The Ed Palermo Big Band – A Lousy Day in Harlem – [TrackList follows] – Sky Cat Records, 71:26 [4/12/19] ****:
It’s ironic the 71-minute A Lousy Day in Harlem is the first Ed Palermo Big Band album which wholly concentrates on jazz material. After all, arranger and alto saxophonist Palermo has about 30 years performing jazz-related music on stage and on his recordings. But Palermo’s previous projects have primarily focused (but not exclusively) on music outside the sphere of jazz, such as The Great Un-American Songbook: Vols. 1 & 2 (2017), which included large ensemble jazz interpretations of Cream, the Beatles and other British rock bands; and The Adventures of Zodd Zundgren (2018), which balanced compositions by Todd Rundgren and Frank Zappa. Two Palermo records mixed Zappa pieces with Palermo originals: 2014’s Oh No! Not Jazz!! and 2016’s One Child Left Behind (One Child also had music done by Neil Young, Peggy Lee and more).
The 13 tracks which course through A Lousy Day in Harlem intersperse Palermo’ six originals with compositions associated with Duke Ellington (“Brasilliance”), Thelonious Monk (“Well, You Needn’t”), John Coltrane (“Giant Steps”), and others. Palermo explains why he went all-out with a release of strictly jazz works. “The thing about this record is, I wanted it to be jazzier,” says Palermo. “We play a lot of jazz in my band, but I’ve been doing Zappa and British Invasion stuff for years and I’ve had these other types of music in my book, jazz tunes that had been close to my heart for decades. I finally felt ready to record these tunes – tunes I’d composed, and tunes I’d arranged. It felt like the right time to show the world another side of the band.”
The album opens with Palermo’s 8:23 “Laurie Frink,” which comes from Palermo’s live show repertoire. He renamed it for this CD as a tribute to a friend who passed away in 2013, who had played trumpet in his group since 1978 and had been a mentor to other musicians. The upbeat and swinging arrangement is a showcase for the band’s tight presentation and has plenty of space for soloing, particularly Phil Chester (soprano sax) and Bill Straub (tenor sax). Up next is the endearing “Affinity” (which Palermo co-wrote with David Boruff) which is highlighted by Cliff Lyons’ soprano sax and Bob Quaranta’s piano (there is a marvelously melodic twist when they duet). Bop roots are at the forefront of Palermo’s brief, 2:33 homage to a famous trumpeter, “Like Lee Morgan,” which gets a boost from trumpeter John Bailey. Palermo again decelerates on his seven-minute, humor-enhanced “The One with the Balloon,” where Palermo displays his talent at utilizing familiar musical quotes (is that “Three Blind Mice” at one point?) as well as contrasts and comparisons. Palermo states, “I wouldn’t call my thing a comedy show but it’s got a lot of humor in it. I often think that jazz takes itself way too seriously. Maybe that makes my thing stand out a little more.” The arrangement for “The One with the Balloon” is accentuated by Charley Gordon’s muted trombone and Nicki Denner’s rhythmic tap dancing. Equally fun is Palermo’s eight-minute “The Cowboy Song,” which has a mid-tempo flounce and includes a warm improvisation from Chester on his quietly flowing soprano sax. You won’t hear any overt country music influences during “The Cowboy Song,” although it wouldn’t be a surprise if you might hear a quote or a nod to a cowboy movie soundtrack (think Dimitri Tiomkin’s Red River, High Noon or The Big Sky).
Among the cover tunes, there are several gems. Ellington’s nearly-forgotten “Brasilliance” is from Ellington’s 1972 effort, Latin American Suite. It’s a shame “Brasilliance” is not more well-known. It’s a fast-cruising wonder with memorable solos from Quaranta, Bailey and Straub (on clarinet); and the arrangement also includes an unanticipated diversion into a bit of “Caravan,” driven by Bailey’s exceptional trumpet. A stronger dose of Latin American-tinged jazz flits through Egberto Gismonti’s six-minute “Sanfona,” which has a captivating rhythmic characteristic and where Chester is again heard on soprano sax. There’s a lot which goes on during the three minutes of an off-beat rendition of Monk’s “Well You Needn’t.” Listen closely and you’ll also hear references to “In Walked Bud,” “Straight No Chaser” and rhythmic hints of “Evidence.” Even more notable is “Giant Steps,” which commences with a tenor sax contest (by Straub and Ben Kono) which cites the notorious ‘dueling banjos’ scene in Deliverance. Other covers comprise Gigi Gryce’s “Minority,” and Renee Rosnes and Walt Weiskopf’s “Gargoyles.” Palermo has a self-effacing, unconventional sense of wit, which never gets in the way of Palermo’s task, which is to array his big band within jazz’s history, tradition and fidelity. That equilibrium makes A Lousy Day in Harlem one of the best large ensemble jazz projects issued this year.
Performing Artists:
Cliff Lyons – alto saxophone, clarinet, soprano saxophone; Phil Chester – alto saxophone, soprano saxophone, flute, piccolo; Bill Straub – tenor saxophone, clarinet, flute; Ben Kono – tenor saxophone, flute, oboe; Barbara Cifelli – baritone saxophone, bass clarinet, Eb mutant clarinet; Ronnie Buttacavoli (lead), John Bailey, Steve Jankowski – trumpets; Charley Gordon – lead trombone; Mike Boschen – trombone; Matt Ingman – bass trombone; Ray Marchica – drums; Paul Adamy – electric bass; Bob Quaranta – piano; Ted Kooshian – keyboards; Nicki Denner – tap dancing (track 6); Ed Palermo – alto saxophone, co-producer, executive producer, arranger
TrackList:
Laurie Frink
Affinity
Brasilliance
Sanfona
Like Lee Morgan
The One with the Balloon
Minority
The Cowboy Song
Well You Needn’t
Giant Steps
Next Year
Gargoyles
This Won’t Take Long
—Doug Simpson
