Story City – Time and Materials – SC Music

Story City – Time and Materials – SC Music 98576614720, 57:56 ***:
(Andrew Schwandt – saxophone; Karl Koopman – guitar; Steve Jennings – drums, co-producer; Terry Burns – bass, co-producer; Sean Turner – keyboards; Steve Faison – vocals, percussion; Shai Hayo – percussion; Dave Schmalenberger – mallets)
The Twin Cities (Minneapolis/St. Paul) septet Story City is a contemporary jazz ensemble which plays jazz influenced by likeminded peers such as Pat Metheny, The Yellowjackets and Michael Brecker. Although the self-released debut, Time and Materials, has all original music, the tracks indicate a deep impact from the artists the band members have listened to and covered on stage.
The seven-piece group is led by drummer Steve Jennings, saxophonist Andrew Schwandt and guitarist Karl Koopman, who began to work together in 2008. Veteran bassist Terry Burns was added to the lineup in 2010 (he’s performed with David Benoit, Freddie Hubbard and others, and studied with Rufus Reid). The current roster also includes percussionists Steve Faison (who also slips in occasional atmospheric backing vocals) and Shai Hayo. Sean Turner is the keyboardist on this record but declined to join the group, while Dave Schmalenberger is a guest on mallets. The nine tracks (four by Burns, four by Schwandt and one by Koopman) run from funky to reflective but all share a mainstream jazz tint which combines elements of fusion, pop-jazz and crossover jazz reminiscent of Larry Carlton, Sadao Watanabe or David Sanborn.
Story City’s lyrical side is shown on pieces such as Burns’ lengthy “Truth to Power,” which starts out firmly in Metheny territory. Koopman and Turner’s keyboard/guitar interplay echoes that of Metheny and Lyle Mays, while the arrangement is comparable to Metheny compositions such as “The Bat” (from the 80/81 record), due in part to Schwandt’s lithe sax and the rhythm section’s alternating cadences. The tune takes its time but eventually opens up energetically and Schwandt offers a long, rolling solo and later Koopman exhibits his rock roots when he steps forward. Burns’ poetical-esque penmanship also is heard on the melodic “Drake Place” (which also mines Metheny-like mannerisms), while “Hilltop” is a quiet meditation readymade for tranquil moments.
Schwandt’s tunes have a funky soulful strut. The fusion-fed “Loops” has a bit of a Larry Carlton meets Stanley Clarke vibe, where Burns’ bass has a rubbery undertow, Koopman’s riffs show a Steve Lukather susceptibility and Schwandt soars like Brecker, one of his avowed heroes. The punny brightly-lit “Fitzwright Inn” has a late-‘70s, Sanborn-ish quality. “Fitzwright Inn,” would, indeed, fit right in alongside Sanborn numbers such as “Herbs.” Turner’s Fender Rhodes and Schwandt’s R’n’B-styled sax form the front line on the mid-tempo tumbler. “Lead Sky” is moodier, but has an appealing melody and Koopman’s guitar provides some fortitude. The subdued “Gratitude” has a similar structure, the kind of pop-jazz which romantic patrons at a nightclub could use to nod heads together. Unfortunately, some of the material on Time and Materials tends to sound alike when listened to as a whole over the album’s hour-long program. This is not a criticism against the musicians, who play admirably and professionally, but some of the arrangements and heads have a related and/or parallel resemblance. While that probably works well for some listeners, it can also be uninviting for those who may want to experience something with more dynamics.
TrackList: Drake Place; Loops; Fitzwright Inn; Time and Materials; Truth to Power; Hilltop; Lead Sky; Gratitude; Silent Joe.
—Doug Simpson