Tom Harrell

[sheldonm]

Tom Harrell and his band will be playing the Jazz Showcase in Chicago from 5/3-5/8; anyone planning on making any of the shows? I may make it to the Sunday early show!

Mark

[sal]

I caught both sets on Thursday night, Cinco de Mayo. The band included his regular bandmates Ugonna Okwego on bass, Marcus Strickland on tenor sax, and Neal Smith on drums. And for this Chicago visit, Harrell had local legend and pianist extraordinaire Willie Pickens on piano.

Overall it was a really great show, and seeing Tom play was a special experience as it always is. He debuted some new compositions as well as bringing out some older ones, and even closed the night with a standard, "Hot House". Tom has been my favorite trumpet soloist since I first saw him a few years back, and it seems that now that he has taken his playing up another level. His solos were virtuostic, and every note was packed with emotion. He sounded really fantastic. Even Marcus Strickland, a player who I've always felt is overrated, was sounding better than I've ever heard him play live. While I still wouldn't say I'm a fan of his playing, Thursday night he was showing some potential. His lines are starting to sound more like he's telling a story, rather than sounding so academic like all the other times I've seen him play. And Ugonna Okwego was incredible as always. I think he's one of the finest young bassists around.

I hate saying this, because Willie Pickens is one of my favorite living pianists, but I think his style of playing didn't quite mesh with the moods of Harrell's compositions. Willie plays with a funky style drenched in the blues, while using tension with the skill of the classical pianist. I've seen him light fires underneath the bands of Bobby Hutcherson, Fathead Newman and many others passing throughout the Windy City, but this is the first time where it just wasn't working. He played as technically wonderful as he always does, but I just don't think it was the right match. And while drummer Neal Smith threw down some of the most dynamically-rich drum solos I've heard in a while, and had impeccable time, I generally found his comping to be a bit boring. He never really kicked the band in the ass like a good drummer should. Overall, I much preferred the piano/drum team of the Davis brothers, Xavier and Quincy, that Tom used to have with him.

But overall, the show was great. It was really great to see Tom playing so well, and his compositions are light years ahead of almost everyone else's. Call me crazy, but I feel that Tom is approaching the level of Wayne Shorter in terms of a composer.

[Roundsound]

I saw Tom Harrell when he was in Miami Beach a year or two ago. He has great presence and he's a great player. He played with local musicians. I would definitely take the time to see him again.