David Sneider: Introducing Neil Gray: In the Streets

CELLAR MUSIC (RELEASED OCTOBER 24)

Saxophonist and record producer Cory Weeds is always on the lookout for young musicians who share his passion for music that swings. The latest two releases on his Cellar Music label prove that point. Introducing David Sneider and Neil Gray’s In The Streets could easily be mistaken for classics hardbop dates. The tunes, mostly originals, have that swinging quality to them. The solos, mostly from relatively new players on the scene, are soulful. Of the two, Introducing David Sneider comes closest to capturing the Bluenote sound. Much of that is due to trumpeter Sneider’s original compositions and arrangements and his Lee Morgan/Kenny Dorham inspired playing. Accompanied by tenor saxophonist Jason Chung, alto saxophonist Elena Terakubo, pianist Tyler Henderson, bassist Joey Ranieri and drummer Willie Bowman, the group tears through a set of originals and standards ranging from straight ahead blues such as “Robot Portrait” to edgier modern hardbop tunes such as “Music is the Bandleader” to standards such as “Bye Bye Blackbird” plus a take of Thelonious Monk’s “Hackensack.” Sneider’s tight arrangements provide a cushion upon which everyone in the band has a chance to shine as a member of the ensemble and a soloist. The saxophonists drop out for “Avale” and “Mama Bear,” allowing Sneider to show his more lyrical side on these two slower tunes. This is a session that Alfred Lion might say was “schwinging!” Neil Gray’s In the Streets also has that classic hardbop vibe, but it is more representative of a Prestige date which often sounded like a jam session. Drummer Gray leads trumpeter Julian Borkowski, tenor player Cory Weeds, pianist Bruno Hubert and bassist Conrad Good through a set of originals as well as a vocal featuring Leila Naden. Except for “Somewhere,” (not the tune from West Side Story), most of the tunes are blues based such as “For Those in the Back” and “Shotgun Blues” or Latin-based melodies such as “Latin Fiasco” and “Night and Day.” The arrangements are a bit formulaic with a succession of well-played solos from Weeds, Borkowski, Hubert and Good, all powered by Gray’s solid drumming. The vocal version of “Night and Day,” however, detracts from the soulfulness of the tunes that precede it. Despite my reservations for In the Streets, kudos to Cory Weeds, Dave Sneider, Neil Gray and all these young players for keeping the hardbop tradition “schwinging.”

BOTTOM LINE: It’s refreshing to hear young musicians embrace the sound of classic hardbop dates with original compositions, tight arrangements and soulful solos. Cellar Music’s two most recent releases — Introducing Dave Sneider and Neil Gray’s In The Streets — are solid examples of today’s hardbop revival, with Sneider’s release coming closest to the real thing.