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James Zollar: Zollar System

By Raul d'Gama Rose
August 17, 2010
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It is an unfortunate fact that trumpeter James Zollar is nowhere near as well-known as he should be. But that may be about to change. Zollar Systems may be about to put Zollar in an orbit all his own. A genuine renaissance man of the horn, Zollar is a singular voice on the instrument that is jazz music's vanguard accouterment—the one that heralded the legend of

Buddy Bolden

cornet
1877 - 1931

" data-original-title="" title="">Buddy Bolden and those of Joe Oliver,

Louis Armstrong

trumpet and vocals
1901 - 1971

" data-original-title="" title="">Louis Armstrong,

Jabbo Smith

trumpet
1908 - 1991

" data-original-title="" title="">Jabbo Smith and

Bubber Miley

trumpet
1903 - 1932

" data-original-title="" title="">Bubber Miley, and other pioneering ambassadors of the music, from

Fats Navarro

trumpet
1923 - 1950

" data-original-title="" title="">Fats Navarro and

Clifford Brown

trumpet
b.1930

" data-original-title="" title="">Clifford Brown to

Clarence Shaw

b.1926

" data-original-title="" title="">Clarence Shaw and

Dizzy Gillespie

trumpet
1917 - 1993

" data-original-title="" title="">Dizzy Gillespie,

Miles Davis

trumpet
1926 - 1991

" data-original-title="" title="">Miles Davis and

Wynton Marsalis

trumpet
b.1961

" data-original-title="" title="">Wynton Marsalis—down to a handful of other trumpeters playing today.

Zollar might easily claim to be a direct descendent from any one of those men. But in the raw sophistication of his intonation there is a classic recollection of the blues-inflected tones of Navarro and Brown. In his ability to utter a memorable phrase with sound and silence conjoined to bring ideas to fruition he is like the iconic Clarence Shaw. At times Zollar can growl magnificently, and then the ghost of Miley reappears. But mostly the wondrous voice is Zollar's alone—soaked in the blues, plaintive and joyful, as germane to his environment as pure the pure sound of air rushing or cruising through brass itself.

That Zollar is a rare bird may be heard in any one of the memorable tracks on this album. On the snorting opener, "Chicago Preferred," a chart that rocks like a classic bebop song, Zollar soars like a great bird in flight. On the simple ruminations of his wife and vocalist, Nabuko Kiryu in her bluesy, "Take the Subway Home," a seemingly simple-minded send up of the suggested unwinding after a particularly brutal day, the trumpeter is the voice of arousal. On

Hoagy Carmichael

piano
1899 - 1981

" data-original-title="" title="">Hoagy Carmichael and Ned Washington's gorgeous ballad, Zollar prays with miraculously husky sensuality. His mystic intonations come closest to the true meaning of suggested bliss, as he works the melody of the song in his first chorus, and then turns it inside out as his staggering lines of improvisations unfurl verse-after-verse of the song.

Zollar's unstoppable force continues through the sharp incline of

Eddie Harris

saxophone, tenor
1934 - 1996

" data-original-title="" title="">Eddie Harris' "Spasmodic Movements" and Kiryu's spiritually sublime, "Go-En," which appears to be the glue that binds Zollar to his music and his life. His own moves are like greased lightening on his composition, "Slick" and he—together with Japanese mezzo-soprano, Sahoko Sato—turns the operatic "A Time to Say Goodbye" into a thrilling encounter between the human voice and Zollar's Miley one on trumpet.

It would be remiss not to acknowledge the sublime work of

Don Byron

clarinet
b.1958

" data-original-title="" title="">Don Byron, who beams in and out on clarinet, on "Spasmodic Movements," and saxophonist

Stacy Dillard

saxophone

" data-original-title="" title="">Stacy Dillard's supporting role, as well

Rick Germanson

piano

" data-original-title="" title="">Rick Germanson's intricate pianism (a mature accompanying role beyond belief) on this most memorable album from Zollar.

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Track Listing

Chicago Preferred; The Prayer of a Happy Housewife; Take The Subway Home;The Nearness of You; Spasmodic Movements; Go-En; Slick; Angel Face; Black Winter; Time To Say Good Bye.

Personnel

James Zollar

trumpet

James Zollar: trumpet; Stacy Dillard: tenor and soprano saxophones; Rick Germanson: piano, keyboards; Ugonna Okegwo, Andy McCloud: bass; Bruce Cox: drums; Nabuko Kiryu: vocals, all arrangements.

Album information

Title: Zollar System | Year Released: 2010 | Record Label: JZAZ Records

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