ADAM
LEVY
BUTTERMILK CHANNEL
2001 Lost Wax Music
"The
organ is one of those instruments in jazz that
polarizes people. Nonetheless, the so-called
'classic' organ trio has enjoyed a certain level
of popularity, represented most successfully
by the funky groove-based organ style pioneered
by Jimmy Smith. However, players like Larry
Young sought to break out of the formulaic blues
and soul jazz grooving in favor of more exploratory
and swirling sound. While largely dormant for
most of the 1970s and 1980s, organ groups have
reappeared recently. There are several players
who can groove with the best of them but also
employ intriguing sonic textures and an exploratory
approach. One such player, who is featured here,
is Larry Goldings, whose wide textural palette
and deft playing make this record worth checking
out.
"Adam
Levy, the leader of this session, is a New-York
based guitarist with an impressive resumé,
including work with Tracy Chapman, Sex Mob and
John Zorn. His tone is twangy, with a touch
of delay and distortion, reminding one of John
Scofield and Bill Frisell. His sound serves
him well for this program. Specifically, Buttermilk
Channel is Levy's most recent release, featuring
a tight trio of himself, the aforementioned
Goldings and the always interesting drumming
of Kenny Wollesen. The music here is not an
electro-fusion meltdown or a free jazz blowout,
but rather, an easygoing session.
"The
trio runs through a program of seven compositions
penned by Levy. Goldings' aforementioned technique
is the perfect foil for Levy's laid back technical
approach and, all the while, Wollesen's adroit
brushwork propels the music forward. Despite
the sameness in tempo, the record mixes several
stylistic components. For example, the groove
('Buttermilk Channel'), samba-like ('That's
All She Wrote'), straight up blues shuffle ('I
Guess'), a jazz ballad ('Out of Harm's Way'),
a Scofield-influenced groove number, perhaps
dedicated to him ('Dear John'), a Caribbean
vibe ('Orange You Glad') and traditional easygoing
soul jazz ('Sphere of Influence').
"I
must admit that during the first few listens,
I was disappointed because the program's tone,
meter and approach were too similar. Given Levy's
resume and the presence of Goldings and Wollesen,
I had expected this to be a more progressive
release. However, after successive listens,
I began to appreciate the subtlety and restraint.
Further, the level of rapport between these
musicians is engaging. Goldings' sometimes swirling,
sometimes funky organ pastiches and Levy's use
of space cause the listener to hang on every
note. Thus, Buttermilk Channel is certainly
not for adventurous music lovers, but for those
seeking pleasant yet interesting music from
top-notch musicians.
—onefinalnote.com
