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Tim Mayer: Resilience

By Dan Bilawsky
October 16, 2011
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Resplendent arrangements and artful soloists are in abundance on Tim Mayer's Resilience. For this, the Boston-based tenor saxophonist's debut recording under his own name, Mayer manages to bridge the gap between the often opposing forces of stability and variety, as he builds each tune around the same core quartet while using an ever-changing list of guests as front line partners and featured soloists.

While the quartet functions as a stand-alone entity on a delicious ballad that seems to be built in the image of

Ben Webster

saxophone, tenor
1909 - 1973

" data-original-title="" title="">Ben Webster ("I Guess I'll Hang My Tears Out To Dry"), the ranks swell to varying degrees on every other performance. At its biggest, the group becomes a tentet for

Sara Jacovino

trombone
b.1983

" data-original-title="" title="">Sara Jacovino's woodwind-enhanced arrangement of trumpeter

Charles Tolliver

trumpet
b.1942

" data-original-title="" title="">Charles Tolliver's "Emperor March," but the majority of the music is fashioned around different quintet and sextet lineups.

Trombonist

Michael Dease

trombone
b.1982

" data-original-title="" title="">Michael Dease is a frequent contributor who appears on seven tracks, and brings his fast-and-fluid chops to the foreground on his bop-influenced "For Miles," fellow trombone ace

Steve Turre

trombone
b.1948

" data-original-title="" title="">Steve Turre's "Fire And Ice," and a winning take of

Bud Powell

piano
1924 - 1966

" data-original-title="" title="">Bud Powell's "Dance Of The Infidels." Guitarist

Mark Whitfield

guitar
b.1966

" data-original-title="" title="">Mark Whitfield proves to be a marvelous match for Mayer on the saxophonist's lively "Who Knew?" and

Thelonious Monk

piano
1917 - 1982

" data-original-title="" title="">Thelonious Monk's "Work," and a talented triumvirate of trumpeters take turns tearing it up as they stand side-by-side with Mayer.

Dominick Farinacci

trumpet
b.1983

" data-original-title="" title="">Dominick Farinacci is featured on the snappy "Klimo,"

Claudio Roditi

trumpet
1946 - 2020

" data-original-title="" title="">Claudio Roditi joins in on a waltzing "Blue Lace," and

Greg Gisbert

trumpet
b.1966

" data-original-title="" title="">Greg Gisbert blends well within the aforementioned tentet, but comes on strong with bold and bright soloing during

Kenny Dorham

trumpet
1924 - 1972

" data-original-title="" title="">Kenny Dorham's rarely covered "Escapade."

Mayer often fashions his frontline in the manner of

Art Blakey

drums
1919 - 1990

" data-original-title="" title="">Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers which, with half of the pieces on the album having been written by former Messengers or Blakey associates, is clearly intentional; but this band is no knock-off. Thankfully, Mayer prefers allusion to direct imitation, which helps to make Resilience a resounding success.

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Track Listing

For Miles; Escapade; Emperor March; I Guess I'll Hand My Tears Out To Dry; Fire & Ice; Dance Of The Infidels; Who Knew?; Blue Lace; Work; Klimo.

Personnel

Tim Mayer

saxophone

Tim Mayer: tenor saxophone; George Cables: piano; Dezron Douglas: bass; Will Jones III: drums; Claudio Roditi: rotary trumpet (8); Greg Gisbert: trumpet (2, 3); Dominick Farinacci: trumpet (10); Michael Dease: alto trombone, tenor trombone (1-3, 5, 6, 8, 10); Robert Edwards: bass trombone (7, 9); Mark Whitfield: guitar (7, 9); Don Braden: flute (3); Robert Foster: alto flute (3); Michael Thomas: clarinet (3).

Album information

Title: Resilience | Year Released: 2011 | Record Label: Jazz Legacy Productions

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