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John Lang: Now Ear This

By Jack Bowers
February 5, 2021
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For what it is, bassist

John Lang

bass
b.1969

" data-original-title="" title="">John Lang's fourth album, Now Ear This, is quite well done. For jazz fans, the dilemma lies there, precisely in what it is—a series of eleven rock/fusion themes, nine written by Lang, which would be right at home on a smooth jazz/easy listening radio station, for example, but whose jazz content would earn them no more than a tenuous place on any playlist beyond that. Tempos are more or less proximate, as is the steady and insistent backbeat. There is some improvisation but none that rises above the level of ordinary, aside perhaps from a handful of engaging licks by trumpeter

Dan Blankinship

trumpet

" data-original-title="" title="">Dan Blankinship and tenor saxophonist

Tim Armacost

saxophone, tenor
b.1962

" data-original-title="" title="">Tim Armacost, and animated solos by all hands on the album's lone flat-out swinger, "Sis Boom Bah."

The album was recorded in two "sessions," with five songs performed by a quartet, six by an octet. Armacost is on the octet's front line with Blankinship, alto

Ken Gioffre

saxophone, alto

" data-original-title="" title="">Ken Gioffre and trombonist

Matthew MacDonald

trombone

" data-original-title="" title="">Matthew MacDonald, and a rhythm section comprised of Lang, guitarist

Jay Azzolina

guitar

" data-original-title="" title="">Jay Azzolina, pianist

Gary Fisher

piano

" data-original-title="" title="">Gary Fisher and drummer

John Romagnoli

drums

" data-original-title="" title="">John Romagnoli. Within the quartet, Lang's partners are pianist

Matthew Sheens

piano
b.1986

" data-original-title="" title="">Matthew Sheens, guitarist

Avi Rothbard

guitar

" data-original-title="" title="">Avi Rothbard and drummer

Mike Campenni

drums

" data-original-title="" title="">Mike Campenni. As noted, Lang wrote every number save

Curtis Mayfield

guitar and vocals
1942 - 1999

" data-original-title="" title="">Curtis Mayfield's "Pusherman" and

Wes Montgomery

guitar
1923 - 1968

" data-original-title="" title="">Wes Montgomery's "Four on Six."

Lang's funky opener, "The Town of Tiny Rooms," performed by the quartet, sets the mood, leading to a second quartet number, "Scarborough Cha," before the octet enters on the swarthy "Triolation" and relatively sunny "Without Doubt." The quartet returns on "Addendum," then makes way for the octet on "Four on Six," "Well Done" and "The Night Watch." The swinging "Sis Boom Bah" precedes the earnest finale, "Won by One," whose introductory vocal—if one can call it that—is offered by one Milo Lang, presumably John Lang's (pre-school?) son. Welcome to show biz, kid. You've made your debut on an album that has no doubt reached its goal. It remains for the listener to decide whether that goal has enough jazz content to warrant more than a passing glance.

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Track Listing

The Town of Tiny Rooms; Scarborough Cha; Trioation; Without Doubt; Addendum; Pusherman; On^ (Four on Six); Well Done; The Night Watch; Sis Boom Bah; Won by One.

Personnel

John Lang

bass

Avi Rothbard

guitar

Matthew Sheens

piano

Mike Campenni

drums

Dan Blankinship

trumpet

Ken Gioffre

saxophone, alto

Tim Armacost

saxophone, tenor

Matthew MacDonald

trombone

Jay Azzolina

guitar

Gary Fisher

piano

John Romagnoli

drums

Jason DeBord

keyboards

Milo Lang

vocals

Additional Instrumentation

Session 1: Avi Rothbard: guitar; Matthew Sheens: piano; John Lang: bass; Mike Campenni: drums. Session 2: Dan Blankinship: trumpet; Ken Gioffre: alto sax; Tim Armacost: tenor sax; Matthew MacDonald: trombone; Jay Azzolina: guitar; Gary Fisher: piano; John Lang: bass; John Romagnoli: drums. Over-dub crew—Lang: keyboards; Romagnoli: percussion; Jason DeBord: Hammond organ; Milo Lang: vocal (11).

Album information

Title: Now Ear This | Year Released: 2021 | Record Label: Self Produced

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