I don’t use those words lightly. If you’ve never heard Chris play, go immediately to the clip below:
Think of delicacy and intensity in every phrase, his sound, his touch, his chord voicings — the subtlety of a great jazz musician who knows how to get inside Arthur Schwartz’s beautiful melodies while keeping a strong pulse going.
I first heard Chris on a CD some years back with Hal Smith’s Rhythmakers — and then on a Marty Grosz session. And I said aloud, “Who the hell is that?!” in the fashion of someone making an astonishing, delightful discovery. “That boy plays fine piano!” is what I imagine Thomas Waller saying. Or Jimmy Rowles. Or Barry Harris.
And here’s more — one of my favorite bouncing Twenties love songs — played by a phenomenal small band. How about Dan Barrett and Hal Smith rocking with Chris? And two players who are new to me – Denny Hardwick (guitar), and Christoph Luty (bass). Hilarious and perfectly apt quotations by Dan, and a beat that no one could stop from Hal, Denny, and Christoph.
And the best news is that this is part of a new CD to be released by Chris Dawson.
Is it too unsubtle to write in italics — “I want this CD now. Not later, but now”?
Watch this space: I hope to have more news of Chris Dawson and his good works. He’s GOT it, as you can hear.
6 responses so far ↓
CHRIS DAWSON, SWING MASTER // November 7, 2009 at 11:14 AM
[...] 1 votes vote CHRIS DAWSON, SWING MASTER I don’t use those words lightly. If you’ve never heard Chris play, go [...]
Stompy Jones // November 7, 2009 at 4:40 PM
Must have.
Bill Gallagher // November 7, 2009 at 9:02 PM
Sweet! Hope he can get that CD out in time for me to get it on my Christmas list.
John Herr // November 7, 2009 at 10:38 PM
I can tell you that bassist Christoph Luty has been a member of bop drummer Jeff Hamilton’s trio for ten years, along with pianist Tamir Hendelman. Their CD The Best Things Happen… (Azica 72225, ‘04) is filled with sprightly versions of standards. Luty is also bassist for the Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra, which I heard Wednesday night at Cornell. Drummer Jeff Hamilton is a leader of that big band, along with bassist John Clayton & alto man Jeff Clayton. At one point in the program, Luty played in a 2-bass trio with John Clayton & Jeff Hamilton on a blues, although John Clayton set his bass aside for most of the concert, while he conducted the band.
John P. Cooper // November 7, 2009 at 10:40 PM
Chris has gigged regularly for years here in the Los Angeles Swing dance/music scene.
You can hear him with
Jonathan Stout’s Campus Five
The Jonathan Stout Orchestra
The Swingsations
The old Eddie Reed orchestra
http://speakeasy.jazzcorner.com/speakeasy/showthread.php?p=524502
Check Youtube for Chris with the Stout bands.
Jonathan Stout’s Campus Five
The Jonathan Stout Orchestra
Here’s a recent one and you may be able to see/hear him, but he is all the way towards the rear of the stage.
yujine // November 10, 2009 at 7:20 PM
It’s a great play. Some familiar array of notes plus refreshing but comportable flow of notes makes me very relaxing.
The drummer on the second video is lightly row through. It is beautiful
Thanks for the presentation.