David Berkman

[Nate Dorward]

Just got a new one from David Berkman on Palmetto, Start Here, Finish There; the personnel are Berkman on piano, Dick Oatts on alto & soprano, Ugonna Okegwo on bass, Nasheet Waits on drums. Haven't really decided what I make of it yet--so far it sounds nice enough, but not grab-you-by-the-lapels. Nine originals plus a cover of--believe it or not--Woody Guthrie's "Mean Things Happening in This World". -- I hadn't heard Berkman before, though he has a couple earlier discs out on the same label. Anyone heard those ones & might venture a comment?

[Clunky]

I am a big Berkman fan having seen him live numerous times and all his Palmettos Cds to date. All are uniformly of a high order. Communication Theory is perhaps the high point so far. I felt that the immediated post 9/11 aftermath of his last "Leaving Home" allowed a rather restrained melancholic air to pervade that date. It's still a fine album by any standards and has my favouright tune "For ever Astor" , named after that tango chap.

To be honest you cant go far wrong with the man, compositionally strong and a great team of players ( his debut has a mercurial Tom Harrell gliding over the whole thing)

I will be seeing David live at Henry's next month for sure.

Edited February 8, 2004 by Clunky

[ghost of miles]

I saw David live at Bear's Place here in Bloomington last year--very good show, and he's a warm, witty guy to boot, great laidback stage presence. Just now I ran into him in a local coffeeshop; he was passing through on his way to a gig in Terre Haute. He said he'll be doing some new recording in a few weeks.

Edited January 18, 2005 by ghost of miles