an epiphanic experience...

[Wil Davis]

Well, I went over to Michael Timothy's (local watering-hole here in Nashua) last Saturday night - Herb Pomeroy (trumpet) was there - un-believable! The line-up was Herb Pomeroy (trumpet), Les Harris Jr (drums), Ryan Parker (piano) and John Repucci (bass) - these guys were simply amazing! they played three sets - and not one single lead-sheet to be seen anywhere - everything done from out of their heads! Each musician had technique to burn, and their sound was simply amazing - and still not too loud. I sat there for nearly four hours and couldn't believe what I was hearing!!! Some of the tightest, most inventive jazz I've heard for a long time! There would be the standard head/solos/trading-fours/head arrangement, then you'd start hearing the piano trading phrases with the trumpet or the bass or both, and then you'd hear quotes from other tunes, which would then do the rounds - excellent stuff! The band was obviously having a blast; I was totally awestruck, especially by John Repucci's sound and technique! Meanwhile, the rest of the patrons chatted and all but totally ignored the band - talk about Philistines!!!

Well, I just had to share it with someone...

- Wil

[Mike Goodbar]

Meanwhile, the rest of the patrons chatted and all but totally ignored the band

Of course they did. Don't you know that jazz is really just background music?

There's a yearly outdoor jazz series in my hometown. Hundreds of people show up at each concert ... to talk to one another! And I'm talkin' Sonny Rollins, Betty Carter, Count Basie Orch. I've actually heard people complain that they couldn't carry on a conversation because the band was too loud, and this is a CONCERT that they paid at least $17 to get into.

Frustrating.

[Sam Sherry]

I'll leave it to other, more eloquent, voices to praise Herb Pomeroy.

Ryan Parker and Les Harris, Jr. are fine listeners and great players. Ryan is droll and very intelligent. He's one of those guys who makes everything sound easy -- you don't even notice how well he plays.

Les and I have played on and off for almost ten years. He's a musician who plays drums, with a resume including music with Jimmy Heath, Clark Terry and (just this year) Ray Brown. He's a born drummer -- his dad taught at Berklee for years. Above all he's an honest person and never a syncophant.

Ryan's new CD, Deep Oceans, features Herb and the fine young bassist Chris Van Voorst Ban Beest. Great standards at high standards. To get it, you'll need to contact Ryan: http://www.usm.maine.edu/music/faculty/parkerr.htm

[Wil Davis]

I can vouch for "Deep Oceans" - picked it up on Sat along with another CD "Scenes of Ravel" played by Ryan Parker, who as Samuel points out, has great talent, and makes it sound oh, so easy!

- Wil