Richard Shulman Trio and larger groups:
The Richard Shulman Trio
Waltzing Out Of Town
RichHeart Music 2019
By Mark Sullivan https://www.allaboutjazz.com/a-world-of-piano-trios-by-mark-sullivan.php#.XUnVaGqJKZs.twitter
In addition to his solo projects, Asheville, North Carolina-based pianist/composer Richard Shulman has been heard on the Greenville Jazz Collective Big Band‘s Welcome To Earth (Greenville Jazz Collective, 2019) (also contributing one composition). Here he leads a trio with frequent collaborators bassist Zack Page and drummer Rick Dilling on a program of all-original compositions. Artist Marsha Hammel invited the trio to an event where she would paint a portrait while they performed: so the cover art actually inspired the creation of the album.
Opener “I Don’t Know Yet” (his imagined answer to a question about the name of the song) begins the album with a propulsive straight eighth rhythm. “Waltzing Out-of- Town” delivers the promised waltz with style and swing, and features a fine double bass solo. “Toasted” is a jazz blues with a pronounced Thelonious Monk accent (nice quote from Johnny Burke and Jimmy Van Heusen’s standard “Swinging On A Star”).
“Freedom” provides a dose of funk, while “Walkin’ to Your House” has a hooky ostinato pattern which proves to be a fine accompaniment to bass and drum solos. “For Chick” uses a sprightly Latin groove to honor pianist/composer Chick Corea. Closer “Afternoon Memory” brings the album to a close with a gentle bossa nova. A lovely ending to a varied program of piano trio music.
(Excerpted)
The core of jazz, the piano trio, is in good form on these two recent releases……
Pianist Richard Shulman joins together with Zack Page/b and Rick Diling/dr for a dozen swinging originals. Shulman’s touch is uptown classy, elegant on “I Don’t Know Yet,” sweet on “Afternoon Memory” and bluesy for “Toasted.” The team gets into a modal mood on driving tunes “Climb Up” and “For Chick” and have some fun with a Monkish “Stop and Blow” while getting funky on the back beating “Freedom.” Straight-ahead and no chaser.
MIDWEST RECORD Entertainment – Reviews, news, and views
RICHARD SHULMAN TRIO/Waltzing Out of Town: The piano man serves up yet another delightful slice of jazz piano trio work. Easy going and enjoyable enough that it doesn’t even need a Friday evening bar on the water to compliment it. While he might yet again evade the jazz police, everyone else will have a great time with this upbeat, buoyant and bright set that just shimmers along so rightly. Well done.
(Rich Heart 1927)
Volume 43/Number 199 May 8, 2019 MIDWEST RECORD 830 W. Route 22 #144 Lake Zurich, IL., 60047
CHRIS SPECTOR, Editor and Publisher Copyright 2019 Midwest Record
“…what continually intrigues me with your contribution, is the inter-blending of the music of inner peace with the standard jazz repertoire…. That instrumental arrangement and the musicians involved are as pure, crystal clear an example of melodically-driven, creatively-innovative jazz expression as you’ll find anywhere in the greater area. Everyone is an original painter in their own right. And when you put them together working on the same space the frescoes that spill forth are really quite astounding!” – Rick Dowdeswell, drummer and jazz afficianado
“Really, really impressive, Richard. Awesome playing, all the way. All 3 of you really have a tremendous sense of dynamic and space that’s a real treat for the listener…. Please definitely do more what I’d call Chamber Jazz ’cause I enjoy the Classical sensibilities you have, while still keeping that good pace and pulse…. Great work on all.” – Kima Moore – Composer
“…These cats can play, no doubt about it!” – Bill Binkleman / Music Matters, Inspired Retailer
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