Personnel:
Mark Turner (ts), Kevin Hays (p), Marc Miralta (d)
Reference: FSRCD 5103
Bar code: 8427328651035
"Perhaps because it’s a new group, members of this bassless trio come to the session more or less as equals. Pianist Kevin Hays and drummer Marc Miralta bring three compositions each, while saxophonist Mark Turner offers two. It’s a testament to the strength of each man’s abilities that the absence of a bassist is barely noticeable throughout. A track like Hays’ “Please Remember Me”—which charges forward with a bouncing, muscular swing reminiscent of Keith Jarrett’s 1970s American Quartet—doesn’t need any additional elements to hold together. The group’s take on Turner’s “Nigeria” is another high-energy workout, the saxophonist and Hays taking the complicated melody line in fleet unison as Miralta sets up a pounding shuffle beat, before brief solo statements. The trio then turns to Ornette Coleman’s “Law Years,” moving at a mellow pace. Hays introduces it with a gentle solo passage before Turner dances through the melody, largely avoiding the bent pitches and sharp wails of the original; he wants every note to stand on its own. Where Are You finds a band with much in common, one that likely would yield strong results were it to become a regular endeavor."
Philip Freeman (November, 2019)
DownBeat
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"This bass-less trio have between them some impressive CVs. Kevin Hays is a Grammy-winning American jazz pianist and composer. He made his first recording as leader in 1990 and has gone on to record more than 20 albums as leader or co-leader. He has played with Eddie Henderson, Sonny Rollins and Brad Mehldau.
Mark Turner is an American saxophonist and the ultimate jazz sideman. He is also member of Fly with Larry Grenadier and Jeff Ballard. In 2014 he released an album as leader on ECM (Lathe Of Heaven) and again in 2018 (Temporary Kings, with Ethan Iverson). His credits include Jimmy Smith, Aaron Goldberg, and Lee Konitz. His work rate is prolific having played on eight different jazz albums in the last 20 months.
Marc Miralta is a Spanish drummer. He has performed with musicians such Pat Metheny, Gary Burton, Wynton Marsalis and Art Farmer, as well as recording over 60 CDs with a variety of artists.
Where Are You is the trio’s first recording and the result is a thoughtful, creative and engaging piece of music. They each contributed music to the album as well as some new arrangements for Charlie Parker’s Donna Lee and Ornette Coleman’s Law Years.
The style is modern with the emphasis on modal rather than melody. A number of the tracks are fast and furious in their pace allowing each member amble opportunity to shine. Other tracks are much slower, delicate and atmospheric. Turner’s playing on Please Remember Me is almost Garbarek in style and sound. My favourite is Coleman’s Law Years and Waltz For Wollesen – less of a waltz and more of a New Orleans Blues.
All in all, a fine album from some fine musicians. Recommended if modern is your thing."
Ian Lomax (October 23, 2019)
https://jazzjournal.co.uk
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"Velvety moments of glowing embers are produced by the trio of tenor saxist Mark Turner, drummer Marc Miralta and pianist Kevin Hays. Hays’ left hand supplies and implies the bass work throughout, with the team floating on the scales of “Year of the Snake” and making a morning mist of the dark noir title track, which is incidentally not the Jimmy McHugh composition. Kurt Rosenwinkel alumnus Turner is warm and breathy throughout, sounding a bit like Charles Rouse on the Monkish “Pedra D’Aigua” along with Hays’ jabs, stately for “Elena” and grooving over Miralta’s rumbles on what sonically appears to be an answer to the famous backward title for “Nigeria.” Hays gives a clever and elliptical arrangement of the bop classic “Donna Lee” that is almost subliminal, whereas the take of Ornette Coleman’s “Law Years” is a sublime and gentle journey. The three give dots and dashes to “Addaia” and waft on “Waltz For Wollesen.” Textures of sound."
George H. Harris (August 26, 2019)
http://www.jazzweekly.com
