Personnel:
Pat Senatore (b), Tom Ranier (p, b-cl), Christian Euman (d), Larry Koonse (g), Herb Alpert (tp)
Reference: FSRCD 5057
Bar code: 8427328650571
Veteran bassist Pat Senatore, who spent years touring with Herb Alpert’s Tijuana Brass and has not only played with but booked the who’s who of jazz (most notably at Pasquale’s and more recently Vibrato), is a fine accompanist and an excellent soloist who always displays a big warm sound.
On Inspirations, he teams up with pianist Tom Ranier (who switches to bass clarinet on “The Duke”) and drummer Christian Euman for a set of spirited straight ahead jazz and warm ballads. Herb Alpert makes rare guest appearaces on trumpet during “Laura” and “Georgia On My Mind,” with the latter also including guitarist Larry Koonse. Among the highlights of this easily enjoyable set are “Anthropology,” “Road Song” and a fresh version of “The Theme.”
–Scott Yanow, jazz journalist/historian
Tracklisting:
01. Anthropology (Parker-Gillespie) 4:52
02. Miyako (Wayne Shorter) 6:27
03. Road Song (Wes Montgomery) 5:25
04. Laura (David Raksin) 3:57
05. Song of the Jet (Antonio Carlos Jobim) 7:10
06. The Duke (Dave Brubeck) 3:49
07. Fun Ride (Bill Evans) 4:07
08. Georgia on my Mind (Hoagy Carmichael) 6:09
09. The Theme (Miles Davis) 6:34
10. Two for the Road (Henry Mancini) 3:17
Personnel:
Pat Senatore (bass), Tom Ranier (piano, bass clarinet on #6), Christian Euman (drums). Guest: Larry Koonse (guitar on #8), Herb Alpert (trumpet on #4 & 8).
Recorded at Vibrato Grill Jazz, California, October & November 2016
Recording Engineer: Hussain Jeffry
Assistant Engineer: Misaki Saito
Mixed and Mastered: Paul Taverner at Big City Recording
Liner notes by Pat Senatore
Cover photo: Bob Barry / Jazzography
Painting by Gregg Arthur
Produced by Pat Senatore
Executive Producer: Jordi Pujol
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Review:
"Bassist Senatore claims all the sidemen on this CD have been inspirations to him. Ranier will be familiar to JJ readers, an inventive modern pianist with a light, Evanesque touch but Christian Euman, a young West coast drummer may not be. The leader and Koonse have worked together frequently and the guitarist only appears on Georgia On My Mind. The most unlikely sideman here is Herb Alpert, without any Tijuana brass.
The band give a hearty, throbbing reading to Parker’s Anthropology and then Ranier has an extended, highly lyrical solo outing on Wayne Shorter’s Miyako. Laura is a piece that Senatore claims he plays any time he feels the audience drifting away from him; he says it brings them back every time! If he always plays it like this I’m not surprised. The Latin-flavoured Road Song by Wes Montgomery gives a neat change of pace to the proceedings and so does Brubeck’s The Duke. Rainier abandons his piano to link up with the bassist to play in unison on bass clarinet (shades of early 60s Dolphy and Richard Davis) with Euman backing with brushes. Alpert returns for Georgia where he is the soloist along with Koonse on guitar. The Miles Davis sign-off piece The Theme is played first in unison on piano and bass with a solid groove from the drummer.
Good ensemble playing on most selections and inventive solos all round make this a highly attractive set. The bassist is a good all-rounder - soloist, rhythm section player, and a strong bandleader pulling everything together. In sum, it’s a strong trio well enhanced on two tracks by Alpert’s trumpet and the guitar of Koonse. The bass clarinet and bass duet is sumptuous."
Derek Ansell
Jazz Journal (December, 2017)
