SPIKE WILNER TRIO CONTRAFACTUS

THE CHILDREN & THE WARLOCK

Cellar Music Group

Spike Wilner, piano/composer; Paul Gill, bass; Anthony Pinciotti, drums. SPECIAL GUEST: George Garzone, tenor saxophone/composer.

I started my morning off with the Spike Wilner trio blasting into my listening room, waving Straight-ahead excellence like a flag colored with soulful improvisations. The album is called “The Children & the Warlock” and it’s a tribute recording to celebrate Spike Wilner’s mentor, pianist Harry Whitaker.  Whitaker took Wilner under his wing, encouraging the young pianist to fly free and improvise in the moment.  That foundation became the motivation and premise of this album.

George Garzone is Wilner’s special guest, adding his tenor saxophone to the trio’s presentation. Wilner’s repertoire of songs are both melodic and inspired.  They become the trampoline for this band to leap upon.

Beginning with the tune, “Hey, Open Up!” written by sax man, George Garzone, the trio jumps into the music with both feet. They open up Garzone’s original tune, featuring Paul Gill playing his rich double bass and briskly walking across space. Garzone follows, letting his tenor saxophone dance behind the bass entrance.  Spike Wilner solos on piano.  His style and technique demands attention. This composition reminds me somewhat of composer Thelonious Monk, and each musician adds their talent to the excitement. The drums of Anthony Pinciotti are dynamic and thrust the band forward with power and precision. Gill takes a bass solo that is highly engaging. It’s propelled by Pinciotti’s percussive brilliance. The band is smoking hot!

The title tune, “The Children & the Warlock” is introduced by Wilner’s piano, his fingers sounding like backyard birds as they trill the keys.  The two hands are contrapuntal at first, until they settle into a jazz groove that reminds me of the Mile’s Davis “All Blues” early years. There is something warm and familiar about this tune’s arrangement. Some parts remind me a bit of John Coltrane music. Quickly, these first two songs become my favorites.  George Garzone reaches deep into the lower register of his tenor saxophone to tickle my attention.

“Jazz music can be the very best that mankind can offer, an uninhibited view of the open soul, for all to share and grow from,” Spike Wilner described his music and its purpose.

Every song on this album represents bebop and straight-ahead jazz presented in the groups own unique way.  The John Coltrane tune, “Miles’ Mode” travels at lightening speed and takes me on a rocket ship ride to the outer limits of our musical universe. Wilner is a technical wizard on piano. He lets his busy fingers freely express every emotion with each improvised idea.

Wilner and Garzone co-wrote “Moment to Moment (For Harry Whitaker) and they also composed the last tune, “Re-Solution” that completes this album.  It was such a rich, exciting experience to hear the Spike Wilner Trio “Contrafactus,” that I played the album twice.

Reviewed by Dee Dee McNeil

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