Home » Jazz Articles » Multiple Reviews » It's The Drummer, Stupid
It's The Drummer, Stupid
Elvin Jones
drums1927 - 2004
Paul Motian
drums1931 - 2011
Jack DeJohnette
drumsb.1942
Thomas Grimmonprez
Bleu
Zig Zag
2009
This French jazz trio, originating from Lille, covers the eight compositions of its leader and drummer Thomas Grimmonprez with an appetite for music making that is similar to an indie rock band. The beauty of Bleu is that rock-n-roll passion is channeled into three fine jazz musicians. Grimmonprez is joined by Jeremie Ternoy on Fender Rhodes piano and bassist Christophe Hache.
Grimmonprez' drumming commands the entire recording. His penchant is to step out in front of most tracks, muscling the music to keep the groove foremost in your ears. Like 
Billy Martin
drums
b.1963
Nasheet Waits
drums
b.1971
Marc Ducret
guitar
b.1957
Evan Parker
saxophone, soprano
b.1944
Bobo Stenson
piano
b.1944
Martial Solal
piano
1927 - 2024
Sun Ra
piano
1914 - 1993
Elsewhere, Grimmonprez applies a perfect shuffle on "Sans Glace," works the brushes on cymbal in support of the deep bass lead of Hache on "Planeur," and focuses on an uncluttered tom-tom meditation for "Sans Nom," a sweet theme that allows Ternoy to stretch out a bit on the Fender Rhodes.
Visit Thomas Grimmonprez on the web.
Loren Stillman
Winter Fruits
Pirouet
2009
Winter Fruits is an exceedingly mature recording for a saxophonist who is only 29 years old. But, when it is your eighth as a leader, you surely have a maturity and vision beyond your years and alto saxophonist 
Loren Stillman
saxophone, alto
b.1980
His first step is choosing players with complementary minds like organist 
Gary Versace
piano
John Hollenbeck
drums
b.1968
Brad Shepik
guitar
Maria Schneider
composer / conductor
Nate Radley
guitar
Andrew Rathbun
saxophone, tenor
Ted Poor
drums
Cuong Vu
trumpet
b.1969
Ben Monder
guitar
b.1962
For this session, Stillman leads the affair contributing six of the eight compositions. His playing, like the above mentioned Mark Turner is never rushed. He paces notes shaping his sound from deftly formed designs. The slower sound on "Muted Dreams" gradually builds intensity, with Poor continually coloring the piece, staying in the background but always apparent. The mellowness of "Man Of Mystery" and the reflectiveness heard on "With You" display the restraint you might encounter on a Paul Motian session.
Radley and Versace handle the guitar and organ roles in a distinctive and uncommon manner, opting for the understatement. A rare gem for those two instruments combined. Versace plays the role of a church organist on "A Song To Be Played," doodling some figures until the band slinks in. The title track, written by Poor, bumps up the energy. Alto, guitar and drums play note-for-note to open the piece, followed by a simmering groove by Poor that threatens to explode. With this band, it never will. It is the possibility and the tension that possibility raises that is the strength here.
Visit Loren Stillman on the web.
Tracks and Personnel
Bleu
Tracks: Bleu; Sans Glace; Planeur; Issue de Secours; Sans Nom; Sphere; Presque Enervant; 7040.
Personnel: Thomas Grimmonprez: drums; Jérémie Ternoy: Fender Rhodes; Christophe Hache: bass.
Winter Fruits
Tracks: Muted Dreams; Skin; Man Of Mystery; With You; Like A Magic Kiss; A Song To Be Played; Winter Fruits; Puffy.
Personnel: Loren Stillman: alto saxophone; Nate Radley: guitar; Gary Verace: organ; Ted Poor: drums.
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