Jazz Times: "...delightful...a winner"
Review of "Rokermotion"
Without any major label backing, devoid of any young fashion plate or instantly recognizable jazz veteran fronting the lineup; not even a kitschy pitching tool, this delightful ensemble seems destined for doom in the dog eat dog world of jazz industry.
But since their inception six years ago, this no frills ensemble has managed to thrill New York's jazz mecca with their shameless dedication to hard-bop of the '50s and '60s.And why not?
Those momentous decades are not only the most long lasting variation in the jazz canon, but also have served as fertile ground for a host of young lions.
So what makes this recording any different?
Well, not only does it have the legendary, yet widely underappreciated, Mickey Roker igniting the proceedings with his customary fiery-loose knitted technique, but the combined elements of the convincing, well conceived solos from trumpeter Joe Magnarelli and tenor Jerry Weldon, the superbly supple support system provided by by bassist Bim Strasberg and pianist Keith Saunders, the overall excellence of group empathy, and lastly a staunch collection of keenly-penned compositions, make this recording a winner.
--JOHN MURPH
June, 1997
The Los Angeles Times: "...this group stands out"
In a step upward from local trios to larger groups from out of town, the Club Brasserie at the Bel Age Hotel in West Hollywood hit just the right chord Tuesday with a New York band known as The HardBop Quintet.
Led by the eclectically excellent pianist Keith Saunders, this enthusiastic unit is precisely what its name implies, conjuring up images of an idiom that flourished in the 1960's and has never really gone away.
The front-line sound is one that was long associated with groups led by Art Blakey and Horace Silver: trumpet and tenor sax, playing themes in unison and occasional harmony.
Every man in the band is a writer. Bud Powell's fascinatingly eerie "Un Poco Loco" was arranged by the drummer Eddie Ornowski; Jerry Weldon, the tenor saxophonist, whose sound is muscularly engaging, wrote "Leroy Street." Gordon Jenkins' elagiac "Goodbye" is a chart by bassist Bim Strasberg, and Saunders himself contributed "99-9," with a tenor solo that was fluid drive incarnate.
With trumpeter Joe Magnarelli (best known for his work in Toshiko Akioshi's band) as a fleet and fiery partner for Weldon, this group stands out whether playing one of its own creations or bringing back half-forgotten pop songs such as "How Little We Know." One can only hope that this auspicious debut will result in a swift return booking.
--LEONARD FEATHER
February 24, 1994DownBeat: "...crackling intensity"
The N.Y. HardBop Quintet has a lot to live up to. The band has named itself after the revered mid-'50s to mid-'60s outgrowth of bebop--a compelling, evocative style that had a darker, bluesier cast than its predecessor and sported alluring melodies on top of insistent, persuasive rhythms. The hard-bop period was epitomized by the emotional and deep music of Art Blakey, Horace Silver, and Sonny Rollins.
The new HardBop unit is worthy of its namesake. The ensemble, started in the summer of 1991 and now represented by its debut release--The Clincher on the Swiss TCB label (distributed domestically)--is the real thing. Led by pianist Keith Saunders and featuring Jerry Weldon (tenor saxophone) and Joe Magnarelli (trumpet) in the front line, the band delivers mostly originals à la Silver and Blakey with a crackling intensity, high- level improvisations and a pure-pleasure mellifluousness that holds the listener rapt.
Don't be misled: This is no mere copycat crew. The HardBop's original tunes have a '50's flavor and groove but a '90s slant. Their numbers are all arranged to include introductions, interludes, and climactic shout choruses. "Those elements add to the music," says Saunders, 35, who handles the arduous chore of booking engagements. "We need as much variety as we can get, to make the music interesting for the audience, and for us too."
Saunders, Magnarelli and bassist Bim Strasberg first played as a unit on an adhoc trip to Japan under the aegis of drummer Eddie Ornowski (who has since left the band; Clifford Barbaro is currently the working drummer) back home in New York, these 30-somethings decided to form a quartet, which became a quintet when Magnarelli brought Weldon (they'd met on Lionel Hampton's band) to a jam session. "We couldn't not hire him. He's such an incredible, dynamic player, and he and Joe play melodies together as if they came from the same womb," says Saunders, a Van Nuys, California native who's lived in Queens for a decade.
At first, the HBQ appeared solely in and around Manhattan, originally playing the defunct Village Gate, The Angry Squire, and more recently at Visiones and Small's, where they performed in November. Now, there have been tours: two to California (in 1994 and early 1995) and one just completed to the Midwest, where the group performed in Chicago, Cincinnati, Cleveland and other climes.
While its members are dedicated, the HBQ still cannot thrive on the intermittent work it gets. Its members make a living working as sidemen, and occasionally as leaders (both Weldon and Magnarelli have albums out. Five X Five on Cat's Paw Records and Bella Carolina on Criss Cross, respectively).
The pianist offers this no-bull view of the band's future: "We love that we have a CD. That gets us over the hump, separates us from other bands. But we need to work more, 20-22 weeks a year. That might get us noticed by a major promoter, would give us the chance to hone our music, let us see what we can do."
--ZAN STEWART
January, 1996
The San Diego Union-Tribune: "...graduated to the top tier"
Jazz is an art form generally practiced by musicians in groups, but enduring bands are something of a rarity.
Economics, egos and a need for schedule flexibility all conspire to make long-term associations an unusual musical phenomenon. 'Tis a pity, because only by putting in countless hours rehearsing and performing are improvisers able to create jazz at the highest level, playing with an intuitive communication that can approach the paranormal.
The New York-based HardBop Quintet has been out there fighting the odds for six years now, and the dues paid by the young band can be heard clearly in their music.
"There's a lot of camaraderie and mutual admiration for each other's ability," said bassist Bim Strasberg, a former San Diegan who co-leads the band along with pianist Keith Saunders. "Everyone has alot of creative input."
The HardBop Quintet, which also features tenor saxophonist Jerry Weldon, trumpeter Joe Magnarelli and special guest drummer Dick Berk, plays The Bristol Court Hotel downtown tomorrow and Saturday.
With its descriptive name and classic trumpet/tenor instrumentation, the group leaves little doubt about its musical orientation. pioneered by trumpeter Clifford Brown, pianist Horace Silver and drummer Art Blakey in the mid 1950's, the hard-bop movement simplified bebop's harmonic complexity while adding a large dose of blues and gospel.
"That's our jumping off point, where we're all rooted, but none of us feel limited by the title," Strasberg said. "We're all writing music that stretches the boundaries of hard bop in many ways. Really, were just trying to play music that swings and feels good and is lyrical."
The most distinctive element of the band's sound is the way Weldon's tenor and Magnarelli's trumpet blend together. Their subtle voicings turn each head arrangement, a tune's opening melodic theme, into a finely crafted aural statement.
"Jerry and Joe have played together for a long time," Strasberg said. "In the early 80's they were in Lionel Hampton's band together and they used to go out after gigs and just play 'heads' together, so they breath as one."
In the swing department, drummer Dick Berk is a lithe, rhythmically inventive powerhouse. A veteran drummer who has worked with such jazz legends as Charles Mingus, Freddie Hubbard and Milt Jackson, Berk has helped launch the careers of many excellent young players, including HardBop pianist Saunders, through his band The Jazz Adoption Agency.
The HardBop Quintet's penchant for hooking up with master drummers is what makes their just-released CD, "Rokermotion" on the European label TCB, something of a jazz event. The album features Mickey Roker, a hard-driving and highly musical drummer who is best known for powering one of the late Cannonball Adderley's greatest bands.
Roker now lives in Philadelphia, where he's the house drummer at a club The HardBop Quintet occasionally works.
"He was one of a half a dozen drummers I always dreamt of being able to play with," Strasberg said. "He's a magnificent drummer and musician, and he's got great ears."
"When we first went down to Philly as a band, I didn't want to put any music in front of him," Strasberg said. "I just wanted to let him do his thing. And inevitably, almost the first time through the melody, he just instinctively knew what to play. His groove is just amazing and infectious."
The new album should help cement the band's national following, a fan base built through constant touring.
"Each time out, we're a little bit more ambitious," Strasberg said. "It's good exposure and hopefully it will lead to other stuff. We met Ronnie Scott last week at the Santa Barbara Jazz Festival -- he runs London's best jazz club -- and he was enthusiastic about the band. We want to get to Europe. I think we're ready to branch out."
The band has already graduated to the top tier of New York clubs, but as each musician's reputation grows, it becomes more of a challenge to keep the band together.
"As the years go by, we all have more happening, so it's harder to get everyone together for rehearsals or gigs," Strasberg said. "Jerry's going out with Jack McDuff and Jimmy McGriff and just recorded with Al Grey. Joe's working with Toshiko Akiyoshi and he's got his own recording deal."
--ANDREW GILBERT
September 13, 1996
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