An uber-talented young gal from Oregon with a fresh, delightful debut record that brings back to life classic American music of prior generations. That’s what I said in a nutshell about Diane Birch’s Bible Belt, but this time, the buzz is about Hailey Niswanger.
Ms. Niswanger (pronounced NICE-wonger) plies her trade in a much different musical arena, though, and it can be pretty tough to learn to play straight jazz proficiently and especially tough to make an impression within a music form that sometimes seems to have more practitioners than fans. But Hailey is already achieving both, before reaching the age of twenty. Her mastery of woodwind instruments started when first blowing into a clarinet at eight years old and she since went on to conquer the flute and alto and soprano saxophones. After graduating from high school last year near Portland, Niswanger attended the distinguished Berklee School of Music on a full scholarship, and she is currently set to start her sophomore year there at this writing.
Niswanger has found time between her studies to attend some pretty prominent jazz festivals, like Mary Lou Williams Women In Jazz Festival (where she was the featured artist), the North Sea Jazz festival and the Monterey Jazz Festival. Already, she’s shared the stage with many of jazz’s leading lights: Dee Dee Bridgewater, Christian McBride, Phil Woods, McCoy Tyner and Wynton Marsalis, just to name a few. Niswanger also managed to record her first album, which she produced and released on her own. She christened it Confeddie.
For this first time out, Niswanger sticks with alto sax. She’s supported by a tight and tidy trio consisting of Michael Palma (piano), Greg Chaplin (bass) and Mark Whitfield, Jr. (drums). With a one exception (which I’ll get to later), all of the selections here are covers, some of which could be considered standards, but all astutely chosen in such a way to show off Hailey’s diversity and chops in handling the various shades of bop and post-bop.
With the selection of one of Thelonius Monk’s most back-breaking tunes, “Four In One,” Niswanger plunges head-first into displaying the great extent of her abilities. That piano-sax unison line still sounds like a minefield to navigate through sixty years later, but Niswanger and Palma get through it squeaky clean. Following that is Herbie Hancock’s little-covered nugget from Empyrean Isles, “Ololoqui Valley,” a song with a warm, slinky melody but perfect for stretching out on. Niswanger’s tone and extended solo reveals a saxophonist who speaks the intense but frills-free and lyrical vocabulary of tenor player Wayne Shorter.
It’s probably little wonder, then, that she covers a classic Shorter tune, too, and her choice is the major/minor chord hard-bopper “Yes Or No.” Here it’s played straight, except for a slightly faster tempo, and Niswanger plays with controlled fire, brandishing a number of nifty moves as she sails through her solo. Palma nearly manages to outshine her, though, probably his best moment on the whole record. The rhythm section is strong, supple and strident throughout the whole song, too.
Kenny Dorham is another great small-group jazz composer represented here, via “La Mesha,” the often-overlooked pretty ballad the originally appeared on Joe Henderson’s masterful first album Page One. This one relies on the ability to play long notes with the right cadence and vibrato, which Niswanger seems to have already grasped well. Henderson’s own harmonically complex but logical “Serenity” is handled, and Niswanger swings hard on this one (as does the band behind her).
Sergio Mihanovich’s relatively unnoticed “Sometime Ago” is the waltz of this set, but Whitfield’s lively kit work makes it crackle with life. Palma leads off the soloing, paving the way for Niswanger’s, which is perfectly regulated (especially the smooth way she quickly segues from a hot cluster of notes to the softened tempo of the head without missing a beat). More commonly known is Benny Golson’s “Stablemates” (video of live rendition below), where Chaplin gets a chance to improvise, which he does just fine with much debt to Paul Chambers. Niswanger loves Golson tunes and her zeal for them shows in her sympathetic reading of this selection.
Niswanger also pays tribute to the late, great saxophonist Eddie Harris, not by playing one of Harris’ songs, but via a blues-based original. Even though Harris was a tenor guy and alto is played here, the young follower plays intelligent, soulfully funky lines. I think Harris would have appreciated this tribute to his straight-bop side.
Confeddie, released on June 30, serves as marker to document what Hailey Niswanger has been able to accomplish so far in her nascent career. Listening to this, one can’t help but to wonder what’s in store for us when she ultimately takes her craft to an even higher level. It’s scary to think about it.
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