Over the past decade, Danny Green has earned recognition as
a bandleader possessing a lyrically charged vision and as a composer with a
gift for spinning supple, absorbing narratives. The San Diego pianist's
storytelling goes deeper than ever with his fifth album One Day It Will. Building on his
acclaimed 2016 album Altered Narratives, which included several tracks pairing
his longtime trio with strings, One Day It Will is a full chamber jazz melding
of his working band and a highly responsive string quartet.
"All of the songs on this album were initially written
for the trio and the strings parts were subsequently added," Green says.
"The process for arranging each song began with my thinking about where
the strings should take the lead melody, where they should play background
lines or harmonies, and what else I could do to make the strings essential to
the arrangement. Over time, each piece took on its own shape and in many cases,
the process of arranging for strings resulted in adding entirely new sections to
the compositions."
Like all of his previous recordings, One Day It Will flows
from the quietly intense musical bonds uniting Green with bassist Justin
Grinnell and drummer Julien Cantelm, two of Southern California's most sought
after players. The expanded instrumentation seems to accentuate the responsive
nature of the trio, which seamlessly flows from through-composed sections to
improvised passages.
The album opens with the gorgeous "Time Lapse to
Fall," a spritely piece that swings briskly in 4/4 with the ebullient buzz
of a summer day then transitions into the minor key melancholy of autumn.
Pizzicato strings introduce "As the Parrot Flies" followed by an
insistent question and answer dialogue with Green's piano. The title track is
an anthem about striving for hope in dark times, a piece that builds toward the
striking string harmonies flowing around Green's shimmering lines.
Green takes us to church on "Lemon Avenue," a
waltz with a gospel feel that features some of his sleekest string parts. An introspective
journey, the thoughtful ballad "Sifting Through the Silence" reaches
a similarly meditative space via a very different route. No piece better
illustrates the way Green's writing for strings can transform a composition
than "October Ballad," a sumptuous melody that he introduced with the
trio on Altered Narratives.
The expanded orchestration is like adding a new character
into a play who both comments on the action taking place and heightens the
drama. The gently caressing "Snowy Day in Boston" picks up like the
second movement of a suite, starting in the same key as "October
Ballad" concludes. The album closes with "Down and Out," a
bluesy jaunt that surges with infectious energy. One Day It Will comes across
as a unified statement, programmatically, texturally and harmonically.
Like many jazz pianists, Green became enamored with the idea
of combining piano trio and strings after hearing the classic 1966 Verve album
Bill Evans Trio with Symphony Orchestra. But he's also inspired by more recent
recordings, particularly Herbie Hancock's 1998 Verve project Gershwin's World,
which features some breathtaking piano improvisation on Ravel's Piano Concerto
in G major.
"Hearing the recordings of Bill Evans and Herbie
Hancock with symphony orchestra was a major revelation to me," says Green.
"I was immediately drawn to the sound, and I was intrigued by the
possibilities of integrating classical harmony and form into the jazz context.
While string quartet is a much more paired down configuration than a full
orchestra, what I love about it is that it can sound lush when it needs to, and
alternately, it can fit right into the pocket of the rhythm section with fast
paced, syncopated lines."
The album's cohesive feel stems from the deeply interactive
nature of the trio. Green introduced the combo with Grinnell on 2009's With You
In Mind, which won the San Diego Music Award for Best Jazz Album. A bandleader
in his own right who leads a quartet featuring the brilliant LA pianist Josh
Nelson, Grinnell possesses a warm, woody tone and compelling sense of swing.
Drummer Cantelm joined the trio on Green's second release, 2012's A Thousand
Ways Home, a trio session with guest artists including Brazilian stars Claudia
Villela (vocals) and Chico Pinheiro (guitar), Eva Scow (mandolin), Peter
Sprague (guitar), Dusty Brough (guitar), and Tripp Sprague (saxophone).
Cantelm has carved out a niche as a drummer equally adept in
jazz, Brazilian, Cuban, Balkan, funk, and rock styles of music. He has toured
extensively throughout the United States and Europe with his trio, Kelp Giant,
which he co-leads with guitarist Dusty Brough. Cantelm has performed with
notable artists including Geoffrey Keezer, Peter Sprague, Chico Pinheiro,
Sheila E., and Pete Escovedo.
"One of the best aspects of playing together with
Justin and Julien for so long is the friendship that we have developed,"
Green says. "We always have a great time together, both on and off the
bandstand, and I think this plays a huge role in our sound as a trio. Justin is
an extremely accomplished bass player. While he has plenty of chops to spare,
he always puts the music first. As a result, he is able to realize that perfect
balance between playing supportively and interactively. Julien is an incredibly
musical drummer. He has so much finesse and facility on the drums, and he
always seems to know exactly where I'm going with my solos. Having such a wide
array of musical interests, Julien is able to come up with completely unique
grooves that work perfectly for my music."
The string quartet features San Diego Symphony violinists
Kate Hatmaker and Igor Pandurski, violist Travis Maril, and cellist Erica
Erenyi. "I am so fortunate to have such highly talented string players on
this album," comments Green. "Beyond capturing every detail in the
music, they brought the music to life with their beautiful
interpretation."
Born in San Diego in 1981, Green grew up in an academic
family. Now retired, his mother was a longtime ESL teacher and his father was a
professor of biology at the University of California, San Diego. He started
piano lessons at age 5 and kept at it until 12, when he came under the sway of
grunge rock. After two years teaching himself Nirvana tunes, Green got
interested in ska and joined a band with some fellow friends. "Ska was my
first exposure to music that featured improvisation, and I remember feeling so
excited listening to the solos," Green recalls.
Green experienced something of an epiphany around the turn
of the century when he caught The Buena Vista Social Club documentary, which
sparked a passion for Cuban son. He delved into Latin music working in local
salsa bands, while writing in the Latin jazz idiom. Green earned a B.A. in
Piano Performance from UC San Diego, where he studied jazz piano with
Grammy-winning producer Kamau Kenyatta (who played a key role in the rise of
vocalist Gregory Porter), and classical piano with John Mark Harris and Luciane
Cardassi.
A class on Brazilian music at UCSD turned his passion
southwards. Looking for direct experience with Brazilian masters, he started
attending California Brazil Camp in the redwoods of Cazadero in western Sonoma
County. He credits legendary guitarist/composer Guinga, Marcos Silva, Chico
Pinheiro, and drummers Edu Ribeiro and Marcio Bahia as particularly important
influences. Green went on to earn a Master's Degree in Jazz Studies at San
Diego State University, where he studied under Rick Helzer. He was awarded
"Outstanding Graduate," and several years later, "Alumni to
Watch."
In following his various musical interests, Green has carved
out a singular niche as a bandleader and recording artist, honing a sound
unlike anyone else on the scene. "As a composer, I always strive to tell
stories through music," says Green. "Adding strings to my music
provides new and exciting ways for me to expand on those stories and heighten
the emotional impact."
