2006 Jazzuni 002
There seems to be a resurgence in the popularity of the organ trio
featuring guitar, organ and drums. More and more guitarists these
days are turning to this format as their working bands, and none
stand out more than guitarist Rick Zunigar. Zunigar is not only a
great improviser, he is a masterful composer, arranger and band
leader. With Organ Trio, Zunigar has put together an album that is
both traditional and contemporary, and is a showcase for all of his
above mentioned talents.
The musicians gathered for this project are nothing less than
brilliant at all times. With three different drummers: Dave Tull,
Mark Feber and Don Littleon, and four organists: Bill Heid, Joe Bagg,
Wayne Peet and Mikal Majeed, Zunigar has managed to create different
moods on the album that make each track unique and a joy to listen
to. Not only are all of these musicians great players, their
interaction produces a conversational style of improvising that never
sounds like the soloist is being put out front, but more of a cog in
their musical machine.
The tunes on the album are a variety of standards ("Milestones",
"All Blues", "In a Sentimental Mood"), seldom played jazz tunes
(Highway One by Bobby Hutcherson), and originals by Zunigar and Joe
Bagg. Of particular note are the arrangements of "Milestones" and
"Sentimental Mood," both featuring Zunigar’s wonderful chord-melody
playing. There is something for everyone on this album, burning
single- note solos, delicate chord melodies and swinging melodic
solos. It never sounds like the soloists are playing licks or
patterns over the given chord changes, but that they are playing the
tune itself, which allows each tune to have a life of its own.
I think that Organ Trio would be a welcome addition to any
guitarist’s musical library. The playing is great, the arrangements
are fresh, and the musicians are always at their best. What more
could one want from any jazz album?
Matthew Warnock - Just Jazz Guitar (Dec 22, 2006)
MUSIC::
While dating back a few years, Clouds is an album of hard-hitting post-bop that well deserves a second look. Guitarist Rick Zunigar and his trio are world-class performers and Zunigar, in particular, is an artist who ought to be much more well-known by now.
“Rhumboogie”, the opening track on the disk, won Zunigar the JAZZIZ magazine “Guitars on Fire” grand prize, and that’s no surprise. With a lightening fast theme, and a solo that demonstrates Zunigar’s remarkable dexterity, musicality and ability to build excitement, the track is the perfect introduction to Zunigar’s playing. It establishes Zunigar, in a short five-minute period, as a guitarist of consequence.
While Zunigar’s name may not be well-known, the company he has kept over the years certainly is. He has played with artists including Stevie Wonder, Freddie Hubbard, Cal Tjader, Ray Charles, Roy Ayers and The Crusaders. While his own work demonstrates a predisposition towards post-bop, he is clearly a diverse guitarist, able to fit into a number of musical contexts.
With a style that combines the best of Pat Metheny, Pat Martino, Mick Goodrick, Jim Hall and John Abercrombie, reverential without being imitative, Zunigar emerges, on Clouds, as a voice that is as substantial as his sources, and as unique.
From lyrical linear work to full-bodied chordal passages, Zunigar has it all; a strong sense of rhythm and time; an innate sense of harmony; an economy in his playing that leaves no wasted notes; and a remarkable ability to construct solos that tell a strong story with a firm beginning, middle and end. “Beth’s Blues is a strong example of all these skills.
Throughout the programme of mainly original material, Zunigar also demonstrates strong writing, with a diverse set of tunes that are completely memorable; he writes melodies that stay with you long after the disk has ended.
Bassist Zoltan Dekany and drummer Dave Hocker provide sympathetic support on the majority of the tracks. While the material is Zunigar’s, the approach of this trio is very reminiscent of Pat Metheny’s Trio 99>00 with Larry Grenadier and Bill Stewart. On two of the three non-originals, Zunigar dabbles with the organ trio format and, while they are also beautifully done, it is with Dekany and Hocker that the chemistry really happens.
Rick Zunigar is a guitarist waiting to happen; revisiting Clouds reveals a an artist who is at the top of his game; who is now the sum of his influences; and who is no longer an imitator, but rather a peer of the artists who helped mould his sound. He is an important guitarist who deserves broader recognition; why he has not reached a wider audience is a curiosity.
John Kelman - www.jazzreview.com
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