ideals
steve herberman
The idea of an overnight sensation is a romanticized myth, especially in the world of jazz. Like other soloists, guitarists spend years paying their dues and (hopefully) honing their craft well enough to make an artistic statement. Many of the best seem to have a clear vision that guides their progress and anchors their experimentation. Steve Herberman seems to be one of these exceptional people.
As I have said before, the best part of reviewing for me is finding a wonderful musician who is on the threshold of a major contribution to music. I came across Mr. Herberman's music through the serendipity of a vague reference in a concert announcement coinciding with a little extra time for exploration. Once I had reached his site at http://reachmusicjazz.com/Jukebox/recordings.htm and heard some of his playing, I knew that I was on to something great.
ideals is Steve Herberman's third CD and an excellent representative of what his music is all about: a combination of original songs and less common standards all in a pure jazz idiom. Clearly Mr. Herberman takes his jazz role seriously. There are no thinly disguised "rock star" solos or ear candy standards that have been played to death. Instead we get good music superbly played with the added air of discovery.
Steve Herberman has been recording fine jazz since his first CD thoughtlines in 2001. Having split soloing duties with sax, he reduced forces to a trio - guitar, bass, and drums - for his 2006 outing Action:Reaction. On this CD he took the daring step of composing all of the songs himself, and while the result is one terrific CD, chances are he learned that the public often prefers what it thinks it knows to what may be truly great but as yet unknown. Their loss. In any case, Mr. Herberman returned to a slightly more conservative format with ideals by presenting four original songs along with seven songs by other composers.
The Steve Herberman Trio gets off to a flying start with Kurt Weill's This Is New (from his 1941 hit show "Lady in the Dark", with lyrics by Ira Gershwin). As the rhythm section cooks, Mr. Herberman moves effortlessly between frenetic single lines, full chords, and various double- and triple-stops. This is a true group effort, with all three musicians having opportunities to shine and their ensemble playing is tight, whether at blistering speed or an instantaneous change-up in tempo. As we will hear over and over, Steve Herberman is unafraid of stepping off a musical cliff and performing some incredible acrobatics in the air, only to land deftly on his chordal feet at the end of the phrase.
A more meditative mood is provided with Mr. Herberman's own composition Let Go. Here subtle harmonies gradually emerge from arpeggios that flow out into a melody, then retreat back to arpeggiation before the 7-string guitar moves to the background to accompany Tom Baldwin's bass solo. It is a real pleasure to listen to the interplay of the strings and how they avoid the ever present danger of collision in the low range. With players of this calibre the danger is only ever potential, so great is their command of their instruments. This track is another fine example of the sensitive drumming of Mark Ferber, whose deft touch moves the song easily into now a new tempo, now a change of mood. The song increases in depth rather than motion, finally letting go completely.
Another somewhat neglected uptempo song follows, Will You Still Be Mine? by Matt Dennis (lyrics by Tom Adair, of Disney fame). Once again the ensemble playing is very fine, particularly the unison work of guitar and bass. A superbly crafted arrangement.
Next is Delilah (also known as Song of Delilah or even Delilah's Theme) by Victor Young. This song is probably most often associated with Sonny Rollins, although here we find that it is eminently suited to the guitar as well. The trio puts this one through its paces in a variety of tempo and mood. While Mr. Baldwin shows just how melodic the bass can be, Mr. Herberman provides a wonderful accompaniment with a spare-but-perfect example of comping at its best. Textures again link this song with the others as we are treated to subtle arpeggios drifting into melodic lines and back again, and some fine unison playing. Similar echoes between the songs give the whole CD a connected feel that is rarely found - but worth searching for!
As the title track, it is not surprising that Ideals should be a standout. This song is an elusive combination of instantly appealing and yet totally original. Steve Herberman's prowess as a songwriter is on full display with this song and it gives us every reason to expect more fine songs to come. The economy of gesture without losing emotional impact is truly impressive, as is the sheer musicality of the entire track.
She's For Me is another Herberman original with a playful appeal from the very first bar. The melody slides into short unisons with the bass, then off on its own, through chord melody into arpeggio back to single lines, a few more touches of unison. With a great feel of fun the melody seems to explore itself, stretching and contorting into ever new shapes before jumping off to the bass, then springing back to the guitar and sharing with the drums. This inspired track is bound to be a favourite from your very first listen.
Soul Eyes is another neglected gem, this time written by Mal Waldron (who in a noteworthy career was accompanist to Billie Holiday and recorded with Charles Mingus and John Coltrane, among many others). The trio works magic with this one, with excitement brimming beneath the somewhat cool surface, bubbling over in bluesy outbursts before returning to the soulful intro and on to a coda that pays tribute to this fine composer.
For Soon, a Gershwin hit from "Strike Up the Band", Mr. Baldwin gets out his bow to play the melody sweetly on his bass while Mr. Herberman provides a lush yet spare accompaniment that complements it perfectly. Without missing a beat, the melody is passed to the guitar and the tune gets another very stylish workout. Passing through and beyond post-bop phrasing, the song is dissected and reassembled in a very pleasing way. It's hard to keep still when music swings like this!
I Want to Be Happy is Vincent Youmans' hit song from "No, No Nanette". Here it wears a light Latin rhythm that gives is a sweet swing that is its launching pad. Steve Herberman displays some dazzling fretwork, impressive but always in service to the tune.
The Latin flavour continues into the next tune, Jobim's lovely Someone to Light Up My Life. Herberman and company present a fine updating of this bossa nova classic that is very sympathetic to the original. Particularly fine is Mr. Herberman's chord melody playing.
The trio ends the CD on a high note with the appropriately named Upbeat, the fourth Herberman original. This is a happy, swinging tune that it bound to stay with you long after the CD has stopped spinning. There is fine playing from all three musicians, but it is the ensemble that will catch and keep your ear. Everyone is on the same page here, and what a page it is!
Anyone who lives within driving distance of Maryland will want to hear Steve Herberman live. For the rest of us, this CD will keep us going until he comes to our area on tour, hopefully soon. Mr. Herberman is an artist that you do not want to miss, and with a the talent that he has, we are bound to hear a lot more from him in the near future.
Buy this CD from Steve Herberman's web site at http://reachmusicjazz.com/where you can also check out his interview in Just Jazz Guitar, his teaching, and his performance schedule.
But don't forget to buy this CD.