If you’d have asked Charles Rumback a couple of years ago what his next album would be like, he might have responded that it would be a lot like his last two. That is, the drummer leading his working trio with Jim Baker on piano and Greg Ward on sax, running through a set of fresh new Rumback compositions. But fate had other plans. At the urging of couple of musician friends, bassist James Singleton was added to the trio at the last minute for a planned performance at the 2017 Instigation Festival and family life precluded the intended introduction of new Rumback tunes; the newly expanded band was left recycling some of his old ones. Those live performances are preserved for the new Charles Rumback album that actually happened, Cadillac Turns.
But first, a word about this late addition. James Singleton is the Ray Brown of New Orleans, the bassist who can be found on more meaningful sessions on recordings from NOLA – or heavily connected to it — than anyone else. His list of credits stretch from Irma Thomas and James Booker to Anders Osbourne and Rickie Lee Jones, and he’s a key member of New Orleans’ premier modern jazz combo, Astral Project. Of late, he’s appeared in the progressive jazz supergroup Nolatet.
As this is a live record, we find that the creative magic that Rumback instigates in the studio carries over on the stage. Not to mention the pliable musicianship of Singleton, who’s playing this music for the very first time. Though straight jazz is played here, it’s got all the energy and capriciousness of a free jazz blowing session (but still retains a strong sense of melody). That’s especially true of the first couple of tracks, which together run longer than thirty-five minutes.
“Dragons In Denver” commences with two beginnings: a melodious intro with an Albert Ayler sensibility followed shortly by a second start launched by Rumback’s raucous rumblings, a catalyst for Ward’s saxophone impassioned performance. A few minutes later, the brakes are tapped and another section is introduced: as Ward hangs his notes out longer the real action is happening with the Rumback/Singleton rhythm section. Motif #4 picks up the pace again but this time Baker is the one getting to stretch out. It all comes to an end with a return to that pretty melody with which it began.
Singleton sets the waltz with conciseness on “Salt Lines/Storybook Skyline.” Once again Rumback plays creatively in the service of the other musicians, providing a hard kick in the pants when Baker solos, all the time staying connected with Singleton. Ward is later heard displaying impressive range and inventiveness usually only found with ‘outside’ playing. Rumback’s rim strikes signal a turning point in the song, and Ward turns inward as the song flirts with going dissonant.
Singleton shares the main harmony task with Baker for “Convulsive,” which is quite unlike what its title suggests. Hushed and deliberative, it’s headlined by a delicate Baker piano feature. Rumback can be heard at the start of “Too Toney” making just enough hay to keep the pulse strong until Singleton appears on this Chick Corea styled tune. The digital version ends with the only non-Rumback song, a sensitive reading of Stanley Cowell’s sublime “Equipoise.”
Charles Rumback’s Cadillac Turns is out on March 22, 2019 courtesy of Astral Spirits, as a digital download & a limited run of 300 CD’s (mostly available on tour only).
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