Customer Reviews

Live at Starbucks

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Truly one of the freshest, most engaging and swinging albums I've picked up in a long time. This is, I believe, the same trio that Ray Brown was scheduled to bring to the Jazz Showcase in Chicago shortly before he took his last sleep in Indianapolis.

The ensemble is as tight and cohesive as it is adventurous and playful--a trademark of practically all Brown-sparked rhythm sections. When Keezer came on the scene twelve years ago, he was "merely" another competent New York "power pianist"--making a bid to be among first-call players like Harold Mabern, Sir Roland Hanna, James Williams, Cedar Walton. On this occasion, he's come of age, the latest in a series of Brown compatriots--Monty Alexander, Benny Green, and now Geoff Keezer--to take on the formidable mantle of Oscar himself.

As a touchstone to the ensemble's approach, listen carefully to the break before the first solo on Victor Young's "When I Fall in Love." After stating the melody, Keezer prepares for the top of the "ride" chorus with four measures of crescendoing chords played tremulo, then delivers a series of 4 "electroshocks," punching chords in concert with bass and drums on beats 1, 4, 3, 2--off-center, "weak-beat" jolts that knocked the pins off this listener. And if Paul Weston's "I Should Care" is a tune that's ever captured your interest, Keezer's up-tempo, polyphonic interpretation is guaranteed to surprise and delight but definitely not disappoint.

While Keezer is the main attraction, Karriem Riggins brings to mind the well-oiled machine that was once the Peterson-Brown-Ed Thigpen trio. Ever since first Elvin and later Tony de-emphasized the time-keeping role of the trap cymbals, it's apparently become acceptable among many young drummers to follow their lead. Tell that to Riggins, whose firm and unwavering hi-hat could by itself drive a big band.

Brown is Brown, laying it down with all of the strength and verve that have made his name more synonymous with acoustic bass than any other musician's over the past 50 years. Ray's programming of J.J. Johnson's elegaic "Lament" contains some retrospective irony since the legendary trombonist himself came to the end of his journey in Indianapolis about a year ago. From this recording, it would appear that Ray Brown had many miles to go before he slept. Now we can only hope there will be others to finish the trip.

Words can do little to describe this album. It is a true work of art, and the 3 Brown originals are a wonderful addition to the classic pieces. Geoff Keezer and Karriem Riggins are wonderful young jazz musicians and complement Ray Brown perfectly while not hogging the spotlight. This is one of my all-time favourite jazz albums, and I can never get tired of hearing it. The booklet includes an essay by Will Friedwald, plus a page about the night this recording was made at Starbucks. It must have been wonderful to have been in the audience, but this album will serve for those unfortunate not to have been. Highly recommended.

Ray Brown is sadly no longer with us. But, fortunately, he left a huge legacy of music, as he appears on literally thousands of recordings, either as accompanist or under his own name. This live release is one of his last recordings released while he was still alive, and it is simply marvelous. Brown, Riggins, and Keezer are obviously monster musicians, but here, the joy of life is what springs from your speakers, not a technical show-off. You can almost see them smiling as they effortlessly play off each other, and support each other with the grace of an eagle in flight. Ray Brown could, if he ever wanted, blow everyone away with sheer musical virtuosity, yet he rarely (if ever) did. He just wanted to make you feel something, he wanted to communicate, and he wanted the band or the artist he was accompanying to sound its best. This is what separates true artists from mere performers. Keezer and Riggins were rather new to me before hearing this album, and I must also say they are absolutely amazing. Riggins uses his kit to great advantage, but never to impress - he seems to find just the right accents and combinations to propel and complement the music, and most importantly, to keep it swinging. Keezer is no slouch, either. His phrasing and swift execution on the uptempo numbers is amazing, and his ballad playing is simply beautiful. If you never heard Ray while he was with us, that's ok. Get this album and revel in his artistry and passion for music. Also, check out his work with Oscar Peterson.

Beautiful... absolutely beautiful. This album is a throwback to how people used to make records -- by swinging their %$#@! off and not playing a whole bunch of notes. And this album does swing... HARD! In fact, I fell out of my chair the first time I heard it! And there is NOTHING like the sound of a press roll right before a big, fat down beat (you jazzers out there will know what I'm talking about). It's nice to know that in a "been-there-done-that" and "heard-that-before" era, people can still make records that make my soul shake. Thanks for "the swing", Papa Ray.