Dan Schnelle is a name you may have heard of if you read the names of the members of backing bands to artists like Larry Goldings, Karrin Allyson, Dayna Stephens and Nick Finzer. Now, there is a better reason to remember the name of this in-demand session drummer: He’s recently come out with his debut album as a leader and it’s an impressive first time out.
Shine Thru is an announcement about his true self as a musician, composer and bandleader. Instead of making a competent imitation of, say, works of his idols, Schnelle committed to making a record that fully articulates what he is about artistically, blurring the lines between a “drummer” record, and “ensemble” record and a “composer” record.
Schnelle didn’t mess around. He put together a band of leaders to back him: Josh Nelson (piano), Jeff Babko (piano, keyboards), Anthony Wilson (guitar), David Binney (alto saxophone) and Alex Boneham (bass). Schnelle’s vision of jazz is a very modern one, one that smartly coordinates complex rhythms with complex harmonies into a seamless, engaging whole. He knows how to deploy the talent he amassed at his compositions, to get the most out of these songs.
“Unknown Territory” has some fusion-ish stylings but Nelson’s marvelous piano display – followed by Binney’s also-nice turn — turns the song right back into the jazz realm. Meanwhile, Schnelle is directing the motion through its various hitches with well-placed accents that keeps the track propelling forward. “Unknown Outro” is the final track that’s a loosely played slight return to that first one. “Thin Skinned” with its rock rhythm also has good piano on it, but this time Babko is the one killing it after which Wilson douses the flame with his cooled-down approach.
“Spaceman Spiff” has an esoteric but captivating chord progression, and who better to handle the lead chores through this pattern than Wilson and his tasteful, stimulating guitar? “2nd Orbit” is another instance of making the complex sound so simple because Schnelle creates this agreeable vibe (with Nelson and Binney again doing the solo honors) where you barely notice all the intricate stuff going on underneath.
“Shine Thru” goes longer than the other tracks, a thoroughly composed piece that culminates with Schnelle himself soloing right under Babko’s piano, thoughtful and forceful but never overbearing.
Arrangements also play a significant role in Schnelle’s musical signature. His mallets makes “The People’s Republic” stand out right away even though it’s a softly played strain overall, while Wilson’s layered guitars and not much else sets the resonant somber tone for the brief “Vistas.” Amid some electronic celestial textures, “New Changes” rides on a funky Boneham/Schnelle groove.
By following his instincts and taking the time to make his first album a complete personal statement, Shine Thru presents Dan Schnelle as not just a fine drummer but a complete artist who already has it all figured out.
Shine Thru is now on sale from Outside In Music. The album is available through Bandcamp.
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