 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|
 |
Hep Records - HEP-CD2060 |
|
 |
Jay Thomas (trumpet, alto flute, soprano & alto sax); Travis Shook (piano); Larry Fuller (piano); Craig Hoyer (piano); Phil Sparks (bass); Doug Miller (bass); Jon Wikan (drums); John Bishop (drums); Bill Ramsay (alto sax); John Goforth (alto sax); Greg Schroeder (trombone); Gary Shutes (trombone); Denny Goodhew (clarinet) |
|
|
“Thomas,
..would attract attention if only for his versatility. He also has a great
ear for tunes....” “This is a lively release with plenty of program variety...” “This is a well-played session with enough variety - thanks again
to Thomas’ versatility - to holds one’s interest throughout.” “..it is important to note that Thomas, roots/routes are as boppish
as could be. But his daring energy - a profuse ability to execute original, re-contoured renditions
of tunes not his own - is grandly pleasing. I recommend this one.” “Thomas is a consummate musician and this rendition - warm, full-bodied, close to the chest and heart - proves that without question.” |
||
|
* * * * * By Bob Blumenthal, Boston Globe - March 17th, 1995 One benefit of the current jazz classicist phase is a growing effort
to turn more of these tunes into certified jazz standards. A perfect
example is Seattle trumpeter Jay Thomas' new album, "360 Degrees,"
on the Scottish Hep Jazz label. Thomas, who plays trumpet, flugelhorn,
soprano sax, alto sax, tenor sax, alto flute and even adds a wordless
vocal part at one point, would attract attention if only for his
versatility. He also has a great ear for tunes, including Paul Chambers'
"Whims of Chambers," Kenny Dorham's "A Waltz,"
Jimmy Rowles' "Peacocks" and Mulgrew Miller's "Wing
Span," several of which are attractively embellished by efficient
arrangements and overdubbing. Thomas' best effort at tune retrieval
is McCoy Tyner's "Aisha", a ballad heard in John Coltrane's
"Ole" (Atlantic). Coltrane played the beautiful melody
on soprano and did not solo, while Thomas used trumpet and emphasizes
brass in his sextet arrangement. By Derek Ansell, Jazz Journal International - June 1995 Multi-instrumentalist and vocalist Thomas has assembled a batch
of musicians from his hometown in Seattle and produced a session
of mainstream hard bop with neat, clean arrangements by saxist Ramsay,
Jack Perciful and the leader himself. He also produced the record
and probably made the tea and swept the studio after the recording.
He appears to be equally fluent on all the instruments he plays
here and there are highly serviceable solos on offer from Shutes
on trombone, Goodhew on baritone and saxophonist Ramsay. Cheryl
clips along at a brisk speed and features a bright soprano solo
by the leader. Tyner's Aisha is played at the same tempo as the
Coltrane original and Jay's plaintive trumpet solo sounds very much
like a flugelhorn to me. Valse is light and springy with another
airy flugelhorn segment floating above the rhythm. A change of pace
and mood comes along with Peacocks, the leader fashioning mellow
flute lines. The 'vocals' consist of a sort of chanting by some
of the musicians. Paul Chamber's blues line Whims Of Chambers gets
a straight-ahead interpretation with fine Jay and rippling piano
lines by Craig Hoyer. This is a lively release with plenty of program
variety and some well constructed solo work; no new ground is broken
but everyone works well in the mainstream tradition. By Jack Bowers, Cadence - July 1995 While the story that someone once looked in Webster's dictionary
under "versatile" and found the definition "Jay Thomas"
is apocryphal, there's no doubt that the Seattle-based Thomas is
something of a Renaissance man among contemporary jazz musicians,
playing soprano, alto and tenor saxophones, trumpet and flugelhorn,
alto flute and, for an encore doubling (on "Peacocks")
as a wordless vocal chorus. What is the more remarkable is that
Thomas plays each of the aforementioned instruments quite well,
and in the case of trumpet/flugelhorn, tenor saxophone and alto
flute, often exceptionally well. He is perhaps weakest, if that
is the proper word, on soprano saxophone - an assessment with which
Thomas may agree, as he plays soprano only on "Cheryl."
His trumpet or flugel, on the other hand, is heard on nine of twelve
tracks including five of the most pleasing - Kenny Dorham's "A
Waltz," bassist Paul Chambers' blues, "Whims Of Chambers,"
Claus Ogerman's "Valse," Ellington/Strayhorn's oft-played
"Isfahan" and Thomas' own toe-tapper, "Blues For
McVouty." Thomas' breathy tenor is perfectly suited to the
lovely Ellington ballad, "All Too Soon," as is his melodic
alto flute to the standard "My Ideal," and pianist Jimmy
Rowles' "Peacocks." While the leader's various horns and
woodwinds occupy much of the solo space, there are listenable excursions
along the way by alto saxophonist Bill Ramsay, trombonist Gary Shutes,
bassist Doug Miller and pianists Travis Shook and Larry Fuller,
with the instrumental makeup on the various tracks ranging from
quartet to septet. This is a well-played session with enough variety
- thanks again to Thomas' versatility - to hold one's interest throughout. By Andy Bartlett, Earshot - March 1995
By W.Y., Rapport Magazine - Vol.18 #6 Thomas, a decade later, is a more assured and venturesome musician, playing not only trumpet but also alto and tenor saxes, and flutes, knows his fuller capabilities and obviously has worked here to please himself as well as his listeners, to hell with fame and fortune. Listen to his version of All Too Soon on tenor sax and you’d never know that this instrument was his second choice. Thomas is a consummate musician and this rendition -- warm, full-bodied, close to the chest and heart -- proves that without question. But Cheryl is a musical jigsaw that tests a listener’s patience. A mosaic of sorts, Thomas works a soprano sax on this one while Shook’s piano offers support then a forward thrust. Bassist Phil Sparks, too, gets a share in the patchwork effect. Credit must be given for all of the musicians’ courage in attempting such an abstract, challenging work. A nice, fluid waltz simply titled A Waltz is another Kenny Dorham tune and Thomas works an impressive number of musical registers on his trumpet, and there’s even a trombone passage by Greg Schroeder that helps out. Why Not ? gives Bill Ramsay the alto sax solo with Fuller on the piano and Thomas on trumpet filling the gaps. The music is an easy walk for listeners but obviously complex for the players. McCoy Tyner’s Aisha gives us a mellow Thomas trumpet with Gary Shutes working his trombone effectively. Tyner never writes easy stuff so, while it is interesting enough for listeners, they will appreciate it the more times they hear it. The only standard is My Ideal with Thomas on alto flute, obviously comfortable
as he ventures afield from the main theme to display flourishes and hues that
graph his musical technique upon the tune. Fuller takes strong piano licks here
also adding his personal fringes to the fabric. The closer is Duke Ellington’s
Isfahan, again Thomas’ adventurous turn on what was always a complex item
from Duke’s catalogue. But Thomas, 10 years later than on his first disc,
knows he can deliver on any instrument and does. Doug Miller’s bass and
Fuller’s piano wander over various avenues of the creation. This disc will
effectively intrigue and fascinate listeners while entertaining them.
|
||
The
advent of multi-instrumentalism came before the "new thing"
in jazz, but it was the avant garde who pushed the envelope on donning
multiple axes. From Rahsaan Roland Kirk's rack of various, often
modified horns to the array in instruments offered up by Sun Ra's
Arkestras and the Art Ensemble of Chicago, the lineage is often
missed when critics discuss the work of trumpeter, saxophonist and
flutist Jay Thomas. While clearly a bop oriented player fond of
an Ellingtonian depth of accompaniment, Thomas' reservoir of expertise
on his various horns recalls Rahsaan and Sun Ra in spirit if not
in form and, in a way, echoes the achievement of Joe McPhee and
the late Hal Russell. Of course, offering up these names isn't meant
to suggest that Thomas is a free player except for his ability to
shift embouchures, fingerings, tone and architectonics from tune
to tune so expertly that one has to think of him at every bit the
trumpeter, every bit the saxist, and so on. With 360 Degrees, Thomas,
too offers his finest recording to date. This is partially due to
the disc's overall looseness, a feature enhanced by the all-local,
revolving coterie of players like Doug Miller, Travis Shook, John
Bishop, Denney Goodhew, et al. From the sextet tunes (Ellington's
"All Too Soon," and "Isfahan," Kenny Dorham's
"A Waltz," Mulgrew Miller's "Wing Span," Houston
Person's "Why Not," McCoy Tyner's "Aisha" and
Thomas' own "Blues For McVouty") to the four quartet numbers
(and a quintet number to boot), Thomas exudes a sharp sense of extensions
at every turn. That is, he can dig gleefully into Ellington with
abounding fat tone; tackle Kenny Dorham's more shaded tones with
an apropos ingathered calm; and churn Charlie Parker's classic "Cheryl"
with a Coltranesque approach to the soprano saxophone's fringes.
Indeed "Cheryl" the CD's opener, leaps out of the gate
with an unaccompanied pass over the melody from Thomas and Phil
Sparks, dealing the bop gem a glancing reshaping that seems only
possible from Thomas on a recording so imbued with his wood shedding
'home team' (as opposed to his last batch of side players, who seemed
so set in their ways they were unlikely to catch the spark of Thomas'
inventiveness). Pianists Travis Shook, Larry Fuller and Craig Hoyer
each deserve credit for backing Thomas with mercurial palettes that
suggest they were thoroughly 'at home' on their respective outings
and were encouraged to explore. Though I began this review with
a free (r) jazz lineage to multi-instrumentalism, it is important
to note that Thomas' roots/routes are as boppish as could be. But
his daring energy - a profuse ability to execute original, re-contoured
renditions of tunes not his own - is grandly pleasing. Who could
find fault with a program that offers "Whims Of Chambers"
in an outleaning bag amidst so many other oddities. I recommend
this one.