Dave McDonnell

[Ian Thumwood]

A new name to me but recently signed to Delmark featuring this quartet plus a few celebrated guests in the form Jason Adasiesicz and Tomeka Reid, late of the Black Earth Society. the even excellent Frank Rosaly is on drums.

Recommended to those who like all things Chicago....

[Ian Thumwood]

Some Frank Rosaly too.....

[Ian Thumwood]

I've been listening to the Dave McDonnell CD "The time within a year" which includes a few well-known faces in Jason Adasiewizc and Frank Rosaly. The core quartet is pretty sensational and yet again shows Chicago musicians taking their cues from the kind of music produced by Jackie McLean, Andrew Hill and Bobby Hutcherson in the mid 1960's. McDonnell sometimes sounds almost tenor-like on the alto and the music is once again typical of the no-compromise jazz that Delmark seems to relish in releasing. There are three, shorter tracks featuring the cello of Tomeka Reid accompanied with electronics which are more akin to New Music. I have not played all these yet but this is the strongest new release that I have heard this year. The best track I have played is "Baker's man" which was inspired by Fletcher Henderson and has the chug-chug guitar driven rhythm redolent of the 1930's before featuring a free-improve middle that builds up a lot of excitement.

I see that there is a new Josh Berman trio schedule for release later in the year.

[Ian Thumwood]

The Classical side of Dave McDonnell which is a marked departure from the kind of stuff played by his quartet.

[Ian Thumwood]

This is rather good too:-

[charles t]

Thank you, indeed, Ian for that Dave McDonnell stuff, featuring Jason Adasiewicz.

Coincidentally, I had contacted Dave Rempis in Chicago following his Wheelhouse Boss Of The Plains release featuring Jason A. - whether to expect anything more. He told me, that, since bassist Dave McBride had gone West. . .

[Tom Audustus]

A new name to me but recently signed to Delmark featuring this quartet plus a few celebrated guests in the form Jason Adasiesicz and Tomeka Reid, late of the Black Earth Society. the even excellent Frank Rosaly is on drums.

Recommended to those who like all things Chicago....

Yes. I like that !!!!!!

Thanks for posting.

[Ian Thumwood]

Tom

Glad you liked the music.

I have a bit of an obsession at the moment with Delmark. One of the best things about jazz is discovering something new and I am frequently taking a punt on this label with musicians with whom I know little about only to find that I much prefer what they produce to a wealth of more celebrated names. The McDonnell disc is amazingly good, not only from the point of view of the playing but also due to the quality of the tunes. I had hoped that Bluesnik would have switched on to this musician as he reminds me so much of the excellent Jackie McLean. (probably another musician we could "agree" upon?)

I am finding that the current Chicago scene is producing jazz that is not bothered with popular trends or idioms with the music simply being all about creating music. Part of the appeal seems to be that is sounds like it has skipped the influence of the last 40 years and taken it's cues from the mid 1960's onwards as if it has woken up to the fact that there was still plenty of unfinished business. Anyone with an interest in the more edgier types of jazz is going to find plenty of rewards - just as Charles has with ex KV5 front man Dave Rempis.