DUKE & STRAYS LIVE really stands out. It brings a fresh attitude and perspective to Ellington and Strayhorn’s work.
Corner Store Jazz
Phil Haynes – Drums; Steve Rudolph – Piano; Drew Gress – Bass
In his recent memoir, Chasing the Masters, drummer and composer Phil Haynes divides jazz musicians into two camps: traditionalists and modernists. Reflecting on his long career, Haynes sees his journey as an effort to bridge these two worlds.
The Day Dream Trio’s DUKE & STRAYS LIVE pays tribute to two jazz legends, Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn, blending the spirit of the past with an elegant, modernist approach.
Perhaps surprisingly, Haynes calls Ellington one of the first modernists. Traditionalists would claim him as one of their own but Haynes points to MONEY JUNGLE WITH MAX ROACH AND MINGUS, and his sessions with Coltrane as proof of his forward-thinking approach.
DUKE & STRAYS LIVE was recorded at Bucknell University, where drummer Haynes has been a mainstay on the faculty. This seasoned trio, rounded out by pianist Steve Rudolph and bassist Drew Gress, showcases Haynes ’vast experience, with nearly 90 recordings to his name. Haynes has collaborated with icons like Anthony Braxton, Ellery Eskelin, Herb Robertson, Michele Rosewoman, Theo Bleckmann, Mark Feldman, and many others. He’s also led dynamic ensembles such as 4 Horns & What?, Free Country, and the trio No Fast Food.
Gress has been a staple in modern jazz, performing with Tim Berne, Dave Douglas, and Uri Caine, and appearing on recordings with piano greats Fred Hersch, Marc Copland, and Bill Carrothers.
Haynes noted that he and Rudolph always had great chemistry, but every time Rudolph played Ellington or Strayhorn, it struck a unique chord. That spark inspired DUKE & STRAYS LIVE, their third album. Rudolph has been in the jazz world for over 50 years, much of it spent in Pennsylvania. A devoted Bill Evans disciple, he got his start with the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra.
The album opens with ‘African Flower, ’easing in gradually, with metallic scrapes, subtle percussive taps, and the softest piano touches; almost a heads-up that this won’t be your typical Ellington or Strayhorn interpretation. Gress enters with a gentle, pulsing bass line, and then Rudolph joins with a whisper on the piano.
Juan Tizol’s Perdido is all energy and straight to the point. Rudolph’s playful, almost cheeky phrasing gives the impression he’s completely at home with this tune. Gress’s walking bass smoothly shifts into a flawless solo, and Haynes’s brief solo, along with his lively back-and-forth with Rudolph, highlights that electric chemistry we mentioned earlier.
Rudolph plays solo on the delicate and introspective ‘Single Petal of a Rose, ’and it couldn’t be more strikingly graceful. Ellington wrote this for Queen Elizabeth II as part of QUEEN’S SUITE. He made a single pressing of the suite and sent it to the queen. It wasn’t available to the public until decades later. The piece segues into ‘Sophisticated Lady ’with help from Gress’s stately bass and Haynes’s magical cymbal work near the end.
The concert ends with another seamless segue, moving from the reflective ‘My Little Brown Book ’into a bright, swinging ‘Take The A Train.’ It starts a bit slower than most versions, but as the trio plays with abandon, the tempo quickens, with playful shifts and changes before slowing things down at the end.
I hope the Day Dream Trio gets the chance to record more. Both Haynes and Rudolph have faced hand injuries that limit their ability play. Not long after Duke & Strays Live was recorded, Rudolph suffered a stroke, but the last I heard, he was well on his way to a full recovery.
I think there are probably too many piano jazz trio recordings out there, but DUKE & STRAYS LIVE really stands out. It brings a fresh attitude and perspective to Ellington and Strayhorn’s work.
