Greg Abate & The Tim Ray Trio / Gratitude: Stage Door Live @ the Z

 On his fourth recording with the Tim Ray Trio, all on Whaling City Sound, Greg Abate and friends search for and find the true essence of jazz. With no formal rehearsals, and subsequently, no overdubs, mulligans, and redo’s, the band captures its performance in truth, in full, and in the moment. With the seasoned support of Tim Ray (piano), John Lockwood (bass) and Mark Walker (drums), Abate and his various horns (alto, tenor and baritone saxes, as well as flute) cruise through a slate of mainly originals, along with Joe Henderson’s “Inner Urge” and Roland Kirk’s “Serenade to a Cuckoo,” done here on tenor sax rather than the customary flute. Tim Ray and the trio add their surprising version of Fats Waller’s “Jitterbug Waltz.” Abate is one of jazz’s pure, natural talents, with energy, imagination and technique. The crowd must have really enjoyed this session because the sound, recorded and mixed by John Mailloux, is superb and the performances creative and exhilarating.

Featured

Greg Abate / saxophone

Tim Ray / piano

Mark Walker / drums

John Lockwood / bass

Publicity: O’s Place, All About Jazz, Destination New Bedford, Audiophile Audition, Music Archives, High standards Jazz, All Music,Dusty Groove, Bill Copeland Music News,