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Bob Albanese: Time Remembered

By Dan Bilawsky
October 9, 2015
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Memory is one persistent traveler. Whether we know it or not, memories always follow us on our journeys, influence our choice of direction, and work their way into our everyday encounters to some extent. Nobody is completely immune to the charms and ills carried in memories, but some are more susceptible than others. In fact, some readily choose to be susceptible, letting their memories take root in their work and allowing art to absorb and, subsequently, radiate experience. Such is the case with pianist Bob Albanese.

On Time Remembered, Albanese delivers one slice of life after another. There's the oft-performed,

Bill Evans

piano
1929 - 1980

" data-original-title="" title="">Bill Evans-penned title track, a first-take recording summing up the meaning of esprit de corps, as Albanese, bassist

Eddie Gomez

bass
b.1944

" data-original-title="" title="">Eddie Gomez, and drummer

Willard Dyson

drums

" data-original-title="" title="">Willard Dyson emote and emerge as one; there's "Changes," a winning send-up of music theory that points to Albanese's chordal studies while nodding toward songsmiths like

Bob Dorough

vocals
1923 - 2018

" data-original-title="" title="">Bob Dorough and

Dave Frishberg

piano
1933 - 2021

" data-original-title="" title="">Dave Frishberg; there's a solo piano performance of

Clare Fischer

piano
1928 - 2012

" data-original-title="" title="">Clare Fischer's "Pensativa," serving as a tribute to the man that Albanese considered a mentor; and there are original dedications of various shapes and sizes—an appealing "Pastels (Waltz For George)" in honor of the late

George Mesterhazy

piano
1954 - 2012

" data-original-title="" title="">George Mesterhazy, a multi-sectioned "Furmina Daza Suite" for Mrs. Albanese and the beagle in this couple's life, a song dubbed "Herbie Lix" that was sown from a melodic motif that

Herbie Hancock

piano
b.1940

" data-original-title="" title="">Herbie Hancock tossed off at the Plugged Nickel in 1965, and a piece called "El Raton" that references the author's four year stint with flutist Mauricio Smith's Latin dance band.

The aforementioned pieces are, obviously, personal in nature, touching on influences, friends, and glimpses of life gone by. But Albanese doesn't force listeners to take his experiences as their own. Instead, he creates music that invites those on the receiving end to find their own story embedded in the sound(s). You don't have to know Albanese or see things from his vantage point in order to appreciate the hope, beauty, loss, enthusiasm, humor, grace, and vitality that lives in this music. You need only sit down without distraction and take in this album to discover those truths.

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Track Listing

Time Remembered; Isfahan; El Raton; Pastels (Waltz For George); Herbie Lix; Pensativa; Furmina; The Place; Changes (AKA ��Jazz Harmony Lesson In A Song��).

Personnel

Bob Albanese

piano

Eddie Gomez

bass

Willard Dyson

drums

David Meade

drums

Album information

Title: Time Remembered | Year Released: 2015 | Record Label: Mayimba Music

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