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David Finck: BASSic Instinct

By Jack Bowers
March 28, 2022
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There's so much variety on BASSic Instinct, bassist

David Finck

bass, acoustic
b.1958

" data-original-title="" title="">David Finck's sixth recording as leader, that it's almost like grooving on half a dozen or more albums for the price of one. Ensembles run the gamut from duo to octet, with vocals added on three of its thirteen engaging numbers. Besides governing the rhythm, composing three of the numbers and arranging all of them, Finck shoulders melodic duties on five tracks and solos effectively throughout. As suits his temperament, every number is straight-ahead, most of them swinging.

Finck duets with pianists Meg Ruby (

Johnny Mandel

arranger
b.1925

" data-original-title="" title="">Johnny Mandel's "Seascape") and

Tedd Firth

piano

" data-original-title="" title="">Tedd Firth (his own "I Remember," with vocal by Melissa Errico), leads trios with Firth and drummer

Eric Halvorson

drums

" data-original-title="" title="">Eric Halvorson ("The Best Thing for You"), guitarist

Bob Mann

guitar

" data-original-title="" title="">Bob Mann and drummer

Cliff Almond

drums

" data-original-title="" title="">Cliff Almond ("I'm Confessin'"), and quartets with Mann, Almond and pianist

Quinn Johnson

keyboards

" data-original-title="" title="">Quinn Johnson ("Theme from Mannix," "Soon It's Gonna Rain"); Johnson, drummer

Clint de Ganon

drums

" data-original-title="" title="">Clint de Ganon and flutist Laura Conwesser ("Joy"); Ruby, guitarist

Nelson Faria

guitar

" data-original-title="" title="">Nelson Faria and percussionist

Kevin Winard

drums

" data-original-title="" title="">Kevin Winard ("Tico Tico No Fuba"). In addition to those already named, the larger groups (sextet, octet) include trumpeters

Ryan Quigley

trumpet

" data-original-title="" title="">Ryan Quigley and

Barry Danielian

trumpet
b.1962

" data-original-title="" title="">Barry Danielian, tenor saxophonist

Andy Snitzer

saxophone

" data-original-title="" title="">Andy Snitzer, trombonist

Mike Davis

cornet
b.1972

" data-original-title="" title="">Mike Davis, pianist

Philippe Saisse

keyboards
b.1947

" data-original-title="" title="">Philippe Saisse and drummer Teo Lima.

Finck composed the sunny opener, "BASSic Instinct," to which Snitzer adds his strong mid-range voice after a firm solo by Finck. That leads to one of Irving Berlin's loveliest (and most underrated) themes, "The Best Thing for You," and Jerome Kern's "Dearly Beloved," played here as a lively bossa or samba with resourceful solos by Finck, Snitzer, Johnson and Davis. The "Theme from Mannix" is a pleasant surprise, as is Finck's Brazilian-inspired "Bateu, Levou," which introduces vocalists

Teka Penteriche

vocals

" data-original-title="" title="">Teka Penteriche and Trist Curliss (she and he, respectively). The tranquil "Seascape" and "Joy" are sandwiched around the sextet's charming version of "Tea for Two," on which Finck again states the melody and Snitzer adds the last of his impressive solos.

Kelly Mittleman is the vocalist on "So What" (not the familiar

Miles Davis

trumpet
1926 - 1991

" data-original-title="" title="">Miles Davis tune), which precedes the enchanting ballad "Soon It's Gonna Rain" (Finck on arco) and the playful "Tico Tico," one of the album's several highlights, thanks to dynamic blowing by Ruby, Faria, Winard and Finck. Finck wraps the package with the sultry standard "I'm Confessin'" and his "I Remember," whose lyric, written by Jack Murphy and sung by Errico, perhaps drew its inspiration from another standard, Victor Schertzinger/Johnny Mercer's "I Remember You." An astute, well-designed and expertly performed session with a pleasing snippet or more for almost every listener.

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Track Listing

BASSic Instinct; The Best Thing for You [Would Be Me]; Dearly Beloved; Theme from ��Mannix��; Bateu, Levou/Who��s Wrong or Right; Seascape; Tea for Two; Joy; So What; Soon It��s Gonna Rain [Theme from ��The Fantasticks��]; Tico Tico No Fuba; I��m Confessin�� [That I Love You]; I Remember.

Personnel

David Finck

bass, acoustic

Quinn Johnson

keyboards

Tedd Firth

piano

Meg Ruby

piano

Philippe Saisse

keyboards

Laura Conwesser

flute

Andy Snitzer

saxophone

Mike Davis

cornet

Ryan Quigley

trumpet

Nelson Faria

guitar

Bob Mann

guitar

Clint de Ganon

drums

Cliff Almond

drums

Kevin Winard

drums

Eric Halvorson

drums

Teo Lima

drums

Trist Curless

vocals

Kelly Mittleman

vocals

Melissa Errico

vocals

Teka Penteriche

vocals

Album information

Title: BASSic Instinct | Year Released: 2021 | Record Label: Burton Avenue Music

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