Roland, Ari
Smalls, 2006, CD
Instrument: Guitar
Issue: 12.2
Jazz Ruler Type: Bebop
Performance: 4
Sound: 5
Score: 
O’s Notes: Bassist Ari Roland gives us just about 60 minutes of mostly original music. They play cooking hard bop like “Swamp Thing Goes to the Indy 500” as well as warm ballads like “Mensch Blues”. During the course we are introduced to the very talented Chris Byars (ts), Sacha Perry (p) and Phil Stewart (d). Each of these musicians plays well as soloists and as a band. They excel whether the pace is breakneck or relaxed, including drummer Stewart! They end the set with two covers, “Mo’s On” and “I’ll Walk Alone”. Roland holds all of it together with fine bass work, walking, bowing and swinging as appropriate. It’s well done.
Publicist: Allegro