Friday, September 15, 2017

Tom Rainey Obbligato - Float Upstream (with Ralph Alessi, Ingrid Laubrock, Kris Davis, Drew Gress) INTAKT RECORDS 2017



On this second CD with his band Obbligato Tom Rainey surprises with standards and beautiful love songs like «Stella by Starlight», «What Is This Thing Called Love» or «I Fall in Love too Easily».

Tom Rainey has played in bands with Tim Berne, Fred Hirsch and Craig Taborn, and his own trio with Ingrid Laubrock and Mary Halvorson.

For this ensemble he chose some of the finest players New York has to offer: Ingrid Laubrock, Ralph Alessi, Kris Davis and Drew Gress.

Christian Broecking writes (liner notes): «With Obbligato, Rainey brings two familiar acquaintances from Jazz history to the fore – collective playing and improvising on Standards – the actual material itself, the well-known melodies and chord progressions are not overly taken apart.

With Obbligato he wanted to find his own way of playing the milestones of Jazz history.


1. Stella by Starlight (Victor Young) 5:15
2. Beatrice (Sam Rivers) 6:21
3. What Is This Thing Called Love (Cole Porter) 4:02
4. What's New (Bob Haggart) 10:35
5. There is no Greater Love (Isham Jones) 6:48
6. Float Upstream (Obbligato) 5:23
7. I Fall in Love too Easily (Jule Styne) 4:53

Ralph Alessi Trumpet
Ingrid Laubrock Saxophones
Kris Davis Piano
Drew Gress Bass
Tom Rainey Drums

Recorded at Brooklyn Recording in NYC by Andy Taub on January 19th, 2017. 
Mixed by Andy Taub on January 26th, 2017. Mastered by Alan Silverman at Arf! Productions Inc. on May 3rd, 2017. 
Cover art: Christine Reifenberger. Graphic design: Jonas Schoder. Photo: Peter Gannushkin. 
Liner notes: Christian Broecking. Executive production by Anja Illmaier. 
Produced by Tom Rainey and Intakt Records, Patrik Landolt.