Andrew Hadro, For Us, The Living

For the present-era we might reflect back on these first years of the millennium and remember all that we've all been through. . . some things quite unexpected and traumatic, other things very promising. And so the music we create as collective beings, as artists and as listeners, you would think would reflect those experiences.

Baritone saxist and music-smith Andrew Hadro came through it like the rest of us. And perhaps the depth of feeling you hear in his music, the lyric and expressive passion does reflect the "having been".

Certainly his album For Us, The Living (Tone Rogue 002) has a concentrated, centered sort of purposefulness to it that may be something "of our time". There are mostly Andrew's compositions represented here, with a few others, not standards, to mix things up.

The band is quite together. Matt Wilson gets the drum chair and he gives us that smart-precise-driving artistry going that adds to any modern jazz session. Daniel Foose has the double-bass slot. He gives dimension to the compositional thrust here and makes a great pair with Matt. Carmen Staaf has a harmonic sense and pianistic facility with the space to express himself.

Andrew gets a baritone sound that can be light and airy as well as forceful and rough-hewn. He is a voice for today. On flute he breaks things up nicely and is no slouch. His writing stays in the mind too.

For us, the living comes out of Lincoln's Gettysburg Address, which celebrated 150 years in 2013. The great task remaining before us continues to loom, so Lincoln's words remain as crucial as ever.

This album has staying power. Andrew Hadro gives notice. He intends to remain before us in the best sense, for a long time to come. This one has much to recommend it. It promises even greater things from Maestro Hadro! Get it!

Rhys Tivey, No Voice No More

Trumpeter-composer Rhys Tivey may be young (we all were at one time) but he has already formed a particular way of making music, as heard on his quartet disk No Voice No More (self released).

The stage is set for us by the title cut, a pentatonic lament. We have no voice any longer; music will be our voice. From there we go on to three more Tivey numbers, then a cooperative work in five parts by the entire quartet. The music closes out with the standard "My One and Only Love".

The group is a well-matched one. Pianist Jean-Michel Pilc plays an important role fleshing out the harmonic implications of the numbers and soloing in that very developed way of his. Tivey has a matter-of-fact tone on trumpet with a brooding quality in the middle-to-lower register, some brilliance at the top and a very definite feel for phrasing directly and memorably. No, not like Miles, exactly, but pared down to essentials in ways Miles might have appreciated.

The drums-bass rhythm team of Ross Pederson and Sam Minaie has a role to fill in the music and does so with the right feel.

The Tivey numbers stand out as distinctive; the five part "Dream" series is key centered and freely inventive. The foursome come up with a moody stance that is pre-patterned as well as free-wrought, which stands out in ways that stay in the mind. The standard has a Chet Baker-like vocal which perhaps may be classed as inessential. But no matter.

Tivey has determined to strike out on his own. This introduction gives us reason to appreciate his single-mindedness. Pilc sounds great too and the whole band gives you a very special sound that gets your attention and doesn't let go. Keep going, Rhys Tivey! Give this one a listen.