GREG CHAKO

HARD BOP FOR THE RECORD

Mint400 Records

Greg Chako, guitar/composer/arranger; David Lloyd, bass; Alex Merk, drums; Brooks Giles, tenor & soprano saxophones; Spencer Merk, trombone.

Inspired by the quintets of Horace Silver and Art Blakey, Greg Chako’s album rests comfortably in the arms of the hard bop tradition. After a terrifying battle with sepsis, Chako returns to his music from a hospital stay, to write “Second Chance,” a song reflecting his gratitude for life that lends him time to play and compose more music. This first tune swings hard, with the horns of Brooks Giles and Spencer Mark punching the tune with excitement. They introduce the melody at the top of Chako’s arrangement. Each musician makes a bold statement during their solos. Drummer Alex Merk trades fours with the band, making his own musical introduction. This original tune by Chako quickly becomes one of my favorites.

Greg Chako has composed all ten of the songs on this recording. “Ballad to the Bone” features his trombonist, Spencer Mark, who plays beautifully, blowing the melody through the bell of his horn with sensitivity and precision. When the bandleader and guitarist steps into the spotlight, Chako continues to unravel the melody supported by the sensitive bass of David Lloyd.  Greg’s melody is infectious and I find myself singing along.

A tune he wrote called “Soar with the Wind” flies into my listening room. It’s an up-tempo bebop arrangement with Chako’s harmonic horn section out-front and leading the way. The bass and drums lock hands to create a rich and powerful rhythm section, along with Chako’s guitar. Merk’s drum solo is power-packed.

The album cover by CincyJazzman.com is an eye-catcher! Colorful and creative, each bold stroke captures the essence of Greg Chako and his music.

“Bop for Bud” is a slow swing, with the Merk drums shuffling the arrangement forward. Greg is a sensitive and creative composer. That’s his strong point. He sounds comfortable on this tune, settling in with his guitar solo, adding an improvisational interpretation of his comfort chords. This is a relaxed and respectful nod to the iconic Bud Powell. David Lloyd steps forward to offer a nicely improvised bass solo.

I love Chako’s tribute tune to my old friend, drummer Billy Higgins. He named it simply, “Mr. Higgins.” The tune happily swings along at a moderate pace. It gives Chako an opportunity to solo before Alex Merk is offered an opportunity to dig his drum chops into the tune, first trading fours then briefly flying free with a percussive tirade. This becomes another favorite of mine.

On the pensive “Mellow-Dee,” tune, Chako has written the arrangement as a jazz waltz.  They close with “For the Record” a minor blues, accentuated with a funk-driven groove featuring Giles shining on his tenor saxophone. This arrangement is a throw-back to the boogaloo days. Merk’s voice on the trombone is funky and believable. When he double-times his melodic improvisation, Spencer Merk shows off his awesome talents on his trombone instrument. I enjoy the creative horn harmonies and the way they pump energy into this arrangement.

Reviewed by Dee Dee McNeil

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