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The Creative Convergence Of R*Time And Doug Hammond
Courtesy Dan Ben Ari
None of us, for even a moment, failed to realize the beauty of these songs. For me, playing the music in the presence of such an incredible musician, I want to learn. That's how I learned music throughout all my years of doing this—from the people I played with.
—Reut Regev
Doug Hammond
drumsb.1942
"The venue host told us, 'You won't believe it, Doug stayed for half an hour. He never does that,'" trombonist Reut Regev recalls. This seemingly minor detail carried weight: Hammond, a veteran drummer and composer who has called Linz home since taking a professorship at Bruckner University in 1989, rarely lingers at performances.
That night catalyzed a partnership bridging generations and continents. Through a grant, R*Time brought Hammond from Austria to New Jersey, where the band spent an intensive week living and rehearsing in Regev's home before recording at Tedesco Studios. The resulting album, released on ESP-Disk, marks both a departure and a continuation—pushing the historic label's experimental legacy in new directions while honoring Hammond's sophisticated compositional approach.
The Israeli-born Regev has spent over two decades in New York City's creative music scene, collaborating with boundary-pushers like
Anthony Braxton
woodwindsb.1945
Lawrence "Butch" Morris
cornet1947 - 2013
Hazmat Modine
band / ensemble / orchestraR*Time approached Hammond's music from multiple angles. They'd worked extensively with tubist John Sass, a longtime Hammond collaborator. They knew Hammond's pieces from
Charles Mingus
bass, acoustic1922 - 1979
"We were familiar with his music," explains Foni. "Then we managed to get a grant which allowed us to bring Doug over here and do this project." The current R*Time lineup proved ideal for tackling Hammond's sophisticated structures, with legendary free funk guitarist
Jean-Paul Bourelly
guitarb.1960
Miles Davis
trumpet1926 - 1991
Cassandra Wilson
vocalsb.1955
Eric Revis
bassb.1967
Ornette Coleman
saxophone, alto1930 - 2015
Stevie Wonder
vocalsb.1950
The rehearsal process balanced Hammond's guidance with the band's interpretive freedom. During one session, Foni recalls hitting a wall: "We worked on this tune, and I'm playing it, and Doug says, 'No.'" After Hammond demonstrated what he wanted, the band asked for space to work it out. As Foni relates, Jean-Paul Bourelly suggested, "Okay Doug, just give us a few minutes to work on the stuff." When Foni opened the door shortly after, he found Hammond waiting, pleasantly surprised. "I'm shocked—nobody ever played my music like that," the composer said, appreciating how quickly the band had found their own way into the piece.
The recording sessions developed their own daily rhythm. Hammond stayed in Reut and Igal's Airbnb room, Bourelly in the guest room. Days began with coffee and conversation before moving to Regev's music room. They'd break for lunch, then return to working through Hammond's pieces. This close quarters arrangement led to deeper musical understanding.
Hammond valued the creative friction that emerged. "Sometimes your best work is when there's some tension," he told Foni in a later phone conversation. Rather than seeking perfect reproduction of his original vision, Hammond encouraged the band to push against boundaries while respecting the core of each composition.
The song selection evolved organically. "It was a three-way process," Regev explains. "Igal picked a bunch of them, then I picked from those, and then we sent them to Doug and asked if there was anything else he thought we should include." Though Hammond initially declined to add unreleased material, during the sessions he surprised them with "Chico," a piece that became one of the album's centerpieces.
The band discovered new dimensions in Hammond's existing repertoire. They approached the tribal, upbeat "Risbys," (aka "Rizz Biz") known from Hammond's recordings with Muneer Abdul Fataah and
Steve Coleman
saxophone, altob.1956
Between rehearsals, Hammond shared stories spanning five decades in music—his early years with
Earl Hooker
guitar, slide1930 - 1970
Sonny Rollins
saxophoneb.1930
Wolfgang Dauner
piano1935 - 2020
The living arrangements fostered both musical and personal connections. Sharing meals and downtime allowed the band to absorb Hammond's approach naturally. This intimacy comes through in the recording—moments of tension balanced with deep mutual understanding.
"None of us, for even a moment, failed to realize the beauty of these songs," Regev reflects. "For me, playing the music in the presence of such an incredible musician, I want to learn. That's how I learned music throughout all my years of doing this—from the people I played with."
At Tedesco Studios, the mature compositions found new life through R*Time's contemporary energy. Bourelly's guitar work provides aggressive yet sensitive counterpoint throughout. The rhythm section of Foni and Peterson builds on Hammond's sophisticated structures while finding room to explore. Regev's trombone and flugabone navigate between melodic interpretation and free exploration.
The album represents a significant addition to ESP-Disk's catalog. While maintaining the label's experimental spirit, It's Now focuses on Hammond's carefully crafted compositions rather than extended improvisations. "That was Doug in the room," Regev says. "That's how he wanted it to be played—he wants the song to be a song, and then you can do a little with it. You can't escape the beauty of these songs." The result showcases R*Time's ability to honor compositional frameworks while infusing them with contemporary vitality.
This collaboration extends beyond a simple homage or reinterpretation. The band lived with these compositions, absorbed Hammond's guidance and philosophy through daily interaction, and emerged with recordings that capture both the sophistication of his writing and the explosive potential of contemporary creative music. What began with a borrowed ladder grew into a profound musical exchange, documented on an album that points toward new possibilities.
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Catching Up With
Reut Regev
Lawrence Peryer
United States
New York
New York City
Doug Hammond
Igal Foni
ESP-Disk
anthony braxton
Butch Morris
Hazmat Modine
Charles Mingus
Jean-Paul Bourelly
Miles Davis
Cassandra Wilson
Mark Peterson
Ornette Coleman
Stevie Wonder
Steve Coleman
Earl Hooker
Sonny Rollins
Wolfgang Dauner
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