTINE SESSIONS Artist Website: www.mattrollings.com Release Date: Sept. 8, 2023 (Digital Only) Label: Found Records Catalog Number: 836410 UPC Code: 197368940878 TRACK LISTING 1. Groove With a View (5:37) Written by Matt Rollings 2. Catch the Rabbit (3:27) Written by Matt Rollings 3. Small Bossa (3:19) Written by Matt Rollings 4. Weird Habit (3:37) Written by Matt Rollings 5. Always Waiting (4:31) Written by Matt Rollings & David Hungate 6. Beez Buzz Blues (4:03) Written by Matt Rollings 7. Song 1 (4:45) Written by Matt Rollings 8. Happy, Sad (Sad, Happy) (5:02) Written by Matt Rollings 9. Chaos, Edith (4:15) Written by Matt Rollings 10. Waltz for Bill (4:28) Written by Matt Rollings Total Time: 41:44 write your comments about the article :: © 2023 Jazz News :: home page |