Jeremy Pelt: CLOSE TO MY HEART

[ghost of miles]

This board hipped me to this artist, and Steve Schwarz hipped me indirectly to his new release, which I just got as a promo a couple of days ago. Pelt plays in a quartet setting on some tracks (Mulgrew Miller, Peter Washington, Lewis Nash); on some tracks they're augmented by a string quartet and/or guitar. Nice selection of tunes by Mingus, Pepper Adams, Jimmy Rowles, Ellington ("Don't You Know I Care," a nice solo flugelhorn performance); nothing that's been done into the ground. I hear traces of Lee & Woody influence, but the guy really does seem to be developing his own sound & voice. A very laidback CD; I'm going to check out INSIGHT later on. Always great to discover a young, promising artist--thanks to youse guys for pulling my coat!

[montg]

INSIGHT is mostly comprised of Pelt's own compostions, so you get a clear sense of what he's up to and where he may be going. I've been on the fence about the strings album since the jazz and strings cocktail doesn't usually work too well for me (Ben Webster and strings being a happy exception).

[Rooster_Ties]

I have "Insight" - along with Pelt's two sideman appearances on Ralph Petersons "The Art of War" and "Subliminal Seduction". Also, there are several hours of live material from Pelt on his own website ( http://www.peltjazz.com ) - which are all fantastic, and which show a more creative side of Pelt's music, more 'progressive'.

Based on all that, I think Pelt is THE young trumpeter to keep our eyes on for the future. (I think of him as being the "Jason Moran" of trumpet.)

Also, to my ears, he's maybe one of the best "hard-bop leaning towards progressive" trumpeters since Woody Shaw.

Or another way of saying the same thing is --> that Pelt pushes all of my same buttons, the same way that Woody Shaw did (and in a way that nobody since Woody Shaw has). There are other trumpeters (since Woody Shaw) that I love -- but to me, Pelt is the first one I've heard since Woody, that can do that "Woody Shaw" thing, but in his own way (of course).

[Vincent, Paris]

I strongly recommend his "Profile" on Fresh Sound New Talent (produced by David Weiss).

I think this album is the one which shows the best how Pelt has a singular voice on the horn, more than the MaxJazz or even the Criss Cross which are more conventional in their form.

[jlhoots]

Pelt is also on the Sharp Nine Class of 2001 CD called On The Loose.

Includes the Strickland brothers.

Very nice.

[Noj]

Sharp Nine? Where's DEEP to rave about MARC EDSEL EDELMAN?

[sonnyhill]

I caught Mr. Pelt this past weekend at Fat Cat in NYC. On his website, the appearance was listed as featuring his "Creation" band, but his "Creation" band was not featured. A few of the members were the same, Mike Moreno on guitar, Tommy Crane on Drums, Derek Nievergelt on bass. But there was no vibraphonist and no reed player. Instead there was an keyboardist, whose name I cannot recall.

This was Pelt's electric funk band. It was Pelt in a Miles Davis "Live/Evil" mode. He did not play any of the tunes that I was familar with him playing. It was great, but you could tell he was experimenting. He used a Harmon mute and a pedal and, at one point, sounded similar to Miles Dewey the III with much better chops.

I know there are a lot of people who are against keyboardists, but I think they work if the instrumentalist, who is usually a pianist by training, does not treat the instrument like a piano. The keyboardist at this performance understood that and was excellent.

I am an unabashed supporter of Pelt's "Creation" band, which must record soon. On his interview with Sirius radio he says that he is going to record with that band in '04, which will be a blessing for anyone who has ears. But when he gets this electric thing together watch out. While I was at Fat Cat, I was thinking that in a very short time when this band gels Fat Cat will be the Cellar Door reincarnated.

If he puts MP3s up of his October 25 show at Fat Cat take a listen and you'll know of what I speak.

I haven't heard Pelt's latest recording. I'll eventually buy it to support him, but I was disappointed that it did not feature him in a more progressive setting. Hopefully his next recording will.