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Eric Vaughn: Minor Relocation

By Dan McClenaghan
September 2, 2012
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The "Rising Star" status usually goes to those of the youthful fresh faces, possessed of recent degrees from one of the major music schools. But, 58 year-old pianist Eric Vaughn, now San Francisco-based now after a dozen years in Seattle, could easily take that prize. With his major distribution debut, Minor Relocation, he could be called a newly discovered star. He's mostly unnoticed in the

Bud Powell

piano
1924 - 1966

" data-original-title="" title="">Bud Powell/

Thelonious Monk

piano
1917 - 1982

" data-original-title="" title="">Thelonious Monk constellation, but he's one star that shines brightly.

Powell and Monk, the iconoclastic bebop pioneers, influence Vaughn's craggy, quirky pianism on the ebullient title tune and "Funny Waltz," while a channeling of pianist

McCoy Tyner

piano
1938 - 2020

" data-original-title="" title="">McCoy Tyner muscularity surfaces on the Great American Songbook gem, "Alone Together." Here, the disc's core trio's is joined by saxophonist

Bob Kenmotsu

saxophone, tenor

" data-original-title="" title="">Bob Kenmotsu for a rollicking take on the familiar tune.

An exuberant and joyful player, Vaughn also proves to be a first-rate songsmith. He penned six of the eleven tunes including the beautiful "Joyce," a lilting bossa ballad, the free-swinging "Jackpot Blues," and the explosive "Tune for Trane."

Mixing of lineups on a disc can sometimes be a mistake. Vaughn turns it into an asset, offering three trio workouts with three different drummers and bassists. Kenmotsu also sits in on five tunes, and sounds particularly fine on the standards "Stella By Starlight " and "On Green Dolphin Street."

Bernie Williams

guitar

" data-original-title="" title="">Bernie Williams contributes some zingy flute work on the Vaugh-penned "Eric's Samba."

Expertly put together, Minor Relocation's originals and well-chosen standards are sequenced nicely, and played with an obvious joy that marries the willingness to take risks and just "go for it." Eric Vaughn could be classified as one of the year's top discoveries.

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Track Listing

Minor Relocation; Funny Waltz; Alone Together; Eric's Samba; Joyce; Jackpot Blues; On Green Dolphin Street; Tune for Trane; Stella By Starlight; On Green Dolphin Street--Take 2; Stella By Starlight--Take 2.

Personnel

Eric Vaughn

piano

Eric Vaughn: piano; Bob Kenmotsu: tenor saxophone (3, 7, 9, 10, 11); Mark Bullis: bass (2, 4, 5); Nate Omdal: bass (1, 6, 8); John Witala: bass (3, 7, 9, 10, 11); Kent Brison: drums (3, 7, 9, 10, 11); Jamiel Nance: drums (2, 4, 5); Nicholas Quitevis: drums (1, 6, 8); Bernie Williams: flute (4).

Album information

Title: Minor Relocation | Year Released: 2012 | Record Label: Broken Time Records

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