On his second release as a leader, pianist
Tardo Hammer displays a sophisticated, old-school
bebop touch in a trio setting with bassist
Dennis Irwin and drummer
Leroy Williams. While many modern pianists opt for close-voiced, impressionistic left-hand clusters as popularized by
Bill Evans,
Hammer harks back to the wide-interval, low-register comping style of
Bud Powell, throwing elements of
Monk into the mix as well. No surprise, then, that he kicks this record off with a blistering take of
Powell's rhythm changes tune
"John's Abbey." He goes on to tackle two classics from the old
Blue Note catalog,
Sonny Clark's
"Somethin' Special" and
Sonny Rollins'
"Blues for Philly Joe," along with the standards
"If I Loved You" and
"You're My Thrill." (
Irwin's tone on the latter is especially rich and full.) In the best
Rollins tradition,
Hammer also puts a bright
jazz spin on the American staple
"Take Me Out to the Ballgame." Of his four originals, three are based on the harmonies of well-known
standards.
Hammer's mastery of the
bop idiom inspires awe -- it comes through especially clearly when he strings together harmonic substitutions on the
blues and rhythm changes.
Irwin's fat sound and
Williams' lively, sensitive drumming frame
Hammer's ideas and interpretations with consummate taste. ~ David R. Adler
