Ted Rosenthal: Out Of This World

Ted Rosenthal (piano)

Out Of This World (Playscape Recordings)

Noriko Ueda (bass)

Quincy Davis (drums)

It is difficult to judge a standards album sometimes. Many argue, "why repeat perfection?" Or "that version doesn't sound as good as the original?" Well, those are obviously the wrong/thick-headed way of thinking about standards material done by new artists, especially over the last 20 years. But similar to David Berkman's NY Standards Quartet releases, pianist Ted Rosenthal has done a wonderful job re-imagining ten standards in his own vision.

Throughout his entire career, Rosenthal has been able to travel between various settings and arrangements. Whether it's with legends like Gerry Mulligan or Benny Golson, or with his trio through classical compositions on his last record, Impromptu, he turns the pieces into his own and add a new vitality to them that is intoxicating and engaging.

On The Rosenthal Trio's newest release, Out Of This World, Rosenthal continues with his previous trio lineup which balances a tight and well-woven relationship with the timeless history they are re-interpreting. Opening with the title track written by Mercer & Arlen, Rosenthal and Co. sound fresh and pepper the piece with colourful shades of happiness. Ueda's bass is pounding with bright tones like the sound of a good Ray Brown beat.  Cole Porter's "So In Love" swings with a happy beat and Ueda and Rosenthal have a comfortable banter that make it a festive listen.

"Embraceable You" stays relatively intact with Gershwin's arrangement, but here Rosenthal and Davis add a feather like touch that lets you close your eyes and slowly drift away with the notes. "Cry Me a River" while exuberant, has a humble and blues-like manner that is delicious to the ear. Rosenthal delivers a mixture of Cedar Walton, Ahmad Jamal and Thelonious Monk all the while shining with his own voice and texture.

Out Of This World has all the designs of a beautiful club date - Vibrant, exciting and bouncing with energy that really gets a crowd hoppin'. But what makes this studio session so remarkable is the creative manner in which Rosenthal, Davis and Ueda work with such sweet unison that the tunes have urgency and new life. This is a real sleeper of a record that would really benefit any one's record collection.

New York Standards Quartet

New York Standards Quartet (group)

Unstandard (Challenge Records; 2011)

David Berkman (piano)

Yosuke Inoue (bass)

Gene Jackson (drums)

Tim Armacost (sax, flute)

Formed from the idea of bringing a different spin to traditional standards, the New York Standards Quartet is quietly making an impact throughout various circles of the jazz community. 


The group consists of veteran leaders; David Berkman who's growing discography continues to be inspiring and garnering considerable praise for his compositions. He has recorded, toured and composed with the likes of Joe Lovano, Brian Blade and Dave Douglas. Yosuke Inoue, who has worked with Cyrus Chestnut and Lee Konitz among others. Tim Armacost, who's worked with both Bruce Barth & Kenny Barron on a number of occasions. And finally, Gene Jackson with whom you can hear some killer work on albums by Monday Michiru, J.D. Allen and even Dave Holland.

The group's first recording was a live set recorded in Japan in 2006 (NYSQ Live In Tokyo released in 2009). On their latest endeavor, Unstandard (Challenge Records) NYSQ have spun the tunes forward giving them a bit of adventure in the compositional structure. The classic "How High The Moon" starts in a traditional fashion and melody, but soon Berkman and Armacost take the tune on a nice but gentle left turn adding more romantic notes and some nice touches of improvising on Berkman's part. It's a great way for the group and the listener to be introduced.

Later on "But Beautiful", a Jimmy Van Heusen standard (later really solidified by Betty Carter late in her life), Berkman exemplifies the reason why he is one of the growing set of pianists that will be known over the next 20 years. His movements of slow and steady pace the quartet perfectly. Armacost switches to flute which adds a deep sensual atmosphere to the piece.


"Lunar," one of the few longer originals here written by Berkman, is a moment for the group to really bounce with a fervent staccato. They are having a lot of fun throughout this piece. Inoue really shines with a great set of passages on bass. Berkman's writing here has also allowed room for Gene Jackson to cut some serious and pulsating sounds on the drums. The group are really smokin' on "Lunar" and it happens at the right time while listening to the sessions as a whole.

Moving out of "Lunar" you get Bill Evan's wonderful "Interplay" which has a bit more full body to it as a result of relying on Armacost in place of Freddie Hubbard (trumpet on the original). They keep the feel and shape of original but expand inside the rhythm with Inoue and Jackson adding a solid tone on notes around the buoyancy and intricacies of Berkman's notes. The tune feels more like a jumping romantic theme to an early 60's film and leaves the listener with a pleasant vibe.

With Unstandard, The New York Standards Quartet have delivered a well focused document that expands on the main elements of the "standard" in a fun and entertaining manner all the while maintaining a sense kinship with the original. It's a wonderful group playing a straight ahead songbook that the general music fan can easily gravitate to with no fear. The melodies are familiar, the improvised moments are light and few. The listener gets an education by a senior class of players. The jazz community gets another stellar record to talk about for the rest of the year. Highly Recommended.