Equal Time unites three virtuosos-two rising stars, the
organist Akiko Tsuruga and the guitarist Graham Dechter-and the acclaimed
veteran drummer Jeff Hamilton to form a musical alliance based on a shared
passion for swinging and the timeless joys of the classic organ trio. Although
these cohorts have worked together before in other ensembles, Equal Time fully
captures the camaraderie and musical telepathy that they have developed as a
team. Building on the organ-drums-guitar configuration that has been the
backbone of the organ trio tradition ever since Jimmy Smith hit the jazz scene
in 1956, the Akiko-Hamilton-Dechter unit dedicates itself to the proposition
that a compact band can-make that, must-produce a mighty sound.
The trio breaks out of the starting gate with "Mag's
Groove," a Tsuruga blues that firmly establishes the band's winning
combination of intensity, invention and effervescent swing. We immediately hear
what is made clear from the album's start to its finish: this is a bona fide
band, not just a meeting of three extravagantly gifted players coming together
to stretch out and jam. The arrangements throughout are as focused as the sleek
improvisations are intended for maximum impact. Tsuruga, Hamilton and Dechter
are each there to support, not to outshine each other; musically, each has the
other's back.
Dechter's "Orange Coals" further reveals the
technical mastery of both the guitarist and the accomplished organist as they
trade choruses. Hamilton's just right solo displays the striking attributes
he's come to be honored for in the course of his five-decade career: formal
perfection balanced by high spirited finesse. "Osaka Samba," a
delightful Tsuruga original, has a happy Walter Wanderley-ish vibe to it,
enlivened further by Hamilton's vaunted brush work. Dechter's fleet solo
positions him as a stylist worth keeping tabs on. You can detect his
influences-Wes Montgomery, Barney Kessel, Herb Ellis and Peter Bernstein, among
them-but you can also hear how seamlessly he's incorporated each into his own
signature sound. The same goes for Akiko. While Dr. Lonnie Smith is her main
influence, ultimately her style bears her own fingerprints. Hank Mobley's
"A Baptist Beat," originally heard on the iconic saxophonist's Roll
Call album of 1960, is given an appropriately soulful rendition with the guitar
and organ providing call-and-response phrases for each other.
Everyone gets to bear down and exhibit serious chops on John
Coltrane's "Moment's Notice," an obstacle course of a number from his
now-legendary Blue Trainalbum. Unsurprisingly, each instrumentalist passes the
test with high grades. The mood changes with "Lion's Gate," a gentle
ballad from the pen of Tsuruga, who gets to lay into some beautiful old school
Hammond playing, tipping her hat to the masters who furnished the path for her.
Tsuruga's impressive pedal work then keeps the groove moving in a spirited take
on the standard "I Remember You." The album concludes with Steve
Allen's "This Could Be the Start of Something Big," which becomes a
brisk tour de force for the extravagant talents of each trio member. The song's
title also provides a hint of, hopefully, things to come. Already sounding as
comfortable with each other as a longstanding ensemble, the
Akiko-Hamilton-Dechter trio indeed deserves to be a going concern.
Akiko Tsuruga
Relocating from Osaka, Japan to the U.S. at the urging of
the celebrated drummer Grady Tate, organist Tsuruga has gone on to release
numerous, critically acclaimed albums as a leader. Her live recording "So
Cute, So Bad" features both Jeff Hamilton and Graham Dechter.
Jeff Hamilton
One of the giants of mainstream jazz drumming, Jeff Hamilton
has been heard with the big bands of Woody Herman and Count Basie, and as a
member of the popular L.A. 4, as well as with such icons as Ella Fitzgerald,
Ray Brown, Monty Alexander and Oscar Peterson. In addition to his work with the
Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra, Hamilton has appeared with Diana Krall both in
performance and on recordings. He is
features on numerous recordings with the Jeff Hamilton trio.
Graham Dechter
A member of the Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra since he was
nineteen, the California-born guitarist has also worked with a host of musical
luminaries including Wynton Marsalis, Jimmy Heath, Nancy Wilson, Kurt Elling,
Eliane Elias and Michael Buble. His Capri recordings include Right on Time
(2009) and Takin' It There(2012).
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