JAM: June/July 2002 Issue: For the Record

Jay EuDaly/Rich VanSant
CHANNELING HAROLD
MRR 5819

Personnel: Jay EuDaly, guitars, vocals; Rich VanSant, Hammond B3 organ; Ian Sikora, Kevin Johnson, drums; Diane "Mama" Ray, vocals ("My Romance")

Tracks: Channeling Harold; Autumn Leaves; When Sunny Gets Blue; Alone Together; Norwegian Wood; The Cat; My Romance; Jeannine; Road Song; Waltz for Debbie; Sugar; On Broadway

Recorded at Berry Music Group, Olathe, KS; Lynn Allred, engineer; mixed at BRC Audio Productions, Kansas City, MO; Bill Crain, engineer.

The title (and opening) track of this album might have been called "Channeling Wes," what with its 7/4 intro vamp and classic B3 organ/guitar combo sound reminiscent of Portrait of Wes. Jay EuDaly's blowing is bluesier, but his affection for chord soloing and playing octaves definitely invokes the spirit of Montgomery.

(Incidentally, if you're curious, "Channeling Harold," is a EuDaly family term -- inspired by Jay's late grandfather Harold -- for doing "something funny and/or crazy that's potentially life threatening and involves the use of either firearms or lawnmowers.")

Following the opener is a medium-up, straightahead shot at "Autumn Leaves," with Jay's fluid bebop lines fueled by Rich VanSant's Hammond B-3. Here VanSant gets his chance to cut loose, followed by the trio trading eights jam-session style.

Then comes a major change of pace as the trio becomes a solo with Jay accompanying himself on guitar and singing "When Sunny Gets Blue." He gives it a ballad treatment, lending a folksy voice to the familiar standard.

The trio is back for the fourth track, "Alone Together," at a medium tempo, and with a pronounced swing.

"Norwegian Wood" follows, and as one who finds the Beatles repugnant, I still resist the notion that this is a jazz standard (despite the fact that it has been recorded by Herbie Hancock, Charlie Byrd, and others). Still, once you get past the head, the band makes good on the modal changes.

"The Cat" is a funkier piece, followed by the great ballad "My Romance" sung by Diane "Mama" Ray.

"Jeannine" takes us back to up-tempo land, followed by the medium tempo "Road Song." The Wes Montgomery/Pat Martino organ trio influences are evident in spades here, but without being imitative.

As on "When Sunny Gets Blue," "Waltz for Debby" has Jay accompanying himself on acoustic guitar. Oddly, the "Waltz" is done in 4/4 time, so if Jay had written original lyrics, he probably could have dodged the BMI royalty. The song has special meaning to Jay; he indicates in his web-based liner notes that he has "two daughters who dance professionally (ballet and modern, not the other kind)."

"Sugar" is done down-tempo with the trio. And the closing track, "On Broadway," features the trio with Jay singing -- not just the lyrics, but while doubling on guitar with scat. It's an interesting effect, and while Jay's vocals will never rival those of Johnny Hartman or Tony Bennett, they are a far cry from the wailing of Keith Jarrett when Keith is soloing.

For me, the organ trio tracks are what make this CD. Rich VanSant gets to show his jazzier side, and Jay EuDaly gets to unwind his bebop lines with the organ and drums providing train-like momentum.

-- Rod McBride

Charles Gatschet
REFLECTIONS
CGP2002

Personnel: Charles Gatschet, guitar, vocal, shaker; Danny Embrey, guitar, Bob Bowman, bass; Joe Cartwright, piano; Steve Dekker, trombone; Todd Strait, drums; Kim Park, flute ("Sorrisinhos"); Gary Helm, serdu drum ("Philippe")

Tracks: Little Smiles; Debra Lee; Chümba Dues; Contradiction; Fly Boy; Philippe; Reflections; Las Sombras; Rose's Tune; Show Me State; Sorrisinhos

Recorded July 5-7, 2001 at Soundtrek Studios, Kansas City, MO; Ron Ubel, engineer.

Guitarist Charles Gatschet teams up with an all-star lineup for this collection of original compositions. The opening track, "Little Smiles," is a medium-slow bossa nova with Steve Dekker's trombone prominently featured, along with solos by guitar and Joe Cartwright's piano.

There is a tempo shift down to a slow swing ballad, "Debra Lee," but don't get too comfortable. It's a soothing track that is followed by "Chümba Dues," a song that gave me a sense of déjà vu until I realized why I recognized it. I knew Reflections was entirely Gatschet originals, it just never occurred to me that they weren't all recent compositions. This tune was also featured on the classic album by Everette DeVan and Bill Caldwell, The Real Thing, almost a decade ago. Like that album, this tune has staying power.

"Contradiction" is a bright bebop cut, featuring Cartwright, Gatschet, Dekker and Todd Strait as soloists, all in top form.

"Fly Boy" begins with the actual sound of an airplane taking off before launching into a medium swinger. And "Philippe" is a samba with the instrumentation stripped down to bass, percussion (Gary Helm on serdu drum), Gatschet on one guitar and Danny Embrey on the other.

The title track is a waltz, and following Gatschet's solo, Bob Bowman gets to show his blowing chops.

"Las Sombras" begins with the night sounds of frogs and crickets, intruded upon by piano and bass in a medium-tempo mambo.

"Rose's Tune" begins with Gatschet playing a chord-melody guitar arrangement of the head, a brooding waltz, that features an arco bass solo. "Show Me State," is a medium swing blues that features Gatschet and Cartwright. And the most unusual final cut, "Sorrisinhos," features vocals by Gatschet in Portuguese, and a flute solo by Kim Park.

Charles Gatschet has assembled a mass of diverse compositions, surrounded himself some of the finest musicians on the Kansas City scene, and has produced a very tasteful album, especially if you can find the right wine to serve with it.

Reflections is very much in-the-pocket, easy to listen to, and each track finds its groove.

-- Rod McBride

Kristin Korb
WHERE YOU'LL FIND ME
Double K Music
KK5195

Personnel: Kristin Korb, bass, vocals; Mike Wofford, piano; Jeff Hamilton, drums

Tracks: How About You; Wouldn't It Be Loverly; East of the Sun; They Say It's Spring; Where You'll Find Me; Benny; Mac; My Gingerbread Boy; The Man I Love; Yes, I Know When I've Had It; Darn That Dream

Recorded August 12-13, 2001, Stagg Street Studios, Van Nuys, CA.

What a joy it is to report on young up-and-coming talent. And this one is a dandy. Kristin Korb may be known to you, as she has appeared in Kansas City several times in the past two years, most recently at The Blue Room in the spring of 2000. She is based on the West Coast and is simply the best singer we've recently heard. And: she plays great bass!

It's one thing to be a fine singer while comping one's self on piano or guitar, or while simply standing still. But to maintain a serious groove in the middle of a wonderful rhythm section and deliver a song with all expected jazz feel and swing is quite another.

We'd like to think it all a studio trick, but on a recent stage in Louisville, KY I had the pleasure of performing with Ms. Korb, and she is astonishing.

Her second CD is now available, and it is pure joy. Bassist Korb is joined by drummer Jeff Hamilton -- the consummate accompanist and a delightful soloist -- and pianist Mike Wofford, a longtime veteran backer of the likes of Ella and Sarah, just to name two. There is some wonderful trio work throughout; indeed the CD would be a fine acquisition with just the trio tracks.

But you want to hear this girl sing. Her voice is hard to classify, and practically each track brings another style. Her roots are obvious -- sometimes she sounds like Blossom Dearie (with chops), sometimes Betty Carter, especially while navigating some serious bebop lines. She has listened at length to Astrud Gilberto and Flora Purim, but remains herself throughout. Most artists have spent far longer finding their unique voice, and some never do. Kristin is simply Kristin, roots and all.

And she composes. Her pen is represented on several tracks, and the title tune "Where You'll Find Me," has been stuck in my head for weeks.

She has transcribed several solos and written words, something that often is less than satisfying, but here her work is most interesting, especially with Stan Getz's solo on "East Of The Sun," and Jimmy Heath's on "Gingerbread Boy." She has also added highly provocative lyrics to bassist (and mentor) Ray Brown's "Benny," written for pianist Benny Green.

This most enjoyable CD is available from Double K Music and can be ordered through Amazon.com, or from the artist’s website at www.kristinkorb.com.

In a recent interview, Korb indicated a strong desire to return to Kansas City for more gigs. Good news indeed. In the meantime, her work on Where You'll Find Me is highly recommended.

-- John Leisenring

RETURN TO JUNE/JULY 2002 MAIN INDEX

© Kansas City Jazz Ambassadors 1996-2002. All rights reserved.






	Search our site:		Jay EuDaly/Rich VanSant CHANNELING HAROLD MRR 5819 Personnel: Jay EuDaly, guitars, vocals; Rich VanSant, Hammond B3 organ; Ian Sikora, Kevin Johnson, drums; Diane "Mama" Ray, vocals ("My Romance") Tracks: Channeling Harold; Autumn Leaves; When Sunny Gets Blue; Alone Together; Norwegian Wood; The Cat; My Romance; Jeannine; Road Song; Waltz for Debbie; Sugar; On Broadway Recorded at Berry Music Group, Olathe, KS; Lynn Allred, engineer; mixed at BRC Audio Productions, Kansas City, MO; Bill Crain, engineer. The title (and opening) track of this album might have been called "Channeling Wes," what with its 7/4 intro vamp and classic B3 organ/guitar combo sound reminiscent of Portrait of Wes. Jay EuDaly's blowing is bluesier, but his affection for chord soloing and playing octaves definitely invokes the spirit of Montgomery. (Incidentally, if you're curious, "Channeling Harold," is a EuDaly family term -- inspired by Jay's late grandfather Harold -- for doing "something funny and/or crazy that's potentially life threatening and involves the use of either firearms or lawnmowers.") Following the opener is a medium-up, straightahead shot at "Autumn Leaves," with Jay's fluid bebop lines fueled by Rich VanSant's Hammond B-3. Here VanSant gets his chance to cut loose, followed by the trio trading eights jam-session style. Then comes a major change of pace as the trio becomes a solo with Jay accompanying himself on guitar and singing "When Sunny Gets Blue." He gives it a ballad treatment, lending a folksy voice to the familiar standard. The trio is back for the fourth track, "Alone Together," at a medium tempo, and with a pronounced swing. "Norwegian Wood" follows, and as one who finds the Beatles repugnant, I still resist the notion that this is a jazz standard (despite the fact that it has been recorded by Herbie Hancock, Charlie Byrd, and others). Still, once you get past the head, the band makes good on the modal changes. "The Cat" is a funkier piece, followed by the great ballad "My Romance" sung by Diane "Mama" Ray. "Jeannine" takes us back to up-tempo land, followed by the medium tempo "Road Song." The Wes Montgomery/Pat Martino organ trio influences are evident in spades here, but without being imitative. As on "When Sunny Gets Blue," "Waltz for Debby" has Jay accompanying himself on acoustic guitar. Oddly, the "Waltz" is done in 4/4 time, so if Jay had written original lyrics, he probably could have dodged the BMI royalty. The song has special meaning to Jay; he indicates in his web-based liner notes that he has "two daughters who dance professionally (ballet and modern, not the other kind)." "Sugar" is done down-tempo with the trio. And the closing track, "On Broadway," features the trio with Jay singing -- not just the lyrics, but while doubling on guitar with scat. It's an interesting effect, and while Jay's vocals will never rival those of Johnny Hartman or Tony Bennett, they are a far cry from the wailing of Keith Jarrett when Keith is soloing. For me, the organ trio tracks are what make this CD. Rich VanSant gets to show his jazzier side, and Jay EuDaly gets to unwind his bebop lines with the organ and drums providing train-like momentum. -- Rod McBride Charles Gatschet REFLECTIONS CGP2002 Personnel: Charles Gatschet, guitar, vocal, shaker; Danny Embrey, guitar, Bob Bowman, bass; Joe Cartwright, piano; Steve Dekker, trombone; Todd Strait, drums; Kim Park, flute ("Sorrisinhos"); Gary Helm, serdu drum ("Philippe") Tracks: Little Smiles; Debra Lee; Chümba Dues; Contradiction; Fly Boy; Philippe; Reflections; Las Sombras; Rose's Tune; Show Me State; Sorrisinhos Recorded July 5-7, 2001 at Soundtrek Studios, Kansas City, MO; Ron Ubel, engineer. Guitarist Charles Gatschet teams up with an all-star lineup for this collection of original compositions. The opening track, "Little Smiles," is a medium-slow bossa nova with Steve Dekker's trombone prominently featured, along with solos by guitar and Joe Cartwright's piano. There is a tempo shift down to a slow swing ballad, "Debra Lee," but don't get too comfortable. It's a soothing track that is followed by "Chümba Dues," a song that gave me a sense of déjà vu until I realized why I recognized it. I knew Reflections was entirely Gatschet originals, it just never occurred to me that they weren't all recent compositions. This tune was also featured on the classic album by Everette DeVan and Bill Caldwell, The Real Thing, almost a decade ago. Like that album, this tune has staying power. "Contradiction" is a bright bebop cut, featuring Cartwright, Gatschet, Dekker and Todd Strait as soloists, all in top form. "Fly Boy" begins with the actual sound of an airplane taking off before launching into a medium swinger. And "Philippe" is a samba with the instrumentation stripped down to bass, percussion (Gary Helm on serdu drum), Gatschet on one guitar and Danny Embrey on the other. The title track is a waltz, and following Gatschet's solo, Bob Bowman gets to show his blowing chops. "Las Sombras" begins with the night sounds of frogs and crickets, intruded upon by piano and bass in a medium-tempo mambo. "Rose's Tune" begins with Gatschet playing a chord-melody guitar arrangement of the head, a brooding waltz, that features an arco bass solo. "Show Me State," is a medium swing blues that features Gatschet and Cartwright. And the most unusual final cut, "Sorrisinhos," features vocals by Gatschet in Portuguese, and a flute solo by Kim Park. Charles Gatschet has assembled a mass of diverse compositions, surrounded himself some of the finest musicians on the Kansas City scene, and has produced a very tasteful album, especially if you can find the right wine to serve with it. Reflections is very much in-the-pocket, easy to listen to, and each track finds its groove. -- Rod McBride Kristin Korb WHERE YOU'LL FIND ME Double K Music KK5195 Personnel: Kristin Korb, bass, vocals; Mike Wofford, piano; Jeff Hamilton, drums Tracks: How About You; Wouldn't It Be Loverly; East of the Sun; They Say It's Spring; Where You'll Find Me; Benny; Mac; My Gingerbread Boy; The Man I Love; Yes, I Know When I've Had It; Darn That Dream Recorded August 12-13, 2001, Stagg Street Studios, Van Nuys, CA. What a joy it is to report on young up-and-coming talent. And this one is a dandy. Kristin Korb may be known to you, as she has appeared in Kansas City several times in the past two years, most recently at The Blue Room in the spring of 2000. She is based on the West Coast and is simply the best singer we've recently heard. And: she plays great bass! It's one thing to be a fine singer while comping one's self on piano or guitar, or while simply standing still. But to maintain a serious groove in the middle of a wonderful rhythm section and deliver a song with all expected jazz feel and swing is quite another. We'd like to think it all a studio trick, but on a recent stage in Louisville, KY I had the pleasure of performing with Ms. Korb, and she is astonishing. Her second CD is now available, and it is pure joy. Bassist Korb is joined by drummer Jeff Hamilton -- the consummate accompanist and a delightful soloist -- and pianist Mike Wofford, a longtime veteran backer of the likes of Ella and Sarah, just to name two. There is some wonderful trio work throughout; indeed the CD would be a fine acquisition with just the trio tracks. But you want to hear this girl sing. Her voice is hard to classify, and practically each track brings another style. Her roots are obvious -- sometimes she sounds like Blossom Dearie (with chops), sometimes Betty Carter, especially while navigating some serious bebop lines. She has listened at length to Astrud Gilberto and Flora Purim, but remains herself throughout. Most artists have spent far longer finding their unique voice, and some never do. Kristin is simply Kristin, roots and all. And she composes. Her pen is represented on several tracks, and the title tune "Where You'll Find Me," has been stuck in my head for weeks. She has transcribed several solos and written words, something that often is less than satisfying, but here her work is most interesting, especially with Stan Getz's solo on "East Of The Sun," and Jimmy Heath's on "Gingerbread Boy." She has also added highly provocative lyrics to bassist (and mentor) Ray Brown's "Benny," written for pianist Benny Green. This most enjoyable CD is available from Double K Music and can be ordered through Amazon.com, or from the artist’s website at www.kristinkorb.com. In a recent interview, Korb indicated a strong desire to return to Kansas City for more gigs. Good news indeed. In the meantime, her work on Where You'll Find Me is highly recommended. -- John Leisenring RETURN TO JUNE/JULY 2002 MAIN INDEX © Kansas City Jazz Ambassadors 1996-2002. All rights reserved.