Jeff Ballard - dr
Miguel Zenón - sax
Lionel Loueke - git, voc
recorded live at Rolf-Liebermann-Studio, NDR, Hamburg, September 8, 2011
1. Gaida (Miguel Zenón)
2. Hangin' Tree (Queens Of A Stoneage)
3. Off The Top (Miguel Zenón)
4. Come With Me Miz P. (Jeff Ballard)
5. Vivi (Lionel Loueke)
One of the most exciting drummers in jazz today, Jeff Ballard, may be best known for being a member of piano phenom Brad Mehldau's Trio, but he also leads his own groups, and his newest features Miguel Zenon on saxophone and Lionel Loueke on guitar.
After three years with Ray Charles, Ballard moved to New York City, where he soon began to play with jazz giants including Eddie Harris, Bobby Hutcherson, Lou Donaldson, Danilo Perez and Chick Corea, as well as up-and-coming players closer to his age, including Mark Turner, Kurt Rosenwinkel, Mehldau, Avishai Cohen, Larry Grenadier and Guillermo Klein. His newest trio, with Zenon and Loueke, comes from sessions with some of his closest collaborators.
"I met Miguel [Zenon] through playing in Guillermo Klein's band, and I met Lionel [Loueke] for the first time when we played in a group with Avishai Cohen, the trumpet player," Ballard says.
Saxophone, guitar and drums is an unusual combination for a jazz group, though there is one outstanding trio led by drummer Paul Motian, with saxophonist Joe Lovano and guitarist Bill Frisell. But Ballard says they weren't an influence on his group.
"I put this trio together not thinking of Paul's trio, but afterwards, I have thought of it like a World Music-Paul Motian trio thing," he says. "They are both from cultures which are rich in the tradition of the drum, and this allows us to meet in a similar place musically."
While Ballard and his trio might meet in a similar place musically as Motian's trio, they journey to places far away from the usual musical fare. While Ballard is quick to complement the sound and skills of his fellow players, he also draws attention to the importance of his diverse drum kit - which contains drums from around the world with real skin heads - in the trio's sound. But above all, he says, it is the group's serious approach to music that sets them apart.
"For me, it's not good enough just to have ability. There must be a life energy to it with reasons and feelings and understanding as to why. Music is one of the highest things we have in life. We can be proud that it is a human invention," he says.
This fine trio hasn´t recorded an album so far, the latest album available by Jeff is the 2009 record "Sky & Country" featuring FLY, another trio with Jeff Ballard, Larry Grenadier and Mark Turner.
After three years with Ray Charles, Ballard moved to New York City, where he soon began to play with jazz giants including Eddie Harris, Bobby Hutcherson, Lou Donaldson, Danilo Perez and Chick Corea, as well as up-and-coming players closer to his age, including Mark Turner, Kurt Rosenwinkel, Mehldau, Avishai Cohen, Larry Grenadier and Guillermo Klein. His newest trio, with Zenon and Loueke, comes from sessions with some of his closest collaborators.
"I met Miguel [Zenon] through playing in Guillermo Klein's band, and I met Lionel [Loueke] for the first time when we played in a group with Avishai Cohen, the trumpet player," Ballard says.
Saxophone, guitar and drums is an unusual combination for a jazz group, though there is one outstanding trio led by drummer Paul Motian, with saxophonist Joe Lovano and guitarist Bill Frisell. But Ballard says they weren't an influence on his group.
"I put this trio together not thinking of Paul's trio, but afterwards, I have thought of it like a World Music-Paul Motian trio thing," he says. "They are both from cultures which are rich in the tradition of the drum, and this allows us to meet in a similar place musically."
While Ballard and his trio might meet in a similar place musically as Motian's trio, they journey to places far away from the usual musical fare. While Ballard is quick to complement the sound and skills of his fellow players, he also draws attention to the importance of his diverse drum kit - which contains drums from around the world with real skin heads - in the trio's sound. But above all, he says, it is the group's serious approach to music that sets them apart.
"For me, it's not good enough just to have ability. There must be a life energy to it with reasons and feelings and understanding as to why. Music is one of the highest things we have in life. We can be proud that it is a human invention," he says.
This fine trio hasn´t recorded an album so far, the latest album available by Jeff is the 2009 record "Sky & Country" featuring FLY, another trio with Jeff Ballard, Larry Grenadier and Mark Turner.
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