| Jazz |
The saxophonists and baritone composer are not so numerous that we should pause for a moment, certainly much less innovative than our friend Céline Bonacina, he shares with her the love of rhythms from elsewhere, here it is the Latin rhythms that predominate on this album. Originally from Chicago, Dave Schumacher has been a pillar of the New York jazz scene for over forty years. His imposing and audacious baritone first attracted international attention in the 1980s, spending much of those years touring worldwide with Lionel Hampton’s orchestra. Schumacher was then noticed for nearly two decades as a member of Harry Connick Jr.’s orchestra. In the 1990s, he also toured with T.S. Monk’s Monk on Monk group and Tom Harrell’s Octet, as well as collaborations with many other musicians in New York and on the road. Over the years, David Schumacher became passionate about Afro-Cuban rhythms which became a kind of second nature in his creations, the result of his travels with the group’s percussionist, conguero Sam “Seguito” Turner. He says: “I was aware of Bird’s recordings with Machito/Mario Bauza and Dizzy Gillespie with Chano Pozo since high school, but I really immersed myself in the music when I met Sam in Hamp’s orchestra. Sam introduced me to the traditional music of Arsenio Rodriguez, Cachao, Tata Guines, Los Muñequitos de Matanzas, Los Papines, and the New York sounds of Machito, Tito Puente, Eddie Palmieri, and Ray Barretto.” The fact that he fully assimilated the sophisticated rhythms of these maestros’ groups and combined them with his own mastery of the jazz idiom is clearly visible in this, his fourth album as a leader.
The most impressive aspect of this album is precisely in the arrangements; while the Latin rhythms are indeed the foundation of this album, for the rest, very traditional jazz themes are developed or serve as pretexts for instrument solos, undoubtedly in search of a particularly well-organized form of ethnicity. Schumacher freely admits that two of the biggest influences on Cubeye’s musical concept are Jerry Gonzalez & The Fort Apache Band and Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers. The saxophonist recalls traveling with the latter’s big band to Japan in 1987 to perform at the Mt. Fuji Jazz Festival as one of the greatest moments of his long career. From the beginning of “Smoke In The Sky,” the impact of these iconic groups on the band is clearly perceptible with powerful brass hitting hard in the Messenger tradition on pulsating percussion reminiscent of Fort Apache’s incessant rhythm. Dave notes: “I heard the melody and harmony of the fourth track of the session, my ballad ‘(No More) Smoke In The Sky,’ on an up-tempo groove. Manuel created this dramatic reinterpretation of the original song.”
What initially seems like just a pleasant album quickly becomes an exciting one; indeed, all the culture amassed over a lifetime of artistry is here kneaded and digested to bring out the best and make this album “Indispensable,” with developed themes and arrangements that can satisfy a wide audience ranging from those who love classic jazz to those who also appreciate other universes.
Thierry De Clemensat
USA correspondent – Paris-Move and ABS magazine
Editor in chief Bayou Blue Radio, Bayou Blue News
PARIS-MOVE, March 25th 2024
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Dave Schumacher – Baritone Saxophone
Josh Evans – Trumpet (1, 5-8)
Jesus Ricardo – Trumpet (2-3)
Peter Brainin – Tenor, Soprano Saxophones (1, 5-8)
Manuel Valera – Piano
Alex “Apolo” Ayala – Bass
Mauricio Herrera – Congas, Iyá, Itótele, Okónkolo, Chekeré
Joel Mateo – Drums, Bells
Executive Producer: Cory Weeds & Dave Schumacher
Produced by Dave Schumacher
Co-Produced by Hector Davila (aka Chegüi Metralla)
Recorded at Trading 8s Studio, April 19th & June 13th, 2023
Engineered by Chris Sulit
Mixed by Chris Sulit and Hector Davila
Mastered by Oscar Autie, El Cerrito Records
Photography by Peter Brainin & Dave Schumacher
Design and layout by Perry Chua