Robert Irving III - New Momentum

As a musician, it's never easy to move beyond an association like the one Robert "Baabe" Irving enjoyed with Miles Davis for many years. He was Miles' musical director, producer, keyboardist, confidante and friend for many years, working on the albums Decoy and You're Under Arrest and touring extensively. As a result, most people associate him with the keyboard rather than the acoustic piano, which is a shame considering the sound and playing we hear on his album, New Momentum.

First, a disclaimer: I know and have worked with Baabe in producing some shows that he has put on. He's an extremely kind and thoughtful person who possesses a gentle intensity that is always present in whatever activity he is involved in. He is generous with his time, playing at youth jam sessions to help develop the next generation of talent, and always gracious and self effacing.

His new release is the first on a new label, Sonic Portraits, that he started with colleague and friend Terri Lyne Carrington. It showcases his playing and writing, as well as the musicianship of his peers, Buster Williams, Marlene Rosenberg, and Ernie Adams.

What we find on New Momentum is an artist fully formed; a mature work that conveys a clarity of purpose and vision. There is no hesitation, no superfluous playing by any member of he ensemble, and a mood of relaxed intensity that pervades the proceedings. While there might not be anything particularly innovative in terms of the genre of jazz going on here, he's managed to make one of the most enjoyable piano trio records I've heard in a long time. It manages to sound modern without sacrificing the underpinnings of the tradition; rhythmically buoyant, harmonically adventurous, and lots of group interplay.

A word about the production on the record: the sound is fantastic. Present but not sterile, and a great mix of all the instruments that acknowledges the interconnectedness of the roles in a piano trio. Really, honestly, one of the best sounding records I've heard in a long time.

It's also a very well paced and sequenced record. I've always believed that there's something to be said about grouping songs in threes when looking at the flow of an album or a live show for that matter. This album starts out with an incredibly strong one-two-three combo, New Momentum, Havilah, and We Three Kings. After a contemplative introduction, New Momentum kicks in with a deep swinging groove that leaves plenty of room to breathe - the title track of the album is a fitting beginning for the record, and definitely gets the band moving, lending momentum to the proceedings.

Havilah has an infectious groove and driving rhythm, complete with added percussion by Ernie Adams. We Three Kings is another deeply swinging affair that according to the liner notes was originally intended to be a free download extra to the album until Teri Lyne Carrington insisted in be included in the album proper. Ernie Adams plays a fantastic drum solo that once again makes me wonder why he's remained only locally known here in Chicago.

Primoridial Waters has an introduction complete with chimes, chanting, and sampled sounds of waves that might make you think you're headed for a new agey sound experiment until the band kicks in with a georgeous melody. Buster Williams takes a lead in this tune, playing the melody in unison with Irving and playing a sublime bowed solo that should lay to rest any notion that Buster might have lost a step.

After the first 5 tracks offering originals by Irving, the 6th is a co-credit with saxophonist Bill Evans called Fire Flower, and the final two tracks are covers; first is Miles Davis' Seven Steps To Heaven and finally Wayne Shorter's Nefertiti to close the album. Seven Steps to Heaven gets a beautiful solo treatment to open that really showcases the depth of Baabe's playing, before the band joins in. This is a really great version that goes beyond the original to find new life in the tune. Marlene Rosenberg's bass provides an incredible degree of continuity from Buster Williams' here with a powerful performance.

I wasn't surprised to see a Wayne Shorter tune on the record because I've heard Baabe mention in conversation that Shorter is one of his favorite modern composers. Dedicating the performance to Wayne and Miles, he takes the tempo down to a ballad pace that really brings out the beauty of the melody. While the album starts out with a bang, the final track goes out on a quiet, contemplative note. A really beautiful take on Nefertiti and worth seeking out if you're a Shorter fan.

Not surprisingly to anyone who knows him, Baabe Irving has released a great album in New Momentum. Here's hoping that the title is prophetic and leads to many more releases in the near future.