Line by Line (Concord Jazz)
John Patitucci
Released September 25, 2006
Grammy Nominee for Best Jazz Instrumental Album, Individual or Group 2008
YouTube:
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Spotify:
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About:
We’ve come
to expect greatness from both the NYC jazz scene elite and John Patitucci.
John’s lastest release, “Line By Line” has raised the bar on all fronts. The
core trio consists of John, Brian Blade (drms) and Adam Rogers (gtr). This is a
dream team of NY heavies if ever there was one! With additional guest artist,
Chris Potter, and a string quartet (including John’s wife, Sachi, on cello).
John’s releases have consistently been among the best jazz releases at any
given time (if you need evidence, look at his over 15 Grammy nominations!).
However, almost in direct contrast to some of his earliest recordings, “Line By
Line” is very much, a NY sounding trio album (John relocated back to NY in 1996
after having moved to LA in 1980). Having recently toured with Brian Blade in
Wayne Shorter’s band, the trio makes use of space in a very exciting way.. as
if the absence of sound were a fourth member of the group. There is so much
interplay and musical intentionality here that one can’t help but to sit back,
listen and let these masters do their thing. In addition, I must say that if
you haven’t heard Adam Rogers before, this is a wonderful introduction to one
of my personal favorites. There are a few musical departures here, as well. While
the first half of “Line By Line” is very much a top notch Jazz trio album, we
are quickly brought down in intensity with some just astoundingly beautiful
acoustic pieces and string arrangements.
“Theme and Variation for 6-string Bass and Strings” is a hauntingly beautiful
acoustic piece conceived during his tenure with Chick Corea while “Evidence” is
a downright gritty, almost Meters inspired groove with a very Wayne
Krantz-esque chorus. Patitucci masterfully pieced this album together to calm
us down just when it is needed and, alternately, gets our heads nodding again
when we are in danger of being too soothed. John Patitucci has proven himself
on past recordings to be a masterful bass player and musician. It hardly seems
possible that he could continue to elevate his playing and writing so
exponentially with each release. But he has.
Damian Erskine (bass musician)
Track Listing:
1. The Root (John Patitucci) 4:08
2. Agitato (John Patitucci) 4:12
3. Circular (John Patitucci) 6:28
4. Folklore (John Patitucci) 6:26
5. Dry September (Adam Rogers) 5:54
6. Nana (Manuel de Falla) 3:27
7. Theme and Variations for 6-String Bass and Strings (John Patitucci) 9:37
8. Line by Line (John Patitucci) 6:53
9. Evidence (Thelonious Monk) 5:58
10. Jesus Is on the Mainline (Traditional) 3:18
11. Incarnation (John Patitucci) 3:56
12. Soaring (John Patitucci) 3:51
13. Tone Poem (John Patitucci) 2:50
Personnel:
John Patitucci: double bass and 6-string electric bass
Adam Rogers: electric guitar and nylon-string guitars
Brian Blade: drums
Chris Potter: tenor saxophone (2, 4, 8)
Richard Rood: violin (7, 11, 12)
Elizabeth Lim-Dutton: violin (7, 11, 12)
Lawrence Dutton: viola (7, 11, 12)
Sachi Patitucci: cello (7, 11, 12)
Jeremy McCoy: double bass (7)
Recorded at Avatar Studios, New York
Producer: John Patitucci
Recorded and Mixed by Joe Barbaria
Recording Assistant Engineer: Chad Lupo, Peter Doris
Mastered by Fred Kevorkian
Photography by Jimmy Katz
Design: Dennis Purcell
Executive-Producer: Nick Phillips
Review:
After the brilliant chaos of
the Wayne Shorter quartet, it’s entirely understandable that John Patitucci
would want to try something a little more sedate. Line by Line gives
the versatile bassist a chance to go places we might not expect. The trip is
interesting, though the destinations sometimes are not.
Patitucci is all over the board, both instrumentally and stylistically. Writing
the lion’s share of the tunes, he alternates between double-bass and six-string
electric, playing both in a trio format (occasionally and brilliantly augmented
by tenor man Chris Potter) and in a string quintet led by cellist/spouse Sachi
Patitucci. It’s the latter matrix that trips this disc up.
Patitucci flirts with the Third Stream on “Theme and Variations for
6-String Bass and Strings,” which Sachi leads off with an achingly
beautiful solo. Pattitucci keeps it on the high end, giving his solo the feel
of classical guitar as he works through the intricate paths of the piece; he
uses the same effect on the opener, “The Root,” and the closing solo
piece, “Tone Poem.” Like all of his compositions on Line by
Line, “Themes” is incredibly detailed and cannot be digested with
one listen. It also dovetails with the previous tune, the mournful Manuel de
Falla composition “Nana.”
Where “Themes” is interesting as a stylistic attempt,
“Incarnation” and “Soaring” are not. They follow a ripping
electric trio take on Monk’s “Evidence” and a truly greasy
double-bass solo version of Mississippi Fred McDowell’s “Jesus is on the
Mainline.” The latter pieces were where this disc really started to jump
for me, but Patitucci chose to step out of the Third Stream and head directly
to classical music. Leaving that earlier funky vibe to go into chamber music
mode simply made me impatient, forcing me to resist pressing the skip button.
Potter’s wailing solos on “Agitato”
and “Folklore” give the disc momentum, breaking away from the
navel-staring, meditative vibe that threatened to dominate its early stages.
Brian Blade, a fellow Shorter quartet sideman, continues to be the most
interesting drummer in the genre. He keeps the trio pieces interesting when
Pattitucci and Rogers get bogged down, and his rattlesnake-like cymbals on
Rogers’ “Dry September” accentuate the feeling of a musical desert
where nothing ever grows.
Line by Line shows Patitucci’s growth as a writer and a leader,
also affirming his brilliance on electric and acoustic bass. He needs to be
careful with his choices, though. His apparent interest in Third Stream and
classical music shows a well-rounded artist, but too much of either or both is
distracting at best—and downright annoying at length.
J Hunter (All About Jazz)
