JAM: August/September 2000 Issue: For The Record

Hennessy Brothers
FORGOTTEN STORIES
KevTone-121

Personnel: Sean Hennessy, guitar; Kevin Hennessy, acoustic & electric bass; Duncan Moore, drums; Rob Whitlock, piano & Hammond B-3; Dave Scott, trumpet; Peter Sprague, nylon string guitar on "Obrigado Tom," Tripp Sprague, tenor saxophone, pandeiro

Tracks: Forgotten Stories; Orion, the Hunter; Joe's Good Side; Bunkin' With Duncan; Obrigado Tom; Wes Coast; Chant

Recorded at Spragueland Studio, Leucadia, CA; Peter Sprague, engineer. Additional recording at the Wildlife Room, Columbia, MO; James Steffan, engineer.

This album is drenched in rich jazz traditions, covering a wide palette without losing a central, identifying sound. Missouri natives Sean and Kevin Hennessy, and Ruskin High alum Dave Scott, are joined by four other West Coast heavies for seven original compositions (six by Sean, one by Kevin).

Forgotten Stories starts off with a lilting 6/8 head, shifting through harmonies reminiscent of early Pat Metheny, breaking into a straightahead blowing rampage, particularly notable for Sean Hennessy's lyrical bebop leanings. It would be easy to pass this off as a lost recording of Emily Remler, with its clear, well developed structure and melodic sense.

"Orion, the Hunter," which was inspired by Sean's study of a McCoy Tyner solo, has the open, West Coast feel of vintage Wayne Shorter. It's up-tempo bebop featuring burning solos by Dave Scott and Sean Hennessy.

"Joe's Good Side," dedicated to Joe Diorio, with whom the brothers Hennessy studied in their youth, is a ballad featuring Tripp Sprague on tenor as well as Sean on guitar. Sean's ballad playing again calls early Pat Metheny to mind, probably a sign of their common influences (Sean sites Wes Montgomery and Pat Martino among them).

Kevin's compositional contribution, "Bunkin' With Duncan," is an up-tempo blues featuring Rob Whitlock on the Hammond B-3 as well as Sean's bop-oriented blues blowing.

"Obrigado Tom," a tribute to Antonio Carlos Jobim, brings in Peter Sprague on nylon string guitar to complement Sean creating a blend of instruments and styles familiar to fans of KC's Interstring.

With a bow to Wes Montgomery, "Wes Coast" brings the Hammond B-3 back out (Wes aficionados may remember an album called Boss Guitar, with a similar feel). And "Chant" closes out the CD and is a tune which Sean explains was written while studying Gregorian chant in school and listening to Coltrane at the same time. It is a haunting piece, with the muted trumpet of Dave Scott set against a moody bass line. A solo by Kevin harkens to some of the darker passages of Marc Johnson's Bass Desires recordings.

Columbia-based Sean Hennessy is clearly the central figure of this album. His compositions and blowing are the glue that holds the project together, though all the musicians involved are top-drawer. Traditional jazz lovers owe it to themselves to check out this CD, and to catch Sean live when he plays in the area.

Those hungry for more should also seek out Jim Widner's Body And Soul CD, which features Sean on guitar.

-- Rod McBride

For ordering information, call 573-445-3211. -- Ed.

Lyle Mays
SOLO,
Improvisations For Expanded Piano
Warner Brothers 9 47284-2

Personnel: Lyle Mays, piano, synthesizers
Tracks: This Moment; Let Me Count the Ways; We Are All Alone; The Imperative; Procession; Black Ice; Origami; Lightning Field; Locked In Amber; Long Life
Recorded August 1998 at Right Track, New York, NY; Rob Eaton, engineer.

In the 25 years I've admired the music of Lyle Mays (mostly through his collaborations with brother Pat), it has never ceased to amaze me that he has somehow managed to avoid the prominence of a Chick Corea, Herbie Hancock or Keith Jarrett. Not that Lyle would ever care about "prominence," it's just that there has always been a level of breathtaking genius to his playing that places him among the finest pianists in the world.

Solo/Improvisations For Expanded Piano is Lyle's fourth major label release as a leader, and like the others (Lyle Mays, Street Dreams and Fictionary) it reveals the many colors of an ever-expanding palette. It also requires much of the listener; now more than ever, Lyle is exploring the deeper waters of performance, composition and synthesis.

So, when you settle in for this journey, unplug the phone and hang out the "do not disturb" sign. Solo will take you to places you may never have been.

-- Mike Metheny

Frank Smith
FROM KANSAS CITY TO TOKYO
(JCCC Foundation)

Personnel: Frank Smith, piano, vocals; Jumbo Ohno, Greg Eicher, Gerald Spaits, bass; Samejia, Jim Eriksen, Tommy Ruskin, drums; Ernie Douglas, vibes; Monte Muza, guitar
Tracks: Cabin In the Sky; Watusi Warrior; Look What They've Done To My Song; Rock Me, Baby; Misty/I Remember Clifford; Jitterbug Waltz; And Then I Wrote; John Brown's Body; Bernie's Tune; In Walked Dave; It Might As Well Be Spring; One For the Count; Lover; Down Home Blues; Strike Up the Band
Recorded live in Tokyo, Japan, 1988-90; additional live recordings in Kansas City, MO. Audio restoration and mastering by Bill Crain, BRC Audio Productions, Kansas City, MO.

A posthumous love letter to/from Frank Smith caretakingly compiled by Doreen Maronde, engineered and reproduced by Bill Crain, this CD is a must-own for Frank's fans. If you're among the uninitiated, this anthology covering several years, venues and tours will surely convert you. All of the cuts were recorded on the job including six tracks from Tokyo where he cultivated an enthusiastic new fan base beginning in 1988.

Most of us have special memories of Frank. I was tickled to see him sporting a Women's Jazz Festival t-shirt at one of those wonderful old Brush Creek concerts (I'm not sure but I think it was Stan Getz). He used to drop by my house wanting to "work on songs." I contributed absolutely nothing save listening, closed-eyed and appreciative as he auditioned his latest compositions. Yet the best recollections are those of hearing him live, e.g. countless good times at the Alameda Rooftop watching the "swells" swarm the dance floor while (most of) the jazzers were content to smile, nod, and savor the sounds of that incredible trio.

From Kansas City To Tokyo will regenerate such moments with a representative mix of standards and Smith originals. You'll even hear him grunt a deservedly self-approving "yeah" now and then. We're treated once more to that slightly nasal, ever-so-sexy, booming baritone voice, peeling away any and all inhibitions on B.B. King's "Rock Me Baby, All Night Long." Conversely, he gentles the feathers out of "It Might As Well Be Spring." But it's that strong, busy, full, funky piano we remember (and miss) most of all. Via same he covered a lot of territory, literally and figuratively.

Stride strains introduce "Look What They've Done To My Song, Ma"; a flowery rubato chorus ushers in "Lover" quickly dissolving into an uppish excursion evoking expectations of rim shots accenting beat four; funk flows freely (and no one was funkier) throughout his original, "Watusi Warrior." And who but Frank would think to fuse two otherwise thematically incongruous melodies like "Misty" and "I Remember Clifford" and make it work?

Throughout this eclectic 15-band exposition we're reminded of his inherent (and underrated) sense of time. Some have the power but can't reign in the horse. Not so with Frank Smith. Speaking of meter, there's a terrific Tommy Ruskin drum solo on "Strike Up the Band," another too-fast-to-tap tempo tune. (The disc features several soloists especially identified with Frank, among them vibraphonist Ernie Douglas and bassist Greg Eicher.)

Even as we continue to mourn his passing, From Kansas City To Tokyo enables us to once more enjoy Frank Smith's multiple talents. Proceeds from sales will go toward underwriting a jazz scholarship in his name at Johnson County Community College. A worthwhile purchase, a worthy cause.

-- Carol Comer

Carol Comer is a vocalist, pianist, educator and clinician and was a co-founder of the Women's Jazz Festival held in Kansas City in the late '70s and early '80s. -- Ed.

RETURN TO AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2000 MAIN INDEX

© Kansas City Jazz Ambassadors 1996-2001. All rights reserved.






	Search our site:		Hennessy Brothers FORGOTTEN STORIES KevTone-121 Personnel: Sean Hennessy, guitar; Kevin Hennessy, acoustic & electric bass; Duncan Moore, drums; Rob Whitlock, piano & Hammond B-3; Dave Scott, trumpet; Peter Sprague, nylon string guitar on "Obrigado Tom," Tripp Sprague, tenor saxophone, pandeiro Tracks: Forgotten Stories; Orion, the Hunter; Joe's Good Side; Bunkin' With Duncan; Obrigado Tom; Wes Coast; Chant Recorded at Spragueland Studio, Leucadia, CA; Peter Sprague, engineer. Additional recording at the Wildlife Room, Columbia, MO; James Steffan, engineer. This album is drenched in rich jazz traditions, covering a wide palette without losing a central, identifying sound. Missouri natives Sean and Kevin Hennessy, and Ruskin High alum Dave Scott, are joined by four other West Coast heavies for seven original compositions (six by Sean, one by Kevin). Forgotten Stories starts off with a lilting 6/8 head, shifting through harmonies reminiscent of early Pat Metheny, breaking into a straightahead blowing rampage, particularly notable for Sean Hennessy's lyrical bebop leanings. It would be easy to pass this off as a lost recording of Emily Remler, with its clear, well developed structure and melodic sense. "Orion, the Hunter," which was inspired by Sean's study of a McCoy Tyner solo, has the open, West Coast feel of vintage Wayne Shorter. It's up-tempo bebop featuring burning solos by Dave Scott and Sean Hennessy. "Joe's Good Side," dedicated to Joe Diorio, with whom the brothers Hennessy studied in their youth, is a ballad featuring Tripp Sprague on tenor as well as Sean on guitar. Sean's ballad playing again calls early Pat Metheny to mind, probably a sign of their common influences (Sean sites Wes Montgomery and Pat Martino among them). Kevin's compositional contribution, "Bunkin' With Duncan," is an up-tempo blues featuring Rob Whitlock on the Hammond B-3 as well as Sean's bop-oriented blues blowing. "Obrigado Tom," a tribute to Antonio Carlos Jobim, brings in Peter Sprague on nylon string guitar to complement Sean creating a blend of instruments and styles familiar to fans of KC's Interstring. With a bow to Wes Montgomery, "Wes Coast" brings the Hammond B-3 back out (Wes aficionados may remember an album called Boss Guitar, with a similar feel). And "Chant" closes out the CD and is a tune which Sean explains was written while studying Gregorian chant in school and listening to Coltrane at the same time. It is a haunting piece, with the muted trumpet of Dave Scott set against a moody bass line. A solo by Kevin harkens to some of the darker passages of Marc Johnson's Bass Desires recordings. Columbia-based Sean Hennessy is clearly the central figure of this album. His compositions and blowing are the glue that holds the project together, though all the musicians involved are top-drawer. Traditional jazz lovers owe it to themselves to check out this CD, and to catch Sean live when he plays in the area. Those hungry for more should also seek out Jim Widner's Body And Soul CD, which features Sean on guitar. -- Rod McBride For ordering information, call 573-445-3211. -- Ed. Lyle Mays SOLO, Improvisations For Expanded Piano Warner Brothers 9 47284-2 Personnel: Lyle Mays, piano, synthesizers Tracks: This Moment; Let Me Count the Ways; We Are All Alone; The Imperative; Procession; Black Ice; Origami; Lightning Field; Locked In Amber; Long Life Recorded August 1998 at Right Track, New York, NY; Rob Eaton, engineer. In the 25 years I've admired the music of Lyle Mays (mostly through his collaborations with brother Pat), it has never ceased to amaze me that he has somehow managed to avoid the prominence of a Chick Corea, Herbie Hancock or Keith Jarrett. Not that Lyle would ever care about "prominence," it's just that there has always been a level of breathtaking genius to his playing that places him among the finest pianists in the world. Solo/Improvisations For Expanded Piano is Lyle's fourth major label release as a leader, and like the others (Lyle Mays, Street Dreams and Fictionary) it reveals the many colors of an ever-expanding palette. It also requires much of the listener; now more than ever, Lyle is exploring the deeper waters of performance, composition and synthesis. So, when you settle in for this journey, unplug the phone and hang out the "do not disturb" sign. Solo will take you to places you may never have been. -- Mike Metheny Frank Smith FROM KANSAS CITY TO TOKYO (JCCC Foundation) Personnel: Frank Smith, piano, vocals; Jumbo Ohno, Greg Eicher, Gerald Spaits, bass; Samejia, Jim Eriksen, Tommy Ruskin, drums; Ernie Douglas, vibes; Monte Muza, guitar Tracks: Cabin In the Sky; Watusi Warrior; Look What They've Done To My Song; Rock Me, Baby; Misty/I Remember Clifford; Jitterbug Waltz; And Then I Wrote; John Brown's Body; Bernie's Tune; In Walked Dave; It Might As Well Be Spring; One For the Count; Lover; Down Home Blues; Strike Up the Band Recorded live in Tokyo, Japan, 1988-90; additional live recordings in Kansas City, MO. Audio restoration and mastering by Bill Crain, BRC Audio Productions, Kansas City, MO. A posthumous love letter to/from Frank Smith caretakingly compiled by Doreen Maronde, engineered and reproduced by Bill Crain, this CD is a must-own for Frank's fans. If you're among the uninitiated, this anthology covering several years, venues and tours will surely convert you. All of the cuts were recorded on the job including six tracks from Tokyo where he cultivated an enthusiastic new fan base beginning in 1988. Most of us have special memories of Frank. I was tickled to see him sporting a Women's Jazz Festival t-shirt at one of those wonderful old Brush Creek concerts (I'm not sure but I think it was Stan Getz). He used to drop by my house wanting to "work on songs." I contributed absolutely nothing save listening, closed-eyed and appreciative as he auditioned his latest compositions. Yet the best recollections are those of hearing him live, e.g. countless good times at the Alameda Rooftop watching the "swells" swarm the dance floor while (most of) the jazzers were content to smile, nod, and savor the sounds of that incredible trio. From Kansas City To Tokyo will regenerate such moments with a representative mix of standards and Smith originals. You'll even hear him grunt a deservedly self-approving "yeah" now and then. We're treated once more to that slightly nasal, ever-so-sexy, booming baritone voice, peeling away any and all inhibitions on B.B. King's "Rock Me Baby, All Night Long." Conversely, he gentles the feathers out of "It Might As Well Be Spring." But it's that strong, busy, full, funky piano we remember (and miss) most of all. Via same he covered a lot of territory, literally and figuratively. Stride strains introduce "Look What They've Done To My Song, Ma"; a flowery rubato chorus ushers in "Lover" quickly dissolving into an uppish excursion evoking expectations of rim shots accenting beat four; funk flows freely (and no one was funkier) throughout his original, "Watusi Warrior." And who but Frank would think to fuse two otherwise thematically incongruous melodies like "Misty" and "I Remember Clifford" and make it work? Throughout this eclectic 15-band exposition we're reminded of his inherent (and underrated) sense of time. Some have the power but can't reign in the horse. Not so with Frank Smith. Speaking of meter, there's a terrific Tommy Ruskin drum solo on "Strike Up the Band," another too-fast-to-tap tempo tune. (The disc features several soloists especially identified with Frank, among them vibraphonist Ernie Douglas and bassist Greg Eicher.) Even as we continue to mourn his passing, From Kansas City To Tokyo enables us to once more enjoy Frank Smith's multiple talents. Proceeds from sales will go toward underwriting a jazz scholarship in his name at Johnson County Community College. A worthwhile purchase, a worthy cause. -- Carol Comer Carol Comer is a vocalist, pianist, educator and clinician and was a co-founder of the Women's Jazz Festival held in Kansas City in the late '70s and early '80s. -- Ed. RETURN TO AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2000 MAIN INDEX © Kansas City Jazz Ambassadors 1996-2001. All rights reserved.