| Jazz |
A Bridge Between Eastern Europe and the U.S. Michael Waldrop’s Transatlantic Vision
A bridge between Eastern Europe and the United States that’s precisely what composer and drummer Michael Waldrop sets out to create with his latest album. To understand how this ambitious musical dialogue came to life, it helps to know the story behind it.
The virtuoso Serbian pianist Vasil Hadžimanov has long been a household name across Europe. Yet he only came to Waldrop’s attention much later, during an impromptu visit to a jazz club in Belgrade while Waldrop was spending time with his in-laws in Serbia. That serendipitous encounter left a lasting impression.
Fast forward to the pandemic: confined to his home in the Pacific Northwest, Waldrop revisited a piece he had composed back in 2001 Belgrade, a sonic impression of his first visit to the city. He reached out to Vasil, proposing a remote recording session. The resulting track exceeded expectations. Energized by the experience, they convened in a Belgrade studio in 2024, joined by inspired Macedonian bassist Martin Gjakonovski, to record a full set of Waldrop’s original compositions as a trio.
To broaden the album’s rhythmic color, Waldrop invited Brad Dutz and José Rossy to contribute a rich palette of Afro-Cuban and Middle Eastern percussion. The result is Native Son a recording that seeks to transcend borders and distill a shared musical language.
More and more albums today strive to build bridges between Europe and the U.S. Céline Bonacina’s brilliant Jump, in which the French saxophonist invited American musicians into her world, is one such example. Yet Native Son stands out as the most compelling project of its kind I’ve encountered to date.
Still, Native Son is not without its flaws. Waldrop’s drumming, while technically flawless, sometimes dominates the soundscape to a distracting degree a matter more of production choices than musical intent. The compositions are exceptional, and the arrangements rich in nuance, yet the overpowering presence of the drums tends to overshadow the delicate balance required in such a collaborative endeavor. That said, producing an album of this nature is no small feat, and a certain generosity of judgment feels warranted.
As is often the case with European pianists, Hadžimanov’s classical background permeates his playing adding both depth and refinement to the music. This fusion of classical sensibility and jazz improvisation contributes greatly to the album’s distinctive magic. One gets the sense that the Serbian musicians had a strong hand in shaping the arrangements, especially evident during the instrumental solos moments where the drums take a respectful step back.
Waldrop’s own musical path was deeply shaped by his time in Memphis during the late 1980s. After earning a scholarship to pursue a Master’s in Jazz Performance at the University of Memphis, he studied jazz piano and composition under the guidance of Gene Rush, a noted pedagogue who also taught Harold Danko. It was there that Waldrop immersed himself in the spiritual and aesthetic richness of the blues, a constant presence in Memphis’s cultural fabric. This period became a turning point, expanding his musical vision beyond conventional forms and modes.
He played across the spectrum jazz concerts, musicals, funk and blues bands collaborating with legends such as Phineas Newborn, Della Reese, Frank Gambale, Eliane Elias, Randy Brecker, and Marvin Stamm. In 1989, he performed on the soundtrack of Christmas Vacation, at the invitation of celebrated keyboardist Lester Snell (a longtime collaborator of Isaac Hayes and Shaft composer).
All in all, Native Son is a compelling and adventurous project. If the mix had allowed more breathing room for the ensemble, its emotional impact might have been even greater. Nevertheless, the compositions shine with a singular voice, and the artistic propositions throughout the album offer much to reflect upon and to learn from.
Thierry De Clemensat
Member at Jazz Journalists Association
USA correspondent for Paris-Move and ABS magazine
Editor for All About Jazz
Editor in chief – Bayou Blue Radio, Bayou Blue News
PARIS-MOVE, April 17th 2025
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Performers:
Vasil Hadžimanov – piano
Martin Gjakonovski – bass
Michael Waldrop – drums
Brad Dutz – percussion
Jose Rossy – percussion
Chris Symer – bass
Track Listing:
Native Son
Vasconcelos
Pythia: The Speaking Water
El Vino
Belgrade (Београд)
Bitter End
Still Life
The Wrong Blues
Music composed by Michael Waldrop (BMI), except:
(4) co-written by Jack Cooper (ASCAP)
(8) by Alec Wilder (BMI)