SAM BARSH, MARK GUILIANA, KEYON HARROLD

STRAIGHT08

La Reserve Records

Sam Barsh, keyboards; Keyon Harrold, trumpet; Mark Guiliana, drums.

This is an unusual trio of musicians. They feature keyboards, drums and trumpet. Here are three musicians who have history. It winds back to their university days.  Eash has been busy in their own individual way, playing on numerous albums. They span over 400 releases between the three friends. Now, joined together on this project, they offer music that embraces jazz as the gold thread that joins genres: hip-hop, R&B, experimental loops and contemporary jazz music are strung together in a surprisingly bright necklace of musical creativity.

For example, on a tune the three of them have composed together called “Fergumette Park” they tickle my interest with their tempo changes and melodic structures. At first, there is a “loop” of repeated percussive sounds. Next, the Keyboard “quack quacks” with reverb sounds that remind me of feeding the waterfowl at a local park.  Halfway through, they switch up to an R&B groove. That’s when Harrold’s trumpet takes over, spewing his musical message across my listening room in a very melodic way. This part of the tune I fall in love with after just the first two bars.

They cover Freddie Hubbard’s “Little Sunflower” with Keyon Harrold taking the lead voice on trumpet, while Mark Guiliana makes bold statements on his trap drums. Sam Barsh accompanies on keyboard in a very complimentary way, using the treble keys and reverb to set a mood.

This album was recorded in a four-hour session at Skylight Studio in Long Beach, California.  It embodies not only standard tunes we love and recognize, but several self-penned songs by the three friends including, “The East Flatbush Pimp Walk,” “The Earl of Essex County” and “Keys to the Suburb.”  Additionally, they have composed “Fergumette Park” that I review above, and “Straight08” the title tune.  Some songs were created and improvised “on the spot” without charts or rehearsals. This takes a certain comfort level between musicians. It takes trust to feed off of freedom, sensitivity, and musical interaction on a higher level. Together, they have created compositions.

On “East Flatbush Pimp Walk” Harrold pulls out his ‘plunger’ and changes the texture and tone of his trumpet.  The melody sounds like someone walking. However, I often find the loops and repetitive musical phrases boring after three or four bars.  Thankfully, they fade on that part of the arrangement.

“The Earl of Essex County” is built on repetitive keyboard changes, with the trumpet flying free, an eagle above the drums and piano parts. You can always feel the camaraderie between these three men, and how these song flow from them while they improvise boldly. Enchantingly, the compositions seem to grow themselves in a garden of creativity and imagination.

Reviewed by Dee Dee McNeil

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