Fred Taylor Trio-Circling
Fred Taylor Trio ‘Circling’ around woodwinds for intimate reflection
Rating:*****
July 14, 2014 The Examiner.com
by Carol Banks Weber
"The trio format is ideal for Bob [Ackerman’s] jazz tunes. His writing and playing combine to enrich the listener with the full melodic and harmonic spectrum of his compositions, to which Rick [Crane] and I gladly add our propulsion and gravity. The result is an ensemble playing with great freedom — playing circles around and with each other" - Fred Taylor
Working jazz musician Fred Taylor was happily ensconced in the Mukilteo, WA area, gigging here and there, recording demos, performing acoustically, especially with his jazz-fusion bands, Inquest and Sanctuary (Gary Rollins, Craig Lawrence, the late Dana Brayton). The period between 1978 to the 1990s proved formative for the Spokane, WA native. Then, he went to New York City to study in the Drummer’s Collective after the turn of the century, and became even better.
Immersing himself in his studies and gigging with New York cats set off an intensity and composure to Taylor’s play. When he met saxophonist/reedist Bob Ackerman, things really got hopping. “I first met Bob Ackerman in 2005 while I was a student at the Drummer’s Collective in New York City,†Taylor described. “He was a regular at Cecil’s Jazz Club in West Orange, N.J., which had an open jam on Tuesday nights. I had heard about him and read of his recordings and appearances for years. I also knew that he was a sought-after expert in saxophone and flute technology. We played together at Cecil’s only a couple of times before I finished my schooling and came back to Mukilteo to finish recording Processional with the Inquest quartet.â€
Taylor returned to the East Coast in 2007, driving across the country in his camper to shop his new album around and keep up the friendships he made there. Inevitably, the drummer went back to Cecil’s, jamming with Ackerman on a weekly basis. The jams took on a permanent status, with Ackerman and his wife, jazz singer Pam Purvis, inviting Taylor to be a part of their trio.
When Taylor had a chance to return the favor for his own East Coast working band in 2008, he reached out to Ackerman, and then Ackerman suggested double-bassist Rick Crane. A few short rehearsals at Ackerman’s home, and a demo later, Circling arose. “Bob is a very interesting composer for ensembles of all sizes; when we started playing his originals I was thrilled with them,†Taylor detailed. “We had a couple of rehearsals at Bob’s home, then headed into Kobe Studios for what was intended to be a demo. After listening to the results, I decided to make it into our first CD.â€
The cover of the trio’s 2008 album is a photo of the Devil’s Tower Taylor took in between his Seattle-to-NYC commute. While making the stop, he noticed hawks and crows circling around the summit of the natural landmark, giving him the inspiration to match that idea with what Ackerman loves to do with his progressive winds music. A year after this new album came out, the trio would record the live version from the musicians’ favorite jamming hangout, Cecil’s — by popular demand. Look for another live album this year, with young Italian, electric bassist Francesco Beccaro.
The quality of Ackerman’s quiet, intensive music is evident. But so are the contributions of Taylor and Crane. Taylor’s drumming ability became much more cohesive and refined after playing with the big boys in New York. Check out Crane and Taylor’s solo track on “Circling.†Taylor waits on Crane, without overpowering the drive, yet drives a difference. Crane himself checks in on each harmonic break, using the spaces, dips, and dives of a natural progression. When Ackerman comes in on his sax, he’s free to do his own thing in keeping with the groundwork of his drummer and bassist. Taylor slips in his solo before the fade, nice and easy, building momentum, yet never bothering with the loud, caustic fireworks of an amateur. Maturity indeed. It’s as if he’s playing around with the notes, taking his time, finding his flavor — even laughing through his beats.
In many respects, Circling is Ackerman’s album. The songs’ natural rhythms center around his reeds and saxophone. On “Inventions I & II,†the flute-and-bass interplay enters a mesmerizing mix of progressive and alternative jazz. Ackerman makes his flute converse with Crane’s bass and Taylor’s drums, as if a bird lit into the recording room and began to make its own music. Thrusting the flute and bass into the spotlight — normally background, supporting players — works well in this piece. The musicians don’t try to be more than they are, yet they do master some reinvention, able to exact stories from the lesser-known, smaller instruments.
“LTD’s Ballad†could lay side by side on measured scope to Art Garfunkel’s pop hit, “I Only Have Eyes For You.†But the trio veers off-course at the last second into a swirling, circling detour before the comparisons get too deep. Ackerman shows excellent style and grip leading on clarinet in a straight-ahead jazz piece with traces of emerging styles in folk, world music, and avant-garde. Even his squeaks speak to the artistic range and the variable human touch, giving voice to the weak, character to the nebulous and airy. In essence, referring back to Taylor’s album cover analogy of nature’s wonderful allegory to three solid working musicians’ captured connection.
by Dave Miele - Jazz Improv Magazine January 2009
Fred Taylor is a talented and tasteful drummer
and bandleader. His latest release, Circling, is a collection
of swingin' tunes in a traditional jazz style,
the bulk of which were written by Taylor's reedman
Bob Ackerman (who plays alto, flute and clarinet on
the disc). Together with bassist Rick Crane, Taylor
and Ackerman present a bare bones, no-place-to-hide
program that truly displays the depth of each musician
in this highly sympathetic and interactive band.
The three men play as one living breathing entity
throughout Circling.
Five of the tunes on the disc were written by
Bob Ackerman. The first of these is the title track, a
medium swing, post-bop flavored number on which
Ackerman plays alto sax. His tone is biting and
brittle, highly emotive and uniquely original. Crane
takes the first solo, an adventurous thing. This is followed
with statements by both Ackerman and Taylor
before a return to the main melody. Another Ackerman
original, "Dexter's Thing" is a bossa-esque tune.
The exotic melody is delivered on clarinet, in a gentle
style. Ackerman also plays clarinet on his "LTD's
Ballad", an achingly slow and tender composition
with some fine brushwork from Taylor. The band
comes alive on their reading of the Ackerman tune
"My Response". Flute bass and drums act and react
as one on this highly interactive tune. The composition
displays unison playing, call and response type
figures and collective improvisation. The final Ackerman
song is "Lauren's Waltz" with a return to that
aching alto saxophone tone. This medium waltz is
somber and a bit foreboding.
Also featured on Circling is "Inventions I and
II". The piece seems to be a free and collective improvisation
(it is credited to the entire trio) and stands
as a testament to the musicality and sympathy with
which these musicians play with each other. The
program is rounded out by an interesting take on
"Dear Old Stockholm", which incorporates the standard
introduction into the form of the melody, and
"Moon and Sand", a medium swing number which
again features Ackerman on flute.
Fred Taylor shows great command of his instrument -
and his band - on each track of Circling.
When he's called on to solo - as in the title track -
he displays a virtuous and musical understanding of
modern jazz drums. When Taylor chooses to make
his statements more about the tune at hand and the
musicians with which heÃs performing, his taste and
simplicity abound. He's picked two magnificent
musicians to share his musicality with. He's found
a masterful composer in Ackerman and in Crane
a bass player who is so much more than an accompanist.
The Fred Taylor Trio plays trio music in the
manner of Bill Evans with a unique identity (not to
mention the lack of piano).
by John Vincent - JazzReview.com April 2009
Drummer Fred Taylor, a longtime veteran of the Seattle-area music scene, has been recording as a leader
and sideman for more than thirty years. Currently residing in New Jersey, Taylor presents his first east
coast production with Circling, a straight-ahead session featuring woodwind player Bob Ackerman and bassist
Rick Crane. The disc consists of two standards ("Dear Old Stockholm," "Moon and Sand"), a handful of Ackerman
originals and the collaborative improvised effort "Inventions I and II."
Ackerman's composing, lyrical and swinging, is a highlight of the disc. The bouncy and somewhat angular opening
track serves as a clear-cut introduction to the piano-less trio's concept: wide open space, highlighting intuitive
group interplay. Crane's up-in-the-mix bass lines and Taylor's subtle percussive pulse compliment the melodic and
improvised turns of Ackerman, who is equally effective on alto, flute and clarinet.
The bossa-to-swing groove of "Dexter's Thing" and easy flow of "LTD's Ballad" feature Ackerman's rich clarinet tone
and Crane's lucid, perhaps Ron Carter-inspired, bass flourishes. "My Response (K.G.)" and "Inventions I and II" present
a more free form approach while maintaining an accessible aesthetic. Taylor's patient, yet always present approach allows
the leader to express himself while letting his trio-mates shine--a quality sorely missed from so many drummer-led recordings.
Ackerman's "Lauren's Waltz," a soft musical cushion featuring light brushwork and flowing bebop lines, closes a satisfying
disc worthy of repeated listening.
by Bill Milkowski - Jazz Times Magazine May 2009
Drummer Fred Taylor showcases the compositions of respected alto
saxophonist and educator Bob Ackerman on this highly interactive
trio outing with bassist Rick Crane. Everyone is on equal footing
here, with Crane's agile upright basslines resounding in the mix as
prominently as Ackerman's sax, flute and clarinet. Together they turn
in a swinging rendition of "Dear Old Stockholm", along with Ackerman
gems like "LTD's Ballad" and "My Response". The keen-eared Taylor is
responsive to every nuance throughout, which is best exemplified on the
freewheeling "Inventions I and II".
by New Jersey Jazz Society - 'Jersey Jazz' December 2008
"The essence of jazz is the player" says NJJS member Fred Taylor, and
the spare, piano-less trio on his new CD offers ample room for three skillful
players to ply their artful trade. The progressive but musical disk features six
originals by fellow Jazz Society member Bob Ackerman among the CD's eight tracks. Veteran bassist Rick Crane rounds out the trio. |
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