John Wadham: Drums And Friends
There’s no harm in a mild case of chauvinism. Every country needs its share of national heroes, in this instance drummers that appealed to demanding American legends and inspired ambitious disciples: Daniel Humair, Alex Riel, Spike Wells, John Engels.
Jazz-minded Ireland takes pride in the accomplishments of drummer and mentor John Wadham, actually an Englishman who moved to Dublin as a teenager. It also spawned guitarist Louis Stewart (recipient of abundant praise in JJ on a regular basis) and acclaimed flautist Brian Dunning. Both are featured on Wadham’s top-rate debut album from 1978, Drums And Friends, which was reissued on CD in 2000 but is now remixed with new photographs and sleeve notes by Conor Guilfoyle.
It features Dunning on side A and Stewart on side B, complemented by bassist Frank Hess. At his most adventurous, Wadham explores avant folk (Floatin’) and groove (John Surman’s Winter Song), coupling crisp, razor-sharp drumming with Dunning’s flexible flute, upstaging Jethro Tull (Freddie Hubbard’s Clarence’s Place) in the process.
Wadham steps up a notch in conversation with Stewart. The freely improvised Improvisation For Guitar And Drums – a navigation between pastoral green hills and asphalt jungle, playground and rugby game – is impressive, in this case not just another word for nothing left to lose. Stewart’s creativity is boundless, even more so during Wayne Shorter’s Footprints.
Bonus tracks Victor Feldman’s Seven Steps To Heaven – horrible bass sound – and John Coltrane’s Naïma – lovely, lyrical Stewart – feel late in the day, but this takes nothing away from this most welcome repackinging of the second release by Livia Records and firstling of much-loved “The Wad”.
Discography
Clarence’s Place; Floatin’; Winter Song; Pompeii; Improvisation For Guitar And Drums; Lazy Afternoon; Footprints; Seven Steps To Heaven (55.20)
Brian Dunning (flute, 1-3); Louis Stewart (g, 4-6); Frank Hess (b); Martin Walsh (b, 9); John Wadham (d). Dublin, 1978.
Livia Records 2602
Nicki Adams: Arrival
This achievement of pianist Nicki Adams (collaborator with David Liebman and Fred Hersch) and drummer Francisco Mela (McCoy Tyner, Esperanza Spalding and Chuco Valdés), together with saxophonist Michael Eaton – in effect without a bassist – is rather nifty. Adams makes full use of the 88 keys, taking over the harmonic function of the upright bass with full-bottomed multi-note lines and watertight chords.
His style is conducive to Arrival’s progressive repertoire, which ranges from Andrew Hill and Wayne Shorter to original pieces replete with staggered, broken time. Adam’s occasional stride injections are a treat, functional to boot. That being said, the abundance of frenzied patterns and solos is hard to stomach and at least seriously gets on my nerves. I would’ve liked to hear more space between notes and tones.
Radiohead’s Thom Yorke’s Daily Battles is a moody breather. And when they finally swing hard and spontaneously on Cole Porter’s It’s Alright With Me, everything’s alright with me. Just for a little while, though.
Discography
Arrival; Black Sabbath; Daily Battles; It’s Alright With Me; Discursive Regime; Homage; Solarity; Kupka Disks; ESP (53.52)
Micheal Eaton (ts, ss); Adams (p); Francisco Mela (d). New York City, 2025.
J-Man Records
Rashaan Barber: Eternal
Born in Nashville, raised on gospel and soul, trombone pro as twin brother, professional classical saxophonist as wife, 15th anniversary of his label Jazz Music City: a diverse background pervades the playing style of the 46-year-old saxophonist Rashaan Barber, which raises expectations about the release of his latest, Eternal.
Building on such forebears as Michael Brecker, Kenny Garrett and Branford Marsalis, it doesn’t disappoint. Eternal is a charged piece, infused with grief over the miscarriage suffered by his wife Heidi Radtke prior to the session, all cathartic cries and moans. It’s a concise, dramatic explosion that could easily have been overdone but is leavened by Barber’s flawless articulation.
Extravert Barber blends in nicely with a band that includes ace New Orleans guitarist Ted Ludwig and pianist Matt Endahl and which thrives on a mix of uproar and serenity. Their sweet and mellow rendition of Marvin Gaye’s What’s Going On is a surprising example of the latter.
Mandela is a fitting album climax, a hi-octane reflection of agony and atonement. In line with earlier recordings, Barber blends fiery personal expression with socio-cultural issues, essentially an underrated frontrunner of “new stars” such as Immanuel Wilkins and Ambrose Akinmusire. Certainly worth exploring.
Discography
Day Dreamer; The Skipper; Peace, Be Still; Eternal; Sanctuary (At Seaside); What’s Going On; Cabbage; Mandela; Cabbage (Reprise) (47.07)
Rashaan Barber (ts); Matt Endahl (p); Ted Ludwig (g); Kevin Beardsley (b); Joshua Hunt (d). Nashville, 18 & 19 May 2025.
Jazz Music City
