feature photo: Adrien H. Tillmann
Dave Meder is an emerging piano and composing talent who has made records touching on the topic of religion. These aren’t religious records, they are pondering, probing and practiced records with a topic around which Meder creates evocative, stimulating jazz. And now, he’s poised to do it again.
“Modern Gothic” – premiering in the video above – is the lead-off track on Dave Meder’s third, upcoming release New American Hymnal, an assemblage of songs themed on faith and the bedrock set of principles that forms the secular foundation of American culture. Like the prior Dave Meder records, the message isn’t conveyed by words (excepting one track with lyrics sung by Isabel Crespo Pardo). No, the message is in the music.
The musical message of “Modern Gothic” is carried out very credibly by Meder & Co. It all starts with Meder getting the ball rolling with a funky piano attack but Michael Piolet’s happy, New Orleans-flavored pulse soon takes charge of the rhythm and doesn’t let go. Trumpeter Philip Dizack frolics in the wide pocket formed by Piolet with Marty Jaffe (bass) and the whole quartet seems to be having so much fun just testifyin’ that you could almost forget there’s a thoughtful melody being played, here.
Dave Meder’s New American Hymnal will be available at all the usual outlets on September 8, 2023, via Outside In Music.
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