MUSIC REVIEW BY Scott Yanow, The New York City Jazz Record
The Live Edge Trio consists of Ben Markley (piano), Seth Lewis (bass) and Andy Wheelock (drums). All three musicians are on the faculty at the University of Wyoming, play regularly in Denver and made their recording debut as the Live Edge Trio on last year's Look for the Silver Lining. Markley has led several albums of his own, including two at the head of his big band, plus combo dates with such guests as trumpeter Greg Gisbert and saxophonists Greg Osby and Joel Frahm. Lewis, who toured with the Glenn Miller Orchestra a decade ago, has appeared on dozens of recordings, including with trumpeter Brad Goode. Wheelock has also performed with a notable group of musicians including saxophonist Ernie Watts and
trumpeters Terell Stafford and Bobby Shew. Each of these players have, thus, proven themselves to be top-notch musicians based in forward-looking hard bop.
Add to this mix septuagenarian Steve Nelson, who fits into the generation of vibraphone players who came of age when Bobby Hutcherson and Gary Burton (and elders Milt Jackson, Terry Gibbs and Lionel Hampton) were the leaders on their instruments, even though he may be a bit overshadowed by the generations that followed him (e.g. Stefon Harris, Warren Wolf and Joel Ross, among others). The Live Edge Trio not only welcomes Nelson as their guest here, but utilizes him to state all of the melodies and function as the group's dominant soloist.
As a quartet, they perform three harmonically complex but swinging originals by Markley plus one each by Lewis and Wheelock, along with two standards. The bassist's "Don't Stress" has a particularly catchy melody, while the pianist's "Closing Time" also reveals itself to be an attractive composition while his other original "Fantasy For Cede" inspires his most inventive solo on the album. "Cape Verdean Blues" (Horace Silver) inspires the most passionate improvisations by the band, but the album's unquestionable high point is Nelson's exquisite playing on the ballad "Old Folks" (Willard Robinson). A slight observation and reservation is that each of the performances utilize a similar framework: Nelson usually solos first, Markley follows, there is a brief Lewis bass solo, then Nelson takes the theme out. There are a few spots for drummer Wheelock (including a tradeoff on album opener "Ben's Tune") and occasionally Markley solos first, but the group could have put more planning into having more variety in their framework, as well as perhaps including one number by just the trio.
Overall, though, Closing Time has some excellent playing by musicians who undoubtedly add a lot of quality to the Denver and Wyoming jazz scenes, not to mention Nelson who continues to be the consistently inventive contributor he has for decades, whether as collaborator or leader.
trumpeters Terell Stafford and Bobby Shew. Each of these players have, thus, proven themselves to be top-notch musicians based in forward-looking hard bop.
Add to this mix septuagenarian Steve Nelson, who fits into the generation of vibraphone players who came of age when Bobby Hutcherson and Gary Burton (and elders Milt Jackson, Terry Gibbs and Lionel Hampton) were the leaders on their instruments, even though he may be a bit overshadowed by the generations that followed him (e.g. Stefon Harris, Warren Wolf and Joel Ross, among others). The Live Edge Trio not only welcomes Nelson as their guest here, but utilizes him to state all of the melodies and function as the group's dominant soloist.
As a quartet, they perform three harmonically complex but swinging originals by Markley plus one each by Lewis and Wheelock, along with two standards. The bassist's "Don't Stress" has a particularly catchy melody, while the pianist's "Closing Time" also reveals itself to be an attractive composition while his other original "Fantasy For Cede" inspires his most inventive solo on the album. "Cape Verdean Blues" (Horace Silver) inspires the most passionate improvisations by the band, but the album's unquestionable high point is Nelson's exquisite playing on the ballad "Old Folks" (Willard Robinson). A slight observation and reservation is that each of the performances utilize a similar framework: Nelson usually solos first, Markley follows, there is a brief Lewis bass solo, then Nelson takes the theme out. There are a few spots for drummer Wheelock (including a tradeoff on album opener "Ben's Tune") and occasionally Markley solos first, but the group could have put more planning into having more variety in their framework, as well as perhaps including one number by just the trio.
Overall, though, Closing Time has some excellent playing by musicians who undoubtedly add a lot of quality to the Denver and Wyoming jazz scenes, not to mention Nelson who continues to be the consistently inventive contributor he has for decades, whether as collaborator or leader.