Life Forum
Reviews
Fo
Reviewed 2013-05-05
Reviewed 2013-05-05
GERALD CLAYTON: Life Forum
Concord, 2013
MAINSTREAM JAZZ – One of the fastest-rising pianists in jazz, 28-year old Gerald Clayton has a deeply soulful style that’s so easy to listen to you may not realize how much modern jazz complexity lurks within it. His third album features a very strong young band that includes three Berkeley High alumni: Ambrose Akinmusire (trumpet), Dayna Stephens (tenor sax), and Justin Brown (drums). Three vocalists add yet another layer of soul. Wow, there’s some really nice stuff here.
All worth a listen. Fo’s Picks: 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 9, 11
1. 2:53 – spoken poetry (Carl Hancock Rux) within a rising soul flow
2. 4:52 – galloping midtempo: horns set it up, piano rides the wave
3. 6:38 – relaxed rolling flow: cool underlying rhythm, oblique trumpet/piano
4. 4:18 – trio: little clusters of piano notes weave thru sneaky rhythmic patter
5. 5:27 – mysterious melancholy: light patter/wordless vox (Gretchen Parlato)
6. 5:39 – sweet vocal ballad (Sachal Vasandani) w/piano; full band in middle
7. 4:47 – playful piano/drum duet: light samba beat and happy melody/improv
8. 1:00 – prelude to #9, filtered soulful melody drifts into clarity…
9. 5:38 – beautiful ballad surge: piano/trumpet reach over bittersweet anthem
10. 5:16 – serene ebb & flow with wordless vocal trio, spirited sax solo
11. 3:57 – serious trio, really tight sound with a deep/playful piano solo
12. 9:28 – piano & duet vocal (Parlato/Vasandani): hushed, ethereal, aching… then trio (piano/sax/bass) swings in second half
[ Fo ] - 5 May 2013
Concord, 2013
MAINSTREAM JAZZ – One of the fastest-rising pianists in jazz, 28-year old Gerald Clayton has a deeply soulful style that’s so easy to listen to you may not realize how much modern jazz complexity lurks within it. His third album features a very strong young band that includes three Berkeley High alumni: Ambrose Akinmusire (trumpet), Dayna Stephens (tenor sax), and Justin Brown (drums). Three vocalists add yet another layer of soul. Wow, there’s some really nice stuff here.
All worth a listen. Fo’s Picks: 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 9, 11
1. 2:53 – spoken poetry (Carl Hancock Rux) within a rising soul flow
2. 4:52 – galloping midtempo: horns set it up, piano rides the wave
3. 6:38 – relaxed rolling flow: cool underlying rhythm, oblique trumpet/piano
4. 4:18 – trio: little clusters of piano notes weave thru sneaky rhythmic patter
5. 5:27 – mysterious melancholy: light patter/wordless vox (Gretchen Parlato)
6. 5:39 – sweet vocal ballad (Sachal Vasandani) w/piano; full band in middle
7. 4:47 – playful piano/drum duet: light samba beat and happy melody/improv
8. 1:00 – prelude to #9, filtered soulful melody drifts into clarity…
9. 5:38 – beautiful ballad surge: piano/trumpet reach over bittersweet anthem
10. 5:16 – serene ebb & flow with wordless vocal trio, spirited sax solo
11. 3:57 – serious trio, really tight sound with a deep/playful piano solo
12. 9:28 – piano & duet vocal (Parlato/Vasandani): hushed, ethereal, aching… then trio (piano/sax/bass) swings in second half
[ Fo ] - 5 May 2013
Recent airplay
Unhidden
No Cover, No Minimum — Dec 14, 2017
Some Always
No Cover, No Minimum: Remembering 2013 — Jan 03, 2014
Dusk Baby
Rebop — Jul 11, 2013
Mao Nas Massa
No Cover, No Minimum — Jun 14, 2013
Deep Dry Ocean
Music Casserole — Jun 08, 2013
Deep Dry Ocean
No Cover, No minimum — Jun 07, 2013
Charting
2013-05-05 — 2013-07-08
Jazz
| Week Ending | Airplays |
|---|---|
| Jun 16 | 1 |
| Jun 9 | 3 |
| Jun 2 | 4 |
| May 19 | 3 |
| May 12 | 3 |
Track listing
| 1. | A Life Forum | ||
| 2. | Future Reflection | ||
| 3. | Shadamanthem | ||
| 4. | Sir Third | ||
| 5. | Deep Dry Ocean | ||
| 6. | Dusk Baby | ||
| 7. | Mao Nas Massa | ||
| 8. | Prelude | ||
| 9. | Some Always | ||
| 10. | Like Water | ||
| 11. | Unhidden | ||
| 12. | When An Angel Sheds A Feather |