Wednesday, November 7, 2018

John Fedchock Quartet - Reminiscence (SUMMIT RECORDS 2018)


REMINISCENCE, the newest CD by JOHN FEDCHOCK, will surely enhance his already stellar reputation as a trombone master. The CD is a follow-up to his 2015 release Fluidity. Fedchock culled tunes for both CDs from a live show he performed over three nights with his quartet in a club in Virginia Beach, VA, called Havana Nights. Although the club has since closed, it was a beautiful, intimate space that was acoustically designed for recording with state-of-the-art equipment.

Although he’s garnered many accolades and awards for his larger ensembles, playing in a small club with just his quartet gives Fedchock and the band opportunities to stretch out and take chances. “Playing in this setting allows the players more of a chance to interact and create an intimate conversation through improvisation,” says Fedchock. “It offers endless possibilities for making good music.”

Fedchock’s tone is warm and perfectly articulated. He eschews mere pyrotechnics for a swinging lyricism. He updates standards with a 21st century feel through his solid, modern arrangements while still embracing the heritage and provenance of the music. The CD comprises a mix of jazz standards and Fedchock originals. Fedchock released the first group of tunes from this session on Fluidity in 2015. “I had a lot of fun on this gig,” Fedchock exclaims. “The entire group did, and I think you can hear that in the music.

So I later revisited the music from the entire live recording session, and with the benefit of time and perspective, I came to the realization that the remaining tunes that didn’t make the first recording really deserved their own release.” Fedchock is a sophisticated, sensitive trombonist, arranger, and composer. There are many exciting moments on REMINISCENCE, and the performances by all the musicians are outstanding.

This CD is not merely a follow-up to Fluidity but a project that stands on its own. It is a superb example of the magic that great jazz artists can conjure when all the stars align.