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| Pianist/Composer DAVE BASS' "TRIO NUEVO," A Follow-Up to His Critically Acclaimed Trio Albums TRIO NUEVO is the most exciting and adventurous trio album yet by pianist, composer, and arranger DAVE BASS. Both his playing and composing have reached a new level, with his eclectic tastes encompassing styles ranging from Bach to bebop and beyond. TRIO NUEVO, Bass' seventh album as a leader, is sure to be hailed as a stunning success. When Bass first started recording albums back in 2010, he worked with horn players and singers that included some of the top names in jazz, including Phil Woods, Conrad Herwig, Ernie Watts, Ted Nash, and Ignacio Berroa. The albums were very well received and found their way to the top of the JazzWeek radio charts. He received stellar reviews right from his first outing, Gone, which featured vocalist Mary Stallings. All About Jazz said, "There's an art in putting together a collection that successfully takes on as many sub-genres as Bass does. Staying within the constitution and temperament of jazz, allowing for improvisation and being inclusive, is an underrated skill but it is also the essence of jazz." Bass followed Gone with No Boundaries (2019) and NYC Sessions (2015), which DownBeat named as one of the "Best Albums" of the year. But in 2021, Bass decided to switch gears and adopted the trio format. "I think playing in a trio is one of the most challenging situations for a musician, " says Bass. "The spotlight is on each player, forcing you to play at the highest level. But it's also perhaps the most satisfying configuration, because you can really develop a kind of telepathy with other musicians." His first trio recording was aptly named The Trio, Vol. 1. He followed that in 2022 with The Trio, Vol. 2 and again in 2023 with The Trio, Vol. 3. Goldmine Magazine said, "Vol. 3 is a tour-de-force of mighty ensemble playing and soloing." Bass sought a new configuration for TRIO NUEVO, given the new compositional roads he was traveling. Joining Bass on his newest release are TYLER MILES (double bass) and STEVE HELFAND (drums), both highly accomplished players. Bass' music career almost came to an end in the mid-1980s when an accident changed the trajectory of his life. He had been immersed in the vibrant San Francisco jazz and Latin music scene since the 1970s, leading his own group and often playing with friends Bobby McFerrin, drummer Babatunde Lea, and jazz vocalist Jackie Ryan. On his way to a gig, he slipped and fell, causing a painful wrist fracture. His doctors were not optimistic that he would ever play piano again, and with a wife and young daughter to support, he needed to find another way to make a living. He enrolled at the University of California, Irvine, graduating Phi Beta Kappa and Summa Cum Laude, and then continued his education at UCLA School of Law. Bass began his successful legal career in 1992 at a prestigious law firm, and then in 1996 he accepted the position as Deputy Attorney General with the California Office of the Attorney General, where he eventually joined the Civil Rights Enforcement. Bass' long-forgotten dreams of playing and composing jazz were re-kindled in 2005 when he was invited to play some impromptu solo piano during a private party while the band took a break. After so many years, his wrist had healed. He began attending local jam sessions. He once again felt the deep satisfaction of playing piano, composing, arranging, and writing lyrics to tell his stories through music. Bass retired from the law profession in 2015 to dedicate himself fulltime to his music career after a nearly 20 year hiatus. Bass opens TRIO NUEVO with one of his compositions, "These Times, " on which he sets out to capture the chaos and uncertainty of the times we live in. The composition comprises written parts, including some fairly abstract counterpoint and free jazz improvisation with changing tempos. Other Bass originals include "August, " featuring a beautiful intro and solo by Miles on bass, "December, " a mournful tune underpinned by Miles' arco work, and "Gone, " which Bass reprises from his debut album. Bass also takes inspiration for his writing from other composers. He has had a longtime fascination with Bach, and his composition, "Three Views of Bach, " was influenced by Bach's "Partita #2" for piano. Bach wrote the piece in three parts, which Bass reimagines. In Bass' version, the first part features a free improvisation on Bach's harmonies. In section 2, he plays a fairly faithful rendition from the second section of Partita #2, and in section 3, he combines both a faithful rendition of the Partita and an improvisation on Bach's harmonies and rhythmic thrust. On "One Look, " Bass takes Gershwin's "Embraceable You" as a starting point and spins his own lovely romantic ballad. "Baby Melon" is a fast, swinging re-working of "My Melancholy Baby." Bass also pays tribute to compositions he has admired for many years. Bass' version of "As Time Goes By, " written by Herman Hupfeld in 1931 and featured in the 1942 film, Casablanca, is bluesy and soulful. Bass first heard Charlie Haden's "Sandino" in a live performance by Charlie's Liberation Music Orchestra on TV. And Bass re-harmonized Denny Zeitlin's "Offshore Breeze." TRIO NUEVO is a showcase for Bass' considerable chops and imagination as he moves effortlessly between free jazz, swing, and classical music. With strong support from Miles and Helfand, the album will appeal to jazz aficionados who love top notch musicianship in an eminently enjoyable package of diverse musical styles. write your comments about the article :: © 2024 Jazz News :: home page |