Larry Goldings - Moonbird (9 tracks) +Album Reviews

One of the finest current trios.

stranger2himself | Down Here | 11/08/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I definitely agree with the listeners who locate this trio in the "cool" school. They bring to mind some of my all-time favorites: Paul Desmond group with Jim Hall, Wes Montgomery Trio, and, of course, Bill Evans Trio. All three musicians are masters of the 3 "S's": smoothness, soulfulness,& swing, and the 3 "T's": taste, touch, tone. Anyone who thinks that jazz has just gone downhill fast since John Coltrane died, NEEDS to hear this group (& others). As a guitarist, I'd like to point out that Peter Bernstein is as spectacularly musical as anyone playing today. And, thankfully, he doesn't play a million notes-- focuses more on tone, feel, melody. The most amazing thing, however, really is the group interplay. Three fantastic musicians who, together, lift each other to sublime musical heights. They listen, leave space, and react to each other beautifully. If you like extremely musical, melodic jazz in a small group setting, with an "after hours" feel, you should love this."

Genius ! ! !

Eddie Landsberg | Tokyo, Japan | 09/10/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"To the reviewer from Chicago who likened Larry to Big John Patton - - YES !!! great observation. Not only stylistically, but even the dynamics of the trio, they just make things work for each other. While players like Jimmy Smith, Joey DeFrancesco, Don Patterson play "hot", Patton, Young and Goldings represent the "cool" side of the Hammond. Simplicity so well timed and placed, it borders on genius. Even these short clips prove it... there is an INCREDIBLE symbiosis... each of these players becoming one and making it work. And what's so great is that while this session might be reminiscent of the old Green/Patton/Dixon sessons, it also sounds fresh, new and sincere... and there's something new to listen for. I know there are a lot of people out there who aren't so fond of Yahel and Goldings. Sure, if you want to rank them on speed and flashiness they're not going to come out too high. But think about Chet Baker, Miles Davis, heck even Thelonius Monk... its not always how much you have to say, but what and when you ay it. Larry's come a long way since Maceo, but then again, even when he was with Maceo was there any question he could play ?"

Enchanted Bird

Howard E. Aldrich | Chapel Hill, NC USA | 12/01/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Ok, sure, Jimmy Smith is clearly "present" in this CD, but the trio really works together. Bill Stewart uses his cymbals and gongs to create hypnotic effects on some tracks, and Peter Bernstein cool playing nicely complements Larry Goldings' soulful sounds. I'm listening to it again now, second time through tonight, and enjoying it as much as ever."

Underrated genius...

Your Pet Poodle | Twin Cities, MN | 04/01/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"My first 'encounter' with Larry Goldings, was, I believe, in 1988 while I was visiting New York. My wife and I were hoofing through the village, and as we past the patio-type entrance of the now defunct Village Gate, the sounds of stunning top-shelf jazz piano drifted out.

"We're going in," sez I. We sat and observed a very young man of serious demeanor playing a flawless and inventive amalgam of Powell/Evans/Peterson. It was a marvelous listen. I inquired to a waitress as to who this bad boy was. Indifferently she replied that she didn't know, but came back sometime later and replied, "Some guy from Conneticut named Larry Goldings". Uh huh.

A few years later, Larry's name was on Maceo Parker discs as an organist, and he had recorded his first organ trio record under his own name on Verve. What was striking about his organ playing was its lack of bombast. In the era of Joey DeFrancesco, it seemed almost unfathomable that any other rising organ player would take anything other than a 'dig my chops' approach. But there was Larry. And Peter. And Bill. Taking the jazz organ trio into THOUGHTFUL new ground: REAL composing for the particular ensemble, as opposed to the chitlin's circuit head arrangements that define the jazz organ genre. But ya know what? They swung!!!

"Moonbird" is a continuation of the group's deliberative concept. Golding's playing and compositions are marvelous demonstrations of musical maturity. Technically, Larry is as accomplished as anyone playing, including Joey, but his musical focus seems to be content and continuity. His time, phrasing, and melodic invention are that of a man twice his age.

Bill Stewart cannot go without mention. His is the million-dollar feel that lesser drummers lack and attempt to compensate for in technique and whatnot.

Highlights here are the burnin' "Xoloft", and the covers of "Woodstock" (brooding, and down in there), and "I Think It's Gonna Rain today" (soulful, funky, and disarmingly lovely).

I really DON'T hear much of a Jimmy Smith influence in Goldings' playing, FWIW. There will always be superficial aural similarities between organ players, because of the sound of the instrument itself. But Goldings has charted new ground, and for that reason, has more than his share of detactors. As one disappointed listener opined to me, "He's not greasy enough". To which I respond: who cares? There are more than enough of that variety in the world."

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