Recordings, 8/8/04: New releases from Joe Negri, Max Leake
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Jazz is alive and well in Pittsburgh. The proof is in the following new CDs by local musicians:
JOE NEGRI: "Uptown Elegance." MCG Jazz.
Most people will recognize Joe Negri as the affable Handyman Negri on "Mister Rogers' Neighborhood." But jazz fans will recognize him as an educator, composer and articulate guitarist who makes music that flows in waves of imagination and lyricism.
With the skillful arrangements of John Wilson, Mike Tomaro and Marty Ashby and a rotating roster of local and national performers, "Uptown Elegance" is Negri's most impressive recording to date.
The recording is complemented with musicians like Eric DeFade, Ralph Guzzi, the brothers Ashby (Jay and Marty), Steve Rudolph, Roger Humphries, Gerry Niewood and Dwayne Dolphin.
Wilson's wonderful arrangement of "Sweet and Lovely" for big band finds Negri crafting warm and hypnotic solos.
Negri, who pays tribute to the late Fred Rogers on "It's a Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood," became familiar in neighborhoods nationwide beginning Feb. 19, 1968, when PBS began beaming Fred Rogers' show across the country.
"The Best Thing for You" is another big-band arrangement that nicely fits Negri's nimble solo.
Jay Ashby's lush trombone intricate chords and arpeggios.
"Blues for Brody" swings hard and features Terry Gibbs on vibraphone and Buddy DeFranco on clarinet.
There are no lulls here. The disc was tightly arranged, and Negri's playing is direct, authoritative and clear. It's a great record, long overdue.
MAX LEAKE: "Trios." Corona Music.
Pianist Max Leake teams with fellow Pittsburghers Dwayne Dolphin, Paul Thompson, Greg Humphries and Thom Wendt for "Trios," a 13-song collection ranging from Bud Powell's "Crazeology" to Joni Mitchell's "Both Sides Now."
Hank Mobley's "Funk in the Deep Freeze" and Thad Jones' "Three and One" provide excellent insight into Leake's aggressive, attacking style, while "Virgo," a tune composed by Wayne Shorter, rings with fluency and drama.
Still, it is "Crazeology," with its tone colors and dynamics, that elevates "Trios" to a higher plane.
The recording is a nice introduction into the music and ideas of Leake, who continues to be one of the most underrated pianists working on the local scene. Fewer songs and more thematic connections would have made it even better.
First Published August 8, 2004 12:00 am
