Recordings

Shuffling Ivories - Roberto Magris and Eric Hochberg

The accomplished and swinging jazz pianist Roberto Magris has created a discography that many would consider diverse and impressive. Born in Trieste, Italy in 1959, the now sixty-two-year-old musician started playing at the age of four. It was a classical education before in 1977, the then eighteen-year-old pianist was exposed to  The Way I Play by the pianist Oscar Peterson and his infatuation with jazz would start and never release its grip on this pianist.

Living in Trieste, a city that is often referred to as a link to the Mitteleuropa or Middle Europe, Magris was exposed to a diverse cornucopia of ethnicities and cultures. The Italian port city is bordered by mainland Italy on its North and West, Slovenia on its Northeast and Croatia on its Southern border. Besides Italian links, the area boasts diversity, melding Latin, Slavic, Germanic and Greek cultural roots to the city’s historical fabric. 

Along the way, this artist has assimilated influences from a variety of pianistic sources. In addition to Peterson, Magris was touched by the works of Eubie Blake, Bud Powell, Bobby Timmons, Elmo Hope, Thelonious Monk, Bill Evans, McCoy Tyner, Paul Bley, and Andrew Hill. With these varied influences being absorbed into the man’s playing DNA, his playing is always his own and can always be counted on to swing and often evoke an emotional connection with the listener. 

Roberto Magris, a bit of a one-man historian of the music, has recorded over thirty albums to date. This pianist/composer always sought out collaborations with other notable, although somewhat obscure artists, using the chance to document these legend’s work with his own. He organized, played, arranged, and managed to record: Check-In 2005 with Hungarian saxophone talent Tony Lakatos; Kansas City Outbound 2006 with bassist Art Davis and drummer Jimmy “Junebug” Jackson; Il Bello del Jazz 2006 with saxophonist Herb Geller; Mating Call 2010 with the drummer Idris Muhammad; tributes to trumpeter Lee Morgan and pianist Elmo Hope with drummer legend Albert “Tootie” Heath and Sun Stone 2019 with trumpeter Ira Sullivan to name just a few.

Magris met the accomplished bassist Eric Hochberg at the Jazz Showcase in Chicago and later recorded Suite with him in 2019. Hochberg’s name is not known to everyone, an under-the-radar talent whose work with one-time Pat Metheny drummer Paul Wertico and Bella Fleck harmonica master/pianist Howard Levy speaks for itself. Hochberg is the perfect foil for Magris. The Italian pianist finds bright possibilities in working with artists like Hochberg who have all the talent and little chance to shine in the spotlight. The latest release, Shuffling Ivories, is a beautiful matching of these two artists in an intimate duo setting.

There is a noticeable simpatico between these two and together they create a delightful record that is easy to sit back with, listen to and enjoy. Magris records eleven songs and they include tributes to some of his pianistic heroes. The opening and title cut “Shuffling Ivories” is a homage-like reference to Eubie Blake who with Noble Sissel wrote “Shuffle Along” in the twenties. Magris is joyous on this blues-tinged swinger as Hochberg walks defiantly and then produces a rousing bass solo that punctuates things. There is fun in the air. 

Mining Clarence Williams 1926 “I’ve Found a New Baby,” Magris opens with some jaunty piano work and Hochberg’s playful response. Magris' piano is minimal at times to let Hochberg’s responses be the more featured. 

Magris’s “Clef Club Club,” a reference to a Harlem Social club for black Americans from back in 1910, opens up with a boisterous piano and some urgent bow work by Hochberg. These two create a sense of cinematic urgency.

Eubie Blake’s “Memories of You” is given a more embellished treatment by the talented Magris. You can hear the reverence in Magris’ playing and Hochberg offers a deep-toned pizzicato bass solo that emphasizes the moving melody with some fluttering accents. Despite being faithful to Blake’s sensibilities the pianist often embroiders the music with more modern approaches. Later in the album Blake’s The Chevy Chase” is played by the duet and the tact here is more stride-like by Magris. There is a bouncy buoyancy, a ragtime tradition seeping into the music and Hochberg follows suit. The music reminds me of music played in old silent music as accompaniment.

One of my favorites from the album is from the obscure pianist Billy Gault titled “The Time of this World Is at Hand.” Magris revels in this minor-keyed, dark but surprisingly moving melody. The music hooks you in its sway and Magris captures it wonderfully with a fluid verve and poignancy. Hochberg lays down the solid beat and offers some creative counterpoint.

The saxophonist Archie Shepp’s 1972 Attica Blues album featured the song “Quiet Dawn” from Cal Massey and here Magris and Hochberg do a moving rendition of this melancholic composition. Hochberg’s emotive bowing in the opening is a sonic treat. Magris’s superb accompaniment is subtle and tight. The pianist is most animated in his playing which he gets modernistic here when they expand the melody and Hochberg reverts to his astute plucking. Listen closely as Magris inserts a reference in his playing from Charlie Parker’s “Cool Blues” and as Hochberg’s impressive pizzicato soloing is featured around the 5:31 mark.

Just marvel at how much musical magic two instruments under the control of two talented players can produce.

In keeping with a dedication to his influences, Magris chooses one of Andrew Hills' more sensitive tunes “La Verne.” The slow-paced ballad features some of Magris’ most aggressive embellishments and Hochberg’s bass work compliments with aplomb. The duet has included two versions of this song. The reprise that closes the album is more romantic in its approach and Magris and Hochberg enjoyed rethinking this originally angular song into a 4/4 ballad that feels more true to the pianist’s idea of being a love song that Hill dedicated to his first wife. Magris’s piano work is splendid and Hochberg’s solo is pointedly clear and moving.

“Anysha” is a composition by Philadelphia soul and jazz keyboard artist Trudy Pitts and was first heard by Magris on Rahsaan Roland Kirk’s album Other Folks Music. Magris and Hochberg set the music to a light bounce that has a nice flow to it. Hochberg offers an agile solo that dances along with the music like a wood sprite in a magical forest. Magris subtly accompanies leaving some marvelous space to allow the bassist to shine. 

“Italy” is a tribute to Magris’ birth country and at the same time is a musical memorial to Italian American musicians that have one way or another influenced or touched the pianist. In the liner notes Magris mentions Lennie Tristano, George Wallington, Vido Musso, The Candoli Brothers, Sal Mosca Carl Fontana and singer Tony Bennett all as having impacted the music he loves. The music has been compared as a musical “postcard from Italy” to the audiences who hear it. I’ll leave you to experience this for yourselves.

Notes on Jazz

    You cannot get a sound that is more dead-center-of-the-U.S.A than pianist Roberto Magris and Eric Hochberg's Shuffling Ivories. This makes sense geographically as the disc comes from Kansas City's JMood Records, the label that seems intent on recording everything that Magris has to offer, including the pianist's 2020 magnum opus, Suite.

Born in Trieste, Italy, Magris has embraced American jazz with a passion, from his celebrations of pianist Elmo Hope, One Night with Hope and More, Volume 1 & 2 (JMood Records, 2010), along with tributes to trumpeter Lee Morgan and alto saxophonist Cannonball Adderley. All of his JMood discs are well-crafted, swinging, post bop sounds, American sounds which say maybe Magris has U.S.A. in his DNA.

Shuffling Ivories carries on that tradition, this time in a duo setting with bassist Eric Hochberg, who joins Magris in a tribute that is, in large part, though not exclusively, to pianist Eubie Blake (1887-1983). Like Louis Armstrong, Blake was an Entertainer. In 1921 he wrote—along with his collaborator, Noble Sissel—the broadway musical Shuffle Along. He worked in medicine shows, vaudeville, films, and as a bandleader for the USO during World War 2; he was witty, self-deprecating, funny and quick with a well-placed quip, becoming a popular regular on the television talk show circuit in the 1970s. This is someone to celebrate.

Magris and Hochberg start off with the title tune, a Magris original, a lively and playful piece which flirts with a freer side of jazz while staying true to the spirit of Blake, with a blues influence bubbling up all over the place. The disc also includes a pair of Blake-penned tunes, the wistful "Memories Of You" and "The Chevy Chase," a solo number that unfolds as a meditative stride blues which might have been heard in Kansas City, way back when.

The old time sound isn't the only thing going on here—Magris and Hochberg also nod to the modern with two takes of an Andrew Hill composition, the lovely "Laverne."

Magris comes out of the heartland and crosses the Atlantic to go back to his homeland on his original, "Italy," celebrating not only the country of his birth, but also Italian-American musical artists such as Tony Bennett, Sal Mosca, Lennie Tristano and Carl Fontana, all influences of Roberto Magris.

And the sound: clean, crisp and ringingly clear.

4 stars All About Jazz

    Italian pianist Roberto Magris has teamed up with Chicago bassist extraordinaire, Eric Hochberg, for the duet album Shuffling Ivories. As one might imagine, this is a slightly hushed, intimate affair, and my oh my does it cover a lot of ground. Magris’ originals are sprinkled throughout a program that also includes music from Eubie Blake, Cal Massey and Andrew Hill, and it all impresses. The title track has hints of Ornette Coleman’s bluesiest writing, and I’m a fan.

Paul Abella WDCB

    Roberto Magris is a prolific pianist originally from Italy who has led over 30 albums through the years including 17 for the J Mood label (www.jmoodrecords.com). Even with that large discography, Shuffling Ivories is a real standout and possibly his finest (or at least one of his most rewarding) recordings.

Teamed with the veteran Chicago bassist Eric Hochberg, Magris performs a well-rounded set that includes a few tributes to Eubie Blake and Andrew Hill, two very different pianist-composers. The opening “Shuffling Ivories” is a delightful and original medium tempo blues. The 1920s standard “I’ve Found A New Baby” is given an adventurous but logical treatment with Magris and Hochberg playing off of each other with improvising that hints at as much as it states before cooking a bit at the piece’s conclusion. “Clef Club Jump” is a bit stormy a la Andrew Hill with a haunting theme either heard or felt throughout. A beautiful version of Blake’s “Memories Of You,” precedes “The Time Of This World Is At Hand,” a jazz waltz by the little-known pianist Billy Gault that is given a bluesy soul jazz treatment by the duo that is worthy of Bobby Timmons. Hochberg (bowing his bass for part of the time) is featured on the well-constructed interpretation of Cal Massey’s “Quiet Dawn.”

Also included on this very enjoyable set are two versions of Andrew Hill’s “Laverne” (one of his finest pieces), the attractive hard bop number “Anysha,” Magris’ picturesque “Italy,” and Eubie Blake’s rarely-played “The Chevy Chase.”

Roberto Magris displays his own fresh musical personality throughout Shuffling Ivories, whether he is paying homage to Blake or Hill, or playing in his own classic hard bop style. Eric Hochberg’s fits in very well behind the pianist’s solos and has short spots of his own that add to the swing and momentum of the music. Shuffling Ivories is well worth acquiring and serves as a perfect introduction to the music of Roberto Magris.

LA Jazz Scene

    Roberto Magris & Eric Hochberg first connected in 2018 when Magris went to Chicago for his Suite! project. The Italian pianist and the Chicago-based bassist hit it off immediately, and Magris was determined to make more music with him. The result is the inspiring Shuffling Ivories, which Magris characterizes as his “personal tribute ... to African Americans who gave birth to jazz.” With a body of work that so far totals more than 30 albums in a variety of contexts, Magris has established himself as a stellar modern pianist, steeped in the blues and always swinging. Hochberg has been an active presence on the Chicago scene for decades, known for his solid time-keeping and lovely tone. As a team, their rapport is palpable from the start and clearly dedicated to beauty. It’s nearly impossible to single out any one piece for special praise here, as every track has its own charms. For repertoire, Magris went all the way back to the compositions of Eubie Blake for the well-known Memories of You and the more obscure The Chevy Chase (a favorite of Willie “the Lion” Smith), the CD’s lone solo piano number. Another “good old good one,” as Louis Armstrong used to say, is the Spencer Williams tune I’ve Found a New Baby, premiered in 1926. While it’s been played many hundreds of times since, Magris and Hochberg keep it fresh with a lively and rewarding conversation. More modern are Andrew Hill’s Laverne, presented in two versions, Cal Massey’s Quiet Dawn (from a 1972 Archie Shepp date), and organist Trudy Pitts’ soulful Anysha, first recorded by Rahsaan Roland Kirk in 1976. Even less well-known than Pitts is the pianist and composer Billy Gault, who penned The Time of This World is at Hand, a gospel blues that suits Magris’ style perfectly, with superlative support from Hochberg. We’re also treated to three Magris originals. One is the bouncy title track that opens the show. Later there’s Clef Club Jump, with a sinuous melody, spooky arco bass, and a few splashes of right hand piano notes that recall Don Pullen in a hint at Magris’ seldom-invoked avant-garde side. Towards the end of the set, Italy features Hochberg supplying a buoyant bossa beat and melodious solos. Shuffling Ivories is pretty much irresistible music-making from start to finish. Highly recommended.

Mr Stu’s Record Room

    The 62 year old Roberto Magris is considered one of the best keyboard players in Europe due to his diverse musical skills. After 17 albums, the musician, whom Oscar Peterson once encouraged to devote himself to jazz, still has a lot to offer. He shows this very impressively on the duo album, ShuffIing Ivories.  On a number of different tracks, including that of the now rarely heard Eubie Blake tune - he shows in the most subtle way what he can do. His kind of mastery does not need technical demonstration, and he foregoes that. Rather, he is a subtle poet who is able to give the songs the depth they deserve. You can rely on Magris when it comes to good taste, because here too, he shows class and style. The bassist Eric Hochberg also does an excellent job. The Chicago native can look back on a number of interesting recordings - including two with the vocalist Kurt Elling. The included liner notes by Bill Milkowski are also very informative. And they end with the sentence “Mission accomplished”.  Bravo Roberto. Hats off for this great work!

5 Stars Concerto Magazine Austria

    This new project of pianist Roberto Magris is a journey from Eubie Blake to Andrew Hill, covering more than 100 years of jazz history. The repertoire of this duo with double bassist Eric Hochberg includes three new compositions by Roberto Magris: Shuffling Ivories, Clef Club Jump, which presents a modern approach to the era of Eubia Blake / Noble Sissle, and the composition Italy, which recalls the musical contributions from a list of icons of Italian-American jazz. Roberto Magris has selected some beautiful, and rare, jazz compositions from different periods and styles of jazz. "For example: Quiet Dawn by Cal Massey, The Time of This World Is At Hand by Billy Gault, Anysha by Trudy Pitts, the jazz classic I've Found a New Baby, Andrew Hill's La Verne, and two classics by Eubie Blake: Memories of You and The Chevy Chase.

France Musique

    I have known Roberto Magris since 1992, when we invited him to Ancona Jazz with his quintet, in a double concert that saw him take over from the historic sextet of Gianni Basso and Oscar Valdambrini. We saw him again later, in 2009, at the Mole, in a group including an illustrious figure of Californian jazz, Herb Geller. I was struck by him, in addition to the courtesy and "brotherhood" of the common feeling of jazz, the profound willingness to incorporate the past in an always modern and indispensable language, depriving it of any museum waste.

For a decade and more, it seems to me that Roberto has experienced a great period of creativity, as evidenced by the twenty records recorded for the Jmood label in Kansas City, from quartet to septet, with tributes to giants like Lee Morgan and Cannonball Adderley, Ira Sullivan and Geller, to Elmo Hope, little known in our country. I had the opportunity and good fortune to listen to practically all of his productions, always at an excellent level, but this intimate session, Shuffling Ivories, is one of my favorite sessions, finding him at his maximum expressive potential.

Roberto first met Eric Hochberg in Chicago, during the recording of his previous double CD, "Suite!" (I have already told you the pianist is a volcano of ideas ...) He immediately understood the need to dialogue with a musician whom he immediately understood and felt "at home" with. From the included tunes and composers, Roberto pays a personal tribute to the African Americans who created jazz and made it a universal language. And here the specific knowledge Roberto brings to these proceedings emerges, as the leap from Clarence Williams and Eubie Blake to Andrew Hill is not as tumultuous as one might think.

It is amazing how the agility of the fingers and the omnivorous creativity that characterize them, manage to make songs so distant from each other in time extremely current.  His taste emerges with surety in the thematic choice, of "Quiet Dawn" by Cal Massey, the fertile and important composer who died in 1972. His songs, with an ambiguous melodic pace and of great interest for the soloist, have been performed by many exponents of "Great Black Music", including Archie Shepp, who included the piece in his "Attica Blues" for Impulse!  "Anysha" by the organist Trudy Pitts, who impressed Roberto after listening to the record "Other Folks' Music" by Roland Kirk; to Andrew Hill's “Laverne”, a ballad contained in the 1986 Soul Note album “Shades”, so stimulating that a second take has also been included on the CD; and, finally, pianists Billy Gault's "The Time of This World", included in what, as far as I know, remains the only album recorded by the little known pianist, 1974's "When Destiny Calls" for the Danish SteepleChase.

The program is a concrete sign of the quality of Magris' listening. I often come across, in fact, very beautiful passages that are regularly ignored and which, on the contrary, deserve to return to live in their own light. The three original titles integrate very well with the others, thanks to their melodic beauty, as in the Mediterranean-flavored bossa nova of "Italy", or in the blues structure of "Shuffling", and in “Clef Club Jump”, by virtue of dissonances a la Cecil Taylor and Don Pullen that appear pertinent to it's theme. A potential standard is born.

Roberto has a wide and majestic approach and uses the whole keyboard with a precise and clear touch, full of stylistic references, I'll add the name of Joe Bonner to this list, a very active pianist between the 70s and 80s, who seems to me to be the musician the pianist refers to most. Hochberg proves to be completely at ease both in pizzicato and with the bow, pulsating in his accompaniment and deeply inspired in his solos which jump out out of the speakers with a superlatively clean sound. These are the reasons why this record must become part of any self-respecting jazz club's playlist, alongside recordings by Paul Bley and Gary Peacock, Kenny Drew and Niels Pedersen, Oscar Peterson and Ray Brown, amon other fine duo recordings. Have a good listen!

Massimo Tarabelli Anaconda Jazz

    A heartfelt, intimate tribute paid by two seasoned musicians, pianist Roberto Magris and bassist Eric Hochberg to African American jazz musicians and especially to Eubie Blake, a jazz pioneer whose contribution to the American jazz and culture is undeniable. Roberto Magris has never shied away from sharing his personal vision and talent as a composer and performer when paying homage to the past, and this album is no exception.

The flawless interplay between the two musicians is a definite asset to this enchanting album, which creatively mixes tradition and contemporary without losing the original spirit of these timeless classics. Besides two compositions signed by Blake, the album includes pieces by Trudy Pitts, Andrew Hill, Jack Palmer and Spencer Williams, Billy Gault, Cal Massey and by Roberto Magris himself. His composition “Shuffling Ivories” sets the tone referencing Blake’s Broadway musical “Shuffle Along”. He also signs two other works that are wonderfully related to the theme. On “Italy,” he creates a melodic connection between European and American jazz, while “Clef Club Club,” an intense display of impressive virtuosity with a cinematic edge, is an eruption of impressive virtuosity. The elegant and romantic Andrew Hill’s La Verne, one of the album’s most stunning pieces, transforms into a ballad of unique beauty that defies classification; it’s pure music, and both musicians excel at performing it.

JazzWorldQuest.com

    Together with bassist Eric Hochberg, pianist Roberto Magris pays tribute to his heroes of African-American music who made him love jazzmusic. His first idols were Oscar Peterson and Bud Powell and later he discovered Timmons, Tyner, Monk and Hill, as well as Elmo Hope and Randy Weston. Throughout the eleven pieces he lets his keyboard speak in a way that also reveals his Italian classical training.

Hochberg's contribution is an enrichment of the sound in which an engaging interaction and the necessary swing are developed. Magris is an excellent pianist who is comfortable with many styles. On 'Shuffling Ivories' we hear him in an intimate setting with entertaining and smooth chamber jazz. A bulk of finessy features provide his renditions with the necessary spice. For musicologists there is a lot to pick up, which is explained in detail by Downbeat collaborator Bill Milkowski in the liner notes of the album.

Full Circle Music Blog

    There are Italian artists who have a credit abroad that is authentically related to their qualities while in Italy, the consideration they enjoy is far below their value.  An almost “classic” exampleof this  is the Trieste pianist Roberto Magris, who has recorded over 30 albums as a leader and who had to go to Kansas City for his talent to see the light. Undisputed talent, so much so that that many recognized American jazz musicians have played by his side. Recent sessions with the saxophonist and flutist Ira Sullivan (who played with Charlie Parker and Dexter Gordon) from his previous CD Sun Stone, with an all American sextet on Suite! and now duet recording Shuffling Ivories, with double bass player Eric Hochberg.

For forty years Hochberg has been part of the Chicago jazz scene playing with a myriad of top players (Sam Rivers, Cannonball Adderley, Pat Metheny, Tom Harrell give an idea of ​​his prestige).  He knows how to create a precise touch, without unnecessary frills, and with a deep and direct approach. The duo works wonders along this mainstream path that spans over 100 years of jazz history. From Eubie Blake’s two songs, to Andrew Hill, with the revival of his classic Laverne, the beauty of this work lies above all with visions of jazz from beginnings which feed the richness of a path that never lacks self-reference. Above all, it has the advantage of enriching itself each listening with the vitality of the present and ideas of immediacy and research informing the three successful unpublished works by Magris (including an exciting  track, Italy) and which can be read like a book whose end is in the pages that will be written tomorrow.

Spettakolo

   

Performing with a cohesion as if reflecting many years of collaboration, Magris and Hochberg create wonderful moments on the soft and delightful Shuffling Ivories, sharing beautiful musical memories and an affirmation that when it comes to playing jazz, two can be enough.

All About Jazz

    The pianist ROBERTO MAGRIS, who moves between his native Trieste and Kansas City, where he founded his own label JMood Records, does not need to be introduced to Jazzport readers; I’ve written here about his work often. Including the MUH trio, jazzmen František Uhlíř and Jaromír Helešic, most recently in connection with the recording "A Step Into Light". On the first day of March, his next album was released, this time in a duo with double bassist ERIC HOCHBERG; called "Shuffling Ivories"…

Roberto Magris and Eric Hochberg know each other well, after all, they already appear together on Magris' quintet double album "Suite" from t2019. The Chicago double bass player is one of the best; and has played with such personalities as Kurt Elling, Pharoah Sanders, Steve Kuhn, Jack DeJohnette and Pat Metheny. In their joint dialogue, the two instrumentalists essentially embark on a journey through the history of jazz in the last century, specifically between 1921 and 1988...

The almost 68-minute program consists of a collection of ten compositions, of which Hill's ballad "Laverne" is included in two takes. The jazz standard,  "I've Found a New Baby", originally a popular song from the 1920s, is rich in counterpoint.  Blake's ragtime "The Chevy Chase" is also conceived in an inventive, and melodically sparkling ballad format. Three songs come from the seventies. Pianist and singer Billy Gault's "The Time Of This World Is At Hand" (1975) is followed by the nearly nine-minute "Quiet Dawn," written by trumpeter Cal Massey for Archie Shepp's legendary album "Attica Blues" (1972); magnificent, thanks to the piano bluish, immersive ballad with a beautiful part of the double bass played arco, with a touch of hope. The third gem is the seven-minute, thematically distinctive "Anysha", composed by organist, pianist and singer Trudy Pitts for Raahsan Roland Kirk (album "Other Folks´Music", 1976). There are also three of Magris's original compositions - the introductory "Shuffling Ivories" with a blues feel, "Clef Club Jump" with a dramatic structure and variable dynamics and "Italy" with a richly grasped cantilena melody by both protagonists.

Great instrumental performances, feeling, creativity, congenial interplay and dialogue - all of this adorns this album!

Jazzport.cz

    In 2018, while he was in Chicago to record his ninth album, Suite!, for JMood Records, pianist Roberto Magris was introduced by tenor saxophonist Mark Colby to bassist Eric Hochberg, an artist with whom Magris formed an almost immediate bond. After performing together at Chicago's Jazz Showcase, Magris and Hochberg decided they should record together, and so they did, setting down Shuffling Ivories, wherein Magris pays tribute to a number of his pianistic heroes, from Eubie Blake to Oscar Peterson, Elmo Hope to Andrew Hill, with side helpings of Thelonious Monk, Bud Powell, Paul Bley and others, in November 2019. To do so, Magris had to revamp his musical persona from song to song and needed a partner who was able to adapt on the fly and keep in step, an assignment that posed no problem for the perceptive and versatile Hochberg.

Magris, who has more than thirty albums under his belt, adapts easily to any style, from ragtime to swing, stride to blues or soul to bop, lending depth and variety to the enterprise, while Hochberg is an unerring alter ego, plucking or bowing (as on "Quiet Dawn") with acuity and assurance. Together, they make Shuffling Ivories an unequivocal listening pleasure.

All About Jazz

    Together with bassist Eric Hochberg, pianist Roberto Magris pays tribute to the heroes of African American music who instilled in him a love for jazz. His first idols were Oscar Peterson and Bud Powell and later he discovered Timmons, Tyner, Monk and Hill, as well as Elmo Hope and Randy Weston.

Throughout the eleven pieces, he lets his keyboard speak in a way that does not hide his Italian classical roots. With Hochberg's enriching contribution, a fascinating interaction and along with the necessary swing unfold.

Magris is an excellent pianist who is at home in many styles. On Shuffling Ivories we hear him in an intimate setting with entertaining and smooth chamber jazz. A multitude of delicacies spice up his performances.

Jazz and Mo’

We find the double bass player Eric Hochberg in duet with Roberto Magris on Shuffling Ivories. Also from the Chicago scene, where his trio hosted Catch 35 Tuesdays through Saturdays until 2020, he has toured with Pat Metheny, Lyle Mays, Terry Callier, Kurt Elling, and he accompanied the big names in Windy City like Von and Chico Freeman. On Shuffling Ivories, his beautiful woody tone responds to the magnificent touch of Roberto Magris, even better highlighted in this context of extreme sobriety. The pianist from Trieste revisits the historical continuum of jazz with a never-denied swing, from Eubie Blake (elegant stride on "The Chevy Chase") to Andrew Hill ("La Verne", full of lyricism), via Carl Massey (Eric Hochberg's beautiful bow game on "Quiet Dawn", from Attica Bluesby Archie Shepp).

Jazz Hot

Suite! Roberto Magris

    Italian pianist Roberto Magris began his jazz career in the late 1970s, releasing a handful of excellent albums on Soul Note Records. He picked up steam in his collaboration with Kansas City's JMood Records in 2008 on Kansas City Outbound. As a pianist and a bandleader, Magris seems to have soaked up numerous influences—mid-sixties Blue Note Records, McCoy Tyner, Elmo Hope, Thelonious Monk and Art Blakey. His JMood Records catalog boasts eighteen releases, including the disc at hand, Suite!.

The quick opinion on Suite!: the most successfully ambitious recording in Magris' discography, his magnum opus. It is a sprawling, multi-layered two disc set, with music addressing everything from Blue Note Records to trumpeter Lee Morgan, saxophonist Joe Henderson in his freer leaning, John Coltrane—before things went completely free—Alice Coltrane, Sun Ra and more.

The 1970 King Crimson tune "In The Wake of Poseidon" opens the disc. Magris makes it an anthem—a big dense sound emanating a life force, in the manner of John Coltrane's African Brass (Impulse! Records, 1961). In addition to the core quintet—two horns and a rhythm section—the intro features PJ Aubree Collins' crisp, straightforward poetic recitation. The poetry/jazz combination can be a hit or miss proposition. It hits beautifully here with Collins, who appears on three more cuts, including the Magris-penned ""A Message To The World To Come," a grand sixteen minute statement that mixes a Blue Note vibe with the spirituality of Alice Coltrane. The tune begins with a foreboding bass solo by Eric Hochberg, followed by another Collins recitation, a litany demanding: ...."no hunger, no discrimination, no starvation, no war..." and so on, giving way to a "fanfare for the world to come," blowing over Greg Artry's rolling thunder drums and the piano-led rhythm section that shifts into a hopeful, swinging groove.

Magris includes some choices from the Great American Songbook, including "Too Young To Go Steady." It is to Suite! what "I'm Old Fashioned" is to John Coltrane's Blue Train (Blue Note, 1958)—a familiar tune put across to perfection. The beautiful ballad features a supremely fluid tempo as three brief but eloquent solos unfold—trumpeter Eric Jacobsen saxophonist Mark Colby and Magris on Fender Rhodes. It is on Jacobsen’s second solo where things shift into a musical nirvana—the way Blue Train's "I'm Old Fashioned" did on Lee Morgan's mid tune turn—with the bass and drums treating the rhythm as something malleable, shaping it into a subtle stretch as the trumpet gives way to an edgy, growling saxophone statement.

Magris also includes some piano solos, beginning with the opener of CD 2, a wall-of-sound rendition of Gershwin's "Summertime," a brief and pensive "Love Creation," and closing with John Lennon's "Imagine." Also included are with a bossa tune—Collins singing instead of reciting—and some more first rate straight ahead jazz in between.

Many double albums showcase the artist reaching a pinnacle of expression. For Roberto Magris, Suite! does just that, as the pianist / bandleader takes a step in the direction of social consciousness and spirituality with a killer band.

4.5 Stars  Downbeat Magazine

    Italian pianist Roberto Magris is as prolific as he is prodigious a musician. His twenty-some recordings are all uniformly superb and captivating. His style is solidly rooted in the mid twentieth-century tradition with a bop-based sense of swing, plenty of soul, and an explorative edge.

Suite! is Magris’ second release of 2019 and is an ambitious project both in content and size. The nearly two hours of music is divided almost evenly over two CDs. The first is more cerebral and contemplative while the second, emotive and effervescent.

The set opens with a cinematic interpretation of Robert Fripp’s “In the Wake of Poseidon.” Trumpeter Eric Jacobson and saxophonist Mark Colby engage in a musing duet punctuated with silent pauses. Vocalist PJ Aubree Collins recites her own poem with dramatic flair. Magris leads the band in blues-tinged and undulating spontaneous performance, which crashes like waves against the tune’s rhythmic framework.

The title track has a mellifluous and darkly hued theme that flows gracefully over the group’s percolating vamps. Magris improvises with suave agility and dense, resonant phrases. Jacobson and bassist Eric Hochberg take turns in the spotlight with warm, shimmering sounds and intriguing embellishments to the original composition. 

Chicago Jazz Magazine

New Journey  Greg Fishman

    “Unsung Chicago tenor saxophonist Greg Fishman is worth our respect. He’s a hardworking Midwesterner who’s built a viable career out of playing, teaching and publishing a plethora of valuable academic texts for musicians. He’s also a world authority on Stan Getz, and there are whiffs of Getz in his balladeering and curlicue adornments, but otherwise Fishman is a less ethereal player. He’s steeped in Chicago’s tough tenor tradition, whether by accident or design, and his playing is rich in drive and detail, somewhat reminiscent of (non-Chicagoan) George Coleman.

Fishman’s deep knowledge of the mechanics of jazz leads to such compositions as “The Ninth Degree,” inspired by his penchant for his favorite chord note, and “Boppertunity” a tobogganing theme built over “All God’s Children Got Rhythm.” But Fishman is more than mere scholar—there’s heart, nuanced tonality, interaction and snappy composition here.

Plus, the tasty rhythm section has a wealth of experience. Dennis Luxion is known for vintage sojourns with Chet Baker, but he currently hones his skills at late jams at Chicago’s Green Mill jazz club; Eric Hochberg’s sure time and rich tone have been sought by leaders such as Pat Metheny, Terry Callier and Jackie Allen; and drummer Phil Gratteau is another unheralded local stalwart.

One of Fishman’s most fluid, painterly solos comes on the impressionistic “Floating Down,” a waltz built with wholestep descending major seventh chords that features intelligent solos from Luxion and Hochberg and a chilled bellnote kiss from the leader to close things out.

Elsewhere there’s plenty of straight-ahead, no nonsense grooving, such as on “Champagne Jane” (nice incidence of false-fingered shadow boxing from the tenor) and the Latin-tinged “Dahlia” spontaneously named for an appreciative audience member. This is a compact, consistent album that doesn’t outstay its welcome.” 

4 Stars   Downbeat Magazine

    “Tenor saxophonist Greg Fishman’s new CD, New Journey, is just that in the seven original tracks he composed and arranged. Throughout, Fishman is 'frabjous,' the word coined by author Lewis Carroll in 'Through the Looking Glass' to mean wonderful, elegant and superb. He is all that, an illuminative musician whose agile melodic explorations accelerate the art of improvisation to exceptional levels. The modes range from easy swing to hard bop, including a lilting jazz waltz and a savory portion of Getz-era Braziliana. The album features Fishman’s longtime Chicago rhythm section of imaginative Dennis Luxion on piano, remarkable Eric Hochberg on acoustic bass and inventive Phil Gratteau on drums.” 

Patricia Myers All About Jazz

    Greg Fishman is a tenor and flute player based out of Chicago. He came to Japan for the first time in 2004 as a member of "Three For Brazil," and has been back several times since then. He is very skilled at playing bossa novas but as a direct disciple of Stan Getz his bread and butter is definitely straight-ahead jazz. His new album features his regular quartet Dennis Luxion on piano, Eric Hochberg on bass and Phil Gratteau on drums.

The new album is a collection of seven originals which he wrote while on tour with this band in Japan, Singapore and Bangkok and the performance on this album is superb. The first song on the album, "Champagne Jane," has a very catchy theme; and the piano playing on "Dahlia" is fantastic. "Boppertunity" is also a very memorable track. I would highly recommend this album to fans of the vintage Blue Note era. Incidentally, he is also very active in education having released over 20 books on how to play jazz. His wife, Judy Roberts, is a pianist who wanted to get married on Stan Getz's birthday."

Keizo Takada  Musicpenclub.com

    With New Journey, saxophonist Greg Fishman has created his finest recording to date. The all-original effort opens with “Champagne Jane,” a catchy bluesy-bop piece with descending phrases and interesting changes that for the most part augur the remaining tracks on the album.

 

Fishman recently noted at Jazz Showcase that Track 2, “Dahlia,” was titled in honor of a fan from Texas (thankfully, not named Blanche) who revealed her good musical sensibilities by expressing enthusiasm for the song. A memorable tune, with doubled-up melody lines and Frishberg-like intervals and modulations, “Dahlia” is among New Journey’s strongest offerings. Were this the right decade, these first two efforts would have all the earmarks of “hit” songs and could easily accommodate lyrics. 

 

Shifting away from women’s names, “Floating Down,” is a venture into programmed music, with the band musically recreating the sensation of––watch for it––floating downward. Fishman’s apropos modulations, along with his penchant for Getz and Coltrane, are on full display. Nods go out to bassist Eric Hochberg and pianist Dennis Luxion for their evocative solos. On the title track, “New Journey,” Fishman turns again to descending modulations, somehow finding new ways to present them.

 

Question: How is it possible that in the long history of bop jazz no one before Fishman has come up with the title “Boppertunity”? The song lives up to its name, and would be right at home on Birth of the Cool (complete with a Max Roach-worthy drum solo by Phil Gratteau), except that the overall recording mix seems compressed and does not bring out the full instrumental dynamics of this outstanding quartet. 

 

If Stan Getz had ever performed a soundtrack for a sexy 1960s international spy thriller, it would have sounded much like New Journey’s penultimate tune, “The Ninth Degree.” Even the title sounds like a John le Carré seductive intrigue. Concluding the disc, “Constellations” is an interesting, free-flowing, straight-ahead swinger that somewhat reprises the title tune.

 

A feather in Fishman’s cap for assembling a cast that is completely compatible and in synch with one another, capturing the musical feel and amalgam of mid-century Brazilian and bebop jazz. Though the material is fresh and commands one’s attention, Greg Fishman’s New Journey actually feels like an old journey––one we have taken before and one that is as comfortable as a pair of worn-in shoes.

Chicago Jazz Magazine 

Invitation  Larry Novak

    Master pianist and consummate interpreter of jazz standards, Larry Novak, is one of the unsung heroes of the Chicago scene. His second release as a leader, Invitation comes five decades after his debut and highlights Novak’s mature side. His improvisational skills and his “pianism” have aged well, and, like fine a brandy, his sound has a heady, smooth tone with a warm and mordant edge.

On this Delmark release, Novak sandwiches between two short, unaccompanied solos, and eight trio performances of well-known tunes. The opener, “A Waltz For Debbie,” and the closer, “Too Late Now,” showcase his laidback, tuneful and intimate style and his understated impressionism. On the remainder of the album, he and his bandmates expand with leisure as they deconstruct the various melodies with intelligence and deference.

The passionate ballad “Close Enough for Love” unfurls with deep lyricism over drummer Rusty Jones’ soft brushes, splashing cymbals and reserved, yet muscular beats. Bassist Eric Hochberg takes center stage with mellifluous and agile soliloquy that elegantly emerges from the melancholic ensemble play and fades seamlessly back into it. Novak exhibits western classical influences in his own spontaneous embellishments of the Johnny Mandell composition.

The energetic title track opens with Jones’ polyrhythmic flourishes followed by Novak’s percussive chords stating the main theme. Jones thumps and thuds with lithe sophistication during his turn in the spotlight, while Novak and Hochberg rebuild the piece with their refreshingly crisp and delightfully clever phraseology.

The camaraderie among the members of the group and their virtuosity on their respective instruments is what makes this record highly enjoyable and stimulating. On the boppish “Minority” for instance, they build a collective, effervescent and buoyant sonic backdrop. Out of this simmering melee they take turns emerging with breathtakingly mercurial and brilliant individual expressions.

It is incomprehensible why an artist as talented as Novak has gone this long without recording. This rewarding, delectable disc goes a long way in correcting Novak’s undeserved underexposure. 

Chicago Jazz Magazine

    Larry Novak has been an admired pianist for decades, no less than Oscar Peterson citing him as one of this city's greats, dating back to when Peterson reigned at the long-gone London House (which closed in 1975). Novak doesn't perform publicly a great deal these days, but anyone fortunate enough to have heard him through the years already knows about the fluidity and finesse of his pianism.

Now the rest of the world can find out, thanks to "Invitation" (Delmark Records), Novak's first album as bandleader in decades. Fronting a trio staffed by jazz veterans Rusty Jones on drums and Eric Hochberg on bass, Novak plays with the verve of youth and the wisdom of the ages, his work crystallizing what the classic jazz trio is all about, without wallowing in nostalgia.

Novak opens the album with an ingenious solo version of Bill Evans' most famous work, "Waltz for Debby," which sums up a great deal about Novak's art. The bejeweled touch, harmonic complexity, rhythmic elasticity and improvisational inventiveness of his playing instantly pique interest. You never know when Novak is going to pause or rush ahead, where he'll take a particular chord progression or how he'll change melodic direction at the drop of a sixteenth note. Other pianists could learn a great deal about the art of improvisation simply by transcribing this solo and studying it.

When Novak takes on jazz standards, he gives listeners just enough of the tune to allow for quick recognition but wastes no time transforming it. Thus he unspools beautifully sculpted right-hand lines in "The Days of Wine and Roses," travels a far distance harmonically in "Yesterdays" and captures an air of mystery and surging rhythmic momentum in the title track.

Throughout, Novak remains a pianist in command of his instrument and the progress of the music, bringing bassist Hochberg and drummer Jones to the forefront as needed. This high-toned, rhythmically relaxed manner of performing jazz standards is something of a rarity these days, harking back to mid-20th century idioms well worth revisiting, thanks to the tonal sheen and musical integrity of Novak's approach.   

Chicago Tribune

    The first album in many years from pianist Larry Novak – a Chicago pianist who worked with giants like Sinatra and Sarah Vaughan many decades back, and who's remained a committed stylist after all these years! In fact, the set's got a depth of feeling and sensitivity that might be more common in a younger player – a lyrical beauty that's extremely captivating, and which has a vibrancy that hardly belies Larry's age at all – so much so, we had to make sure we had the right CD in the player when writing up this review! Part of the album's strength is the rhythm duo – which features superb bass from Eric Hochberg, who seems born to work with Novak – and drums from Rusty Jones, who often still lets Novak set the pace. Titles include "Minority", "Very Early", "Nobody Else But Me", "The Touch Of Your Lips", and "The Days Of Wine & Roses". 

Dusty Grooves

    Neil Tesser, in the liner notes to "Invitation" (Delmark Records), observes that this is Larry Novak's first album in over a half century and its only the second album he's recorded under his own name, although one might have heard on on recordings by Louis Bellson (with whom he toured), Eddie Daniels, Terry Gibbs and Buddy DeFranco, and on the first Delmark disc pairing Von Freeman and Frank Catalano; as well as worked with Sinatra and Sarah Vaughan. He had lengthy residences at Mr. Kelly's and The London House and gathered the admiration of many including Oscar Peterson and became close to Bill Evans.

Evans had a great deal of impact on his music which is evident on the two opening numbers, a lovely solo opening "Waltz For Debby," and "Very Early," which introduces his trio of bassist Eric Hochberg and drummer Rusty Jones (who passed away in December of 2015). And it is a marvelous trio whose near telepathic interplay is terrific throughout on album whose songs were (with two exceptions) recorded by Evans.

The aura of Evans might hover over these performances, but they stand on their own as Novak is a pianist with a marvelous touch, who displays a fertile imagination and a crisp rhythmic flow. There is delight in the lively "The Days of Wine and Roses," and a stunning, feverish rendition of Gigi Gryce's "Minority," a stunning bop piano workout. The there is a lovely ballad playing on "Close Enough For Love," and the delightful interpretation of the must recorded "Yesterdays." The album closes with a hauntingly lovely solo performance of "Its Too Late Now."

One cannot understate the contributions of Hochberg and Jones, both in their support of Novak, and their own solo breaks that flow naturally within the performances here. Neil Tesser states when nothing that this was Novak's first album in half a century, "Let that sink in for a moment." Certainly listening to "Invitation," one shares his bewilderment that a pianist of Larry Novak's caliber could fly under the radar for so long. "Invitation" is a superb recording by an extraordinary pianist that finally is getting his due. It is a recording I will be returning to frequently. 

In a Blue Mood

    Larry Novak, at age 82, is current dean of Chicago’s pianists, an unofficial post previously held by such notables as Jelly Roll Morton, Lil Hardin Armstrong, Earl Hines, Nat “King” Cole, Ramsey Lewis, Art Hodes, Eddie Higgins, Judy Roberts and Muhal Richard Abrams.  Invitation (Delmark 5022  * * * *) is only Novak’s second album as a leader after 50 years of steady excellence at clubs including the London House, Mr. Kelly’s and the Jazz Showcase. With frequent sidemen bassist Eric Hochberg (also the album’s producer) and drummer Rusty Jones (who died unexpectedly in December 2015), Novak interprets not-quite-standards, applying elegant touch, deft technique and harmonic wisdom along with confident if self-effacing swing.

The pianist is indebted to Bill Evans, as avowed by his tender solo version of “Waltz for Debby” and trio rendition of “Very Early,” but really everywhere, including “The Days of Wine and Roses” to which he gives unusual brightness, and a fast, deft “Minority.” But Novak excels most in simmering late-night ruminations, like the 11-minute “Close Enough for Love” in which he spins free of the theme to enhance its romance.

4 Stars  Downbeat Magazine

3  Bradley Williams, Eric Hochberg, Jim Widlowski 

    Stalwarts of the Chicago music scene and veterans of an impressive array of collaborations with a who's who of jazz, pianist Bradley Williams, bassist Eric Hochberg, who together penned all the tunes, and drummer Jim Widlowski make their debut trio recording with 3, an elegant, straight-ahead set of originals. Much of Williams' recorded output over the past twenty years has reflected his love of the music of Cole Porter, Jimmy Van Heusen, Frank Loesser and The Great American Songbook, so the unhurried, melody-driven lyricism in the playing here should come as no surprise. Whilst the music reflects a more romantic era of the classic piano trio, there is nevertheless, a subtly contemporary air about the music.

The collaborative nature in the play is underlined by the fact that the three are rarely heard in isolation. Apart from the delicate piano miniature of "Twilight Prelude" and Hochberg's pretty solo vignette, "little 'e,'" there are barely more a few seconds of drum improvisation here and there when the others lay out. When piano is flowing, drums and bass never let go of Williams' tail; similarly, even on the most intimate bass solos—with Hochberg releasing a few notable ones—flickering piano, and cymbals as quiet as gently ticking clock are almost never absent.

Gently undulating improvisational waves ebb and flow throughout these compositions, though in lieu of overtly lead lines there is, rather, a sense of subtle shifts in the balance of the trio, such as on "Penultimatum" and "The Garden." Three distinct voices are ever at play, sometimes in disciplined unison, but more usually in independent, interweaving patterns whose aim is the higher goal of a collective voice. The more traditional "For Crowley" is evocative of a charmingly lazy Duke Ellington blues; rhythmically loping, Williams casts tumbling lines between shorter phrases and there's a lovely lightness of step in the trio's gait.

The distinctive melody and vibe of "In the Delta Valley" leans towards the classical piano jazz of yore; walking bass and ride cymbal stoke the trio's engine as Williams stretches out, followed in turn by Hochberg. Both musicians boast terrific chops, but never at the expense of the narrative, which with this trio is essentially soulful and melodic. The trio juggles and flirts with yet another pretty melody on "Waiting...Waiting...," shaped by a repeating piano motif and gorgeous bass line, though Widlowski's inventive, light touch significantly defines the tune's folds and contours.

The grooving, celebratory New Orleans-esque shuffle of "Clybourn Strut" is followed by Hochberg's quietly rhapsodic "Song for Sarah."  This lyrical gem might have made a better closing trio statement then the bop-inspired "Plumb Bob". Whilst exuding plenty of energy, this tune, tossed around between the musicians, has more the feel of a rousing first set closer. This, however, is a minor criticism which fails to detract from a fine recording where three musicians on one wavelength produce elegant, timeless sounds. 

Ian Patterson  All About Jazz

    The Chicago pianist Bradley Williams has been making such good music for such a long time – most often in the course of accompanying others – that you might easily take him for granted. But the new trio album entitled “3” which officially arrives Tuesday night in a CD-release show at the Jazz Showcase, serves as a warning against such assumptions.

While we’re at it, the album effectively skewers another assumption, the one that says a piano trio album by default belongs to the pianist. The name of this one signals otherwise; “3” offers solid group interplay among Williams, drummer Jim Widlowski, and bassist Eric Hochberg, three of the city’s most dependable veteran musicians. (Hochberg in fact shares composing credit for the program with Williams, having written five of the album’s dozen originals.)

You can gauge this trio’s balance easily enough: just home in on any one of the instruments, apart from the others. During a piano solo, for instance, try to focus on just the bass. Not only will you hear an impressive through-melody (one that can stand neatly on its own), but you also get a full sense of the tune’s structure – even the direction of Williams’s improvisation – from Hochberg; he implies all of that in his note choices, and even an untrained ear will subconsciously register that process.

Or concentrate instead on the drums – say, during a bass solo – and again you can discern the shape of the song and the flight of the solo, lurking just above the filigrees and fills Widlowski uses to adorn the beat. Listening to any of the trio’s individual parts offers its own satisfaction, but more than that, reveals the matter-of-fact intricacy at work among them.  “Waiting...Waiting”, the disc’s longest track, draws the listener in with a theme that avoids resolution for as long as possible; when it does finally find its perch, it expands into a gently swinging and fully satisfying performance, replete with a smart drum solo that, in purpose and execution, neatly echoes all the music that has preceded it. “The Garden” and “Before Fall” (both by Hochberg) offer a swaying beat and rolling chords that inspire development sections of autumnal grace; neither tune would work nearly as well without such a fine mesh of artistic personalities. On a different plane, “For Crowley”, takes its cue from some unholy alliance of Thelonious Monk and Tom Waits, and manages to do them both proud.

Williams is an especially strong melodist with a quirky streak: he’s as likely to pepper a solo with some ancient music-hall ditty as with the snippet of a  jazz classic. He boasts a penchant for old, odd, and not necessarily distinguished flotsam of Tin Pan Alley, and he retains the sentimentality of that aesthetic even when handling other material.

But he also has a slightly zany personality (more Groucho than Harpo), and it shows itself in the form of lighthearted rhythms, sunny phraseology, and even some of the tune titles – my favorites here being “Fish Samich” and “Penultimatum” (a lovely example of romantic propulsion and velvet harmonies).

Hochberg, too, revels in melody; his bass lines often carry an even more lyrical sweep than the pianist’s. His dust-dry tone and splendid technique have elicited praise for nearly four decades, in quite an array of contexts, from accompanying top-drawer soloists at the Jazz Showcase, to his nightly trio gig in the bar at Catch 35 Chicago, to commercial and industrial sessions around town, to producing albums by folk-jazz legend Terry Callier. Widlowski, forceful and resourceful in equal doses, has a resume that also screams “versatility,” and it has made him an invaluable collaborator on Williams’s own varied projects.

    “3” doesn’t break new ground, and it won’t bowl you over with spectacle: its virtues lie in the subtler and more organic ebb and flow of three seasoned artists in perfect sync.  Neil Tesser

Neil Tesser Examiner.com

    Chicago pianist Bradley Williams is well known for his orchestral work with vocalists, large ensembles and musical reviews. His 2012 release, 3, is therefore is a welcome departure from his “day job,” as he returns to the intimate trio setting of his debut album. The flamenco inspired unaccompanied bass improvisation “Little ‘E’” splits the record into two, roughly equal parts. Preceding it are Williams’ own compositions, while versatile bassist Eric Hochberg’s tunes follow. The thematic integrity, however, does not suffer, as there is a stylistic accord and a uniformly high caliber of musicianship running through the entire disc.

The majority of the pieces are contemplative and mellow with a hint of mysticism. Williams’ cinematic “In The Delta Valley” opens with atmospheric ostinato patterns and evolves into a spontaneous and intricate piano exploration with an intense melodic edge. Similarly, Hochberg’s darkly romantic “Before Fall” opens with a carefully coordinated, delightful group conversation. Drummer Jim Widlowski’s bright and gentle cymbals punctuate Williams’ chiming notes that cascade over Hochberg’s resonant vibrating strings. The latter stretches out on an agile and poetic serenade that brings a crepuscular ambience to the music.

There are also, if not lighter, more effervescent moments, as with Williams’ up-tempo and percussive “Fish Sammich” and Hochberg’s whimsical “Plumb Bob.” Widowski’s rumbling drums drive the former, as Williams’ sparkling and bright piano lines fill it with subtle humor. The latter is replete with boppish virtuosity, particularly with the clever and crisp conversational bass solo. A sensitive drummer, Widowski demonstrates his skills on the classically influenced “Waiting… Waiting…” as his brushes conjure a haunting atmosphere, and his intricate patterns of angular rolls and sashays enhance the intellectual heft of the track. Although far from extraordinarily innovative, 3 is an intriguing and mature work marked by superlative musicianship, sophisticated creativity and delightful camaraderie. Hopefully it will not be another 21 years before Williams records again in this format.  Hrayr Attarian

Chicagojazz.com

Rob Parton Quartet

    Chicago trumpeter Rob Parton has been leading his phenomenal JAZZTECH Big Band for the better part of two decades now, but it was four years of quartet gigs at the Catch 35 Restaurant and Club in Chicago that inspired Rob Parton Quartet. The quartet now features Million, Rummage and bassist Eric Hochberg, who Parton credits for being his mentor since the club gig started.

In this celebration of the quartet's tenure, Parton calls on former pianist Hobgood and saxophonist Mark Colby—a regular JAZZTECH member and one of the finest sax men in jazz today—to augment an already world-class group. [The] ensemble performs smart, creative variations of music from Jerome Kern, Duke Ellington, Sam Rivers, Johnny Griffin and Chick Corea, as well as original compositions from Hochberg and the group's pianists.

Jerome Kern's standard, "In Love and Vain," starts with Hochberg's strong bass lines, which are quickly engaged by Parton's forceful blowing, Hobgood's light finger play on piano and Rummage's crashing cymbal accents. This is followed by a leisurely stroll through Sam River's signature "Beatrice," where the same combo unfurls music in delightful fashion. Parton is especially expressive, and Hochberg showcases his metal in a tasteful solo. Parton lets it all hang out with some brawny blowing on Ellington's brisk "Do Nothin' Till You Hear From Me," using the trumpet plunger to create a raunchy and boisterous sound.

Hobgood is amazing on the bassist's original "Miss Black," and on his own "Prayer for the Enemy," two melancholy and expansive numbers that run over 10 minutes each. On Chick Corea's barn-burner "The Loop," Parton shares the limelight with Hochberg and Million. The program ends with Hochberg's "8 x 12," which contains a bit of improvisation from Parton and Colby, and culminates with a Rummage rumble on the drums that puts an exclamation point on one very fine album. 

All About Jazz

It’s Not Easy  Joanie Pallatto

    Chicago singer, keyboardist and composer Joanie Pallatto has come up with charming new release entitled It's Not Easy. Gorgeously produced by partner Bradley Parker-Sparrow (with whom she owns Southport Records), Joanie's beautiful voice dances along over a musical soundscape played by some of the best musicians in the city.

Opener "Violets are Blue" is the true 'hit single' of the recording a romantic Brazilian-tinged number that reminds one a bit of the vein Sade mines so well. With lush production, the song features exceptional work from Howard Levy on electric piano, Eric Hochberg on electric bass and Alejo Poveda on congas and percussion, while the brilliant nylon string guitar of Fareed Haque nearly steals the show. A near perfectly constructed soft 'pop' song that showcases Pallatto's sensuous vocals, 'Violets' sets the stage nicely for the kaleidoscope that is to follow. 

Concert Live Wire

Reflections  Mark Colby

    “It's become somewhat rare and refreshing to hear a talented mainstream saxophonist who's not a Coltrane disciple. Veteran Chicago tenor man Mark Colby takes his inspiration from Stan Getz and others from the Lester Young school. On Reflections, an elegant and wide-ranging studio recording, Colby tackles assorted standards and three fine originals.

A graceful player, Colby possesses a silvery tone, virtuoso technique and a canny melodic sense.

With sensitive support from pianist Jeremy Kahn, bassist Eric Hochberg and drummer Bob Rummage, the saxophonist offers a breathtaking treatment of Cole Porter's "So in Love," an album highlight. The quartet shows its versatility on the ruminative title track and the aptly named "Caroline's Romp."

Colby's blowing is retro cool with modern intricacies. He challenges himself by playing three tunes backed only by his longtime partners Hochberg and Rummage. Their chemistry and Colby's fluency are palpable on rousing bop numbers "Myth Mary's Blues" and "Like Someone in Love," and on a slow, soulful version of "Somewhere Over the Rainbow." Guitarist Mike Pinto joins the threesome for spiraling takes on Jobim's "Desafinado" and Ornette Coleman's "Blues Connotation." The recording closes with alto-sax legend Phil Woods sitting in for a swinging sextet rendition of his composition "Squires Parlor." Classy and diversified, Reflections satisfies on several levels.”

Jazziz Magazine

    “Repeated listens uncover new subtleties, such as the power of Colby’s softer playing, fully revealed on his noteworthy reading of “Somewhere over the Rainbow,” taken—surprisingly—as a trio. Here the telepathic interplay of his longtime rhythm partners (Hochberg & Rummage) is vividly on display. On the strength of this wholly satisfying session, Mark Colby deserves much greater recognition.” ****1/2 stars  review of Mark  Colby’s Reflections cd 

Audiophile Audition 

    “In ‘Myth Mary's Blues’, an original, a bop palette is explored for a bit, exposing the rest of the ensemble for some excellent solos (in particular, bassist Eric Hochberg gets some excellent time, bending notes from his instrument perfectly for the setting).”  review of Mark Colby’s Reflections cd 

All Music Guide

Speaking of Stan  Mark Colby

    “Mark Colby's interpretation of Chick Corea's "Sea Journey" is rich with the acoustics associated with Getz's samba and bossa nova movement of the 60s.  The excellent soloing from vibraphonist Dick Sisto and bassist Eric Hochberg add significant layers of cool that make this song memorable.  Overall, "Speaking of Stan" is ripe with attractive modernism, bebop and cool accompaniments. It makes an excellent addition to any jazz collection.”  review of Mark Colby’s Speaking of Stan cd 

All Music Guide

Tenor Reference  Mark Colby

    "Bassist Eric Hochberg has a beautiful sound and creates thoughtful lines in his accompaniment".  Mark Colby Quartet Tenor Reference  

Jazz Times

World Thing  Eric Hochberg & Andy Potter

    “The more things change” say the French, “the more they stay the same,” an analysis that could comfortably apply to the recording circumstances of World Thing.  For almost two years, the biggest event in New York jazz has been the influx of AACM stalwarts bearing the arcane torch of Great Black Music - with the apple press making goo-goo eyes almost at the mention of Chicago, the source for so much of the excitement. Yes, back at home Chicago’s other talented originals still find themselves forced into the recording, manufacturing and distribution of their own work because no one else is buying. And the hinterlands syndrome muddles on.

World Thing, for example was completed by Hochberg and Potter with an eye towards selling it to an established label for distribution, that failing, they undertook to issue it on their own.  It comes off mainly as Hochberg’s project, since he composed all the material, and it features some of Chicago’s brightest young jazzmen, with a guest appearance from Hochberg’s college chum Alan Pasqua (of Tony Williams New Lifetime).  It’s a somewhat spotty record, making one wish that its several virtues had been better focused and certainly better recorded throughout the disc.  Nonethless, it provides its share or well-varied and imaginative experimentation, as well as a glimpse of saxist Steve Eisen and guitarist Ross Traut, both of whom need only a few years of musical maturity to fulfill their already considerable promise.

The two tracks featuring them both (Art Blakey and Purplatonia) work particularly well; the latter, an acoustic track, features Eisen’s languid, almost stagnant flute statement followed by a samba section in which Traut solos with sweeping, ECM-inspired romanticism.  They both burn through the shards of bebop that inspired Blakey, Traut allowing his superb melodic sense to surface in the humorous slowdowns he folds into the mercurial tempo, nonetheless, he never strays from the tough-minded leanness that is already a trademark of his playing.  Eisen is most formidable on the album’s two opening tracks and on the loping atmospheric Miss Black - a trio with Hochberg and the earthy, marvelous Potter that benefits from the bassist’s overdubbed and funky outre organ work - Eisen displays his meaty sound and stylish, if not always commanding ideas.  This one’s a standout, and an excellent showcase for the confluence of genres - fusion, avant garde and jazz tradition via the late ‘60s - that informs all of this strong and supple music.

The various episodes of Mental Magenta use the twin pyrotechnics of pianists Tilmon and Pasqua to range from spacey electronics to a neat flirt with high-voltage drive;  despite the few rough edges they hold their own with high-caliber musicality.  The pulsar rhythmic drive, of course, is courtesy of the album’s producers, Potter a raw dynamo of often unique swing, joins drummers like Bob Moses and Jack DeJohnette as an unimitative angular presence. Hochberg who takes disappointingly little solo space, lends his flawless time and note choice to the proceedings.  And his sturdy challenging tunes complete the personal triumph illustrated by his production efforts.  If you’re interested in what else is going down in Chicago, World Thing is one smart place to get on.

Three Stars, Neil Tesser, Downbeat Magazine

   One auspicious release that regretfully may never see most record store jazz bins is World Thing by bassist Eric Hochberg and drummer Andy Potter.  Accompanied by a competent group of reed, keyboard and guitar players, the two offer a wide spectrum of jazz, from the r&b-oriented title track, to that most elusive “new” jazz as heralded by the likes of Anthony Braxton and Oliver Lake.  “Miss Black”, a ten minute composition featuring bass, tenor sax and drums, is a stark example of the groups strengths in the avant.  “Sun” and “Purplatonia” also fall into this category but with reservation; a flute smooths the trio’s ruffled feathers in the latter tune and Sun featuring a percussive intro. 

A song honoring jazz drummer Art Blakey breaks up side two while a more electronic side of the group presents the opening and closing pieces.  “Mental Magenta Parts 1-3”.

This is definitely Class A living room mellow out music that can be enjoyed by all levels of jazz lovers, especially I think, the serious jazz students.

Illinois Entertainer

    Another home grown project has surfaced this month, from a much younger and more progressive group of Chicago jazz players.  Under the aegis of the superb bassist Eric Hochberg and drummer Andy Potter, World Thing is a record that ranges far and wide in style and intensity, as well as in quality. For instance the short and snappy “Art Blakey” is driven thoroughly by Steve Eisen’s tenor sax work and the impulsive chording of Ross Traut, and the long piece entitled “Mental Magenta” is quite successful in its unorthodox instrumentation featuring the two keyboards of Alan Pasqua and Eric Tilmon.  But, the albums only vocal track, “World Thing”, is a strange entry and the lengthy trio impovisation “ Miss Black” is not wholly convincing.  Still, my judgments on ths album are more subjective than usual, if only because the music is so much more ambitious than most of what passes for “new sounds”.  World Thing deserves serious consideration by anyone interested in Chicago jazz developements.  Besides, the title has a nice ring, don’t you think?

Triad Magazine

    A really great set of spiritually-tuned jazz from the team of bassist Eric Hochberg and drummer Andrew Potter – the latter of whom we love for his work in the Potter & Tillman team! This set was done a fair bit before that classic – and has a freewheeling, exploratory sound that takes off in a mode that's a bit post-Coltrane, but which also has some freer touches too. The best tracks here have a rhythmic, Strata East-like quality – and these include the choppy "Sun", the spacey "Purplatonia", and the soulful "World Thing", which features lead vocals from Grace Davis. Other players include Ross Traut on guitar, Steve Eisen on saxes, and Eric Tilmon on piano.

Dusty Groove

Secret Dream  Chevere de Chicago

    “The biggest Chicago jazz story of the year so far is the release of the first CD by the Latin-jazz-fusion nonet Chevere--an event a quarter century in the making. Costa Rican drummer Alejo Poveda, a veteran of a dozen or more local jazz bands, formed Chevere here in the late 70s as a small percussion ensemble; even today his occasional interludes with ace percussionists Ruben Alvarez and Joe Rendon are the high points of Chevere's sets.

The band quickly acquired a full instrumental armamentarium and a cadre of the city's finest jazz sharpshooters, including reedman Steve Eisen, bassist Eric Hochberg, and piano and harmonica wizard Howard Levy. Mark Ohlsen's trumpet, along with Chris Cameron's electric keyboards, help Chevere wallpaper the room with big ensemble textures, and Ernie Denov's slash-and-burn guitar playing connects the band as much to Carlos Santana as to Mongo Santamaria and Tito Puente.

The group began recording its debut CD in 1995, but it took years of coordinating busy schedules to finish the album; this weekend's gigs celebrate the release of "Secret Dream" on Levy's label, Balkan Samba. And despite its protracted, piecemeal gestation, the disc comes pretty close to capturing the charismatic energy Chevere brings to the stage.” 

Chicago Reader Critics Choice

Cathy’s Song  Bob Lark

“Some firm, correct bass playing by Eric Hochberg on Phil Woods' original, "Rava Nova," is enhanced by baritonist Ted Hogarth who anchors the nonet with a delicious, repetitive lick that seems to be doubled by Tom Matta.”

Jazz Times

Close Your Eyes Kurt Elling

"Though Elling's pyrotechnical flights on tunes such as 'Delores, 'Salome' and 'The eye of the Hurricane' are thrilling to hear, they're inspired, in part, by the incediary instrumentals of Trio New.  With Laurence Hobgood producing startling splashes of color and dissonance on keyboard, Paul Wertico creating great waves of sound on percussion and Eric Hochberg holding it all together with dramatically stated bass lines, this trio proves absolutely integral to Elling's work."  

Chicago Tribune

"Keeping Elling's outsized presence in check are intuitive, top-notch musicians, including pianist Laurence Hobgood and bassist Eric Hochberg, along with guest saxophonists Von Freeman and Edward Peterson. Although Elling may be too restless for some listeners, it is this sort of unabashed adventurousness that has garnered the singer acclaim (including multiple Grammy nominations), and this album is a fine introduction to his uncompromising musical vision.” 

CD Universe

TimePeace  Terry Callier

"There's an extra, ineffable dimension the best bassists bring to working with singers: the feeling that the player has connected to the core of the lyrics.  Hochberg forges that link with Terry Callier".  Timepeace cd review    

Bass Player Magazine

"'Keep your Heart Right' from Terry Callier's ‘Timepeace’, is a folk ballad that features the deep and unusual bass playing of Eric Hochberg." 

Gazz-ette

"On this album, Callier's voice reveals great depth while several of Chicago's finest musicians (particularly Eric Hochberg on bass) provide a stirring and seductive backdrop." Timepeace cd review 

Amazon

Lookin’ Out  Terry Callier

"Verve should have waited awhile before sending Terry Callier’s American recording contract into the dumper.  Lookin’ Out is the record Callier has been looking to make since he resumed recording in the '90s. It's a sprawling, 17-track set that accents all of his strengths. including his trademark songwriting style that effortlessly blends folk, pop, soul, and jazz.

Lookin’ Out is a Callier masterpiece: restrained, elegant, grateful, profound, and simply beautiful.” 

All Music Guide

Live in Warsaw  Paul Wertico Trio

"Hochberg delivers impressive solos on the diaphonous "Little 'e'" and the free-sounding "8x12". The bassist forges a tight partnership with Wertico from beginning to end."

Jazz Online

"Hochberg shines on an arco solo on 'Cowboys and Africans' and a sublime, unaccompanied pizzicato solo on the ethereal 'Little e'".  Paul Wertico Trio Live in Warsaw review

Jazz Times

Don’t Be Scared Anymore  Paul Wertico Trio

"In the best recording of his career by far, Chicago drummer-bandleader Paul Wertico crosses stylistic barriers that may frighten jazz purists. Combining the energy of the best rock'n'roll with the smarts of top-notch jazz improvisation, Wertico and his all-star trio have cut a record that sums up several facets of the drummer's free-ranging career. If Wertico's strutting rhythms and guitarist John Moulder's incendiary lines on (Hochberg's) "Clybourn Strut" underscore the leader's populist tendencies, the strange chord progressions and outrageously bent notes of "The Underground" point to the trio's fearlessness in exploring unconventional tuning and unorthodox ensemble sound.

With this tour de force, Wertico, Moulder and bassist Eric Hochberg open up new directions for themselves and for jazz musicians bold enough to build upon the achievements of "Don't Be Scared Anymore".  

Chicago Tribune

"Paul Wertico, longtime drummer for the Pat Metheny Group, mostly eschews jazz, rock and traditional fusionon the first studio recording from his own eclectic, experimental-leaning outfit with wizardly guitarist John Moulder and talented multi-instrumentalist Eric Hochberg. This Chicago-based band, first heard on 1997's "Live In Warsaw”, comes off as a brainy power trio at the disc's start, with the manic "Clybourn Strut" followed by the snaking 6/4 rhythms and spooky incantations of "The Underground" and Wertico's expressive rolls and splashes on the 5/4 "African Sunset." Much of the remainder is impressionistic, and downright cinematic.

Hochberg's bowed bass builds to an impressive climax over the repetitive riff of "The Visit," while Moulder's effects-drenched guitar twists through a series of nervy lines on "Liftoff." The noisysix-string and percussion textures of "Long Journey's End" might be the sound of a chugging train (reflecting the booklet art); and Moulder rips out flamenco-ish lines over the sturm und drang of the rhythm section on Hochberg's "Taliaville." "Justa Little Tuna," a waltz said to be inspired by Ornette Coleman, is a pretty piece built on chiming guitars and Hochberg's lovely muted trumpet declarations.

But the trio blows it out on Hochberg's "Testament," an extended finale that draws from Monk-ish bebop, funk, old-styleart rock and free jazz. It's an ambitious capper to a disc with plenty of appeal for fans of edgy instrumental music from the post-fusion division. Those partial to Metheny's smoother efforts, though, may find it far too adventurous. Their loss."  “Don’t Be Scared Anymore” cd review

Billboard.com

"At last month's release party for "Don't be Scared Anymore", the trio kept a packed house spellbound, with Moulder's monster solos stoked by Wertico's drumming and emphatic lines from Eric Hochberg - who, with another high-profile gig, directing the spare acoustic backdrops behind folk-jazz icon Terry Callier, just might be the most versatile bassist in town."

Chicago Reader, Critics Choice

"...the soulful trumpet playing of Eric Hochberg, who leads a triple life here on the many basses, the trumpet and second guitar.” Don’t Be Scared Anymore cd review 

Jamband.com

"Moulder and Hochberg are also masters of their respective instruments, both of them able to keep the music interesting without resorting to bombast. In addition, all members of this musical triangle contribute compositions to the set list. Highlights include Moulder's 'Time For The Blues,' on which he jams Buddy Guy-style, and Hochberg's 'Little e'."  Don’t Be Scared Anymore cd review.

University Reporter/Chicago

Stereoneucleosis  Paul Wertico

"One of the most compelling things on the set Stereoneucleosis is "Almost Sixteen," a shambling blues tune done Delta drone style led by Hochberg's guttural bass and vocal moans striated by a terse yet infectious melody line from guitars and minimal keyboards and Wertico's trademark double-time shuffle."

All Music Guide

The Men in My Life  Jackie Allen

Jackie Allen has a warm voice and a wide interest in musical styles. The basic plot for The Men in My Life was that Allen pays tribute to the men in her life, the musical influences and inspirations rather than the personal ones. Although quite capable of singing jazz standards, she really stretches herself on this set, not only in her repertoire (which along the way includes songs by Paul Simon, Burt Bacharach, and Sting) but in the style, which ranges from relatively straight-ahead jazz to pop. The arrangements contain some surprises, and Kurt Elling makes a welcome guest appearance on "The Bad and the Beautiful." One needs a bit of an open mind toward pop and rock music, but having that, these interpretations by the Chicago-based Allen are easy to take and quite creative.

All About Jazz

Tangled  Jackie Allen

“On her Blue Note debut (and eighth recording overall), vocalist Jackie Allen stretches her already crossover approach to where the seams show. Thank God. She is a fine jazz singer and has a way with ballads and standards that is her own to be sure -- and she records a couple of them here -- but her gift with more pop-oriented material is utterly distinctive and even innovative, since there isn't another singer out there who phrases like her. Tangled was produced with great taste by Eric Hochberg - who also chaired her session, The Men in My Life, and has played bass with everyone from the jazz stalwart Kurt Elling to one of the greatest crossover folk and jazz singers in history, the great  Terry Callier.”

All Music Guide

“Heard Jackie Allen performing the Donald Fagen-penned "Do Wrong Shoes" the other day and decided I'd better check out "Tangled" - the fast-rising, Milwaukee-born singer's latest release. If you haven't heard the song - Allen sashays her way through a hilariously sassy and brassy take on the "you done me wrong" song like a modern day Bessie Smith. Punctuated by Orbert Davis' mocking muted trumpet, the song stands out like an updated and welcome return to a bygone era amongst the staid reditions of standards that clutter the atmosphere.

Being a Jackie Allen neophyte, I wasn't sure just what to expect from "Tangled," and as such was somewhat taken aback when the rest of the recording sounded nothing like the Fagen song. Ranging from covers of Van Morrison and Randy Newman to songs from the Rodgers and Hart songbook to originals and embracing everything from gospel, blues and soul to folk and samba, "Tangled" is deep and multilayered, and reveals a singer casting a wide net into diverse waters.

The title itself fascinates me, as I used to get into arguments with an ex about what she percieved to be "tangles" in my life and thinking. She found my inability to achive clarity of purpose troubling - I, in turn, believed that my bouts with self doubt and confusion were simply an aspect of the human condition. We'd all like to be devout and faithful and placid, but the shifts and turns of modern life lead us in many directions and make us the people we are: flawed yet striving for the divine. Appropriately, Allen's choice of tunes on "Tangled" display "tangles" in the relationships between lovers, family, God, nature, the rest of the world, and even ourselves.

Beautifully produced by the seemingly ubiquitous Eric Hochberg, "Tangled" features Allen's inimitable band consisting of husband/songwriter Hans Sturm on bass, expressive guitar colorist John Moulder, and two of the finest keyboardists around in Laurence Hobgood and Ben Lewis - and their sensitive shadings shape the bedrock over which Allen's sweet and airy flights may hover. I'd also like to give a shout-out to drummer Dane Richeson whose superb work was accidentially left uncredited by the label.

The gospel lament of Van Morrison's "When Will I ever Learn" starts things off with an emotional surge (Lewis' churchy organ work is a treat) and has become my theme song, while Moulder and Sturm's plaintive folk song "Coal Grey Eyes" chills like a plunge into the Northern Atlantic sea off a craggy Nova Scotia coastline. "You're Nearer" is a tasteful exercise in bringing Rodgers and Hart melodicism to a modern audience, while the Allen original "If I Had" (one of three co-written with poet Oryna Schiffman) shows the singer can form a conga-line when the party calls for it.

The songs swirl and swim in and out of the center of my consciousness, and right now it is the title track that is encircling those aforementioned entangled synapse. Moulder especially combusts here with his bluesy, edgy fretwork. The soulful "Slip" (yesterday's favorite) is another Allen original that is almost Motown in its approach - with horns supplied by Davis and tenor saxman Steve Eisen; while the day-before-yesterday's fav - "You'll Never Learn" creeps uneasily under your skin and stays with you thanks to Lewis' cocktail piano trills and Allen's slow smoldering delivery. In yet another shocking change of pace, Allen desconstructs another Rogers and Hart number - "Everything I've Got Belongs to You" and the results register another success. "Hot Stone Soup" by Sturm, is a lilting lullaby to a aging parent (in this case, his mother), while the bittersweetly romatic Mandel-Bergman/Bergman waltz "Solitary Moon" may be the best of the ballads and my new favorite (oh, I'm so tangled, aren't I?).

Allen's wistful version of Randy Newman's "Living Without You" brings this profoundly trenchant collection to a close and, if trends hold, will probably be my favorite song tomorrow. Both orderly and fluid in manner and presentation, yet surprising in its quick shifts that encompass many directions, in "Tangled" Allen and her band have given the listener an empathetic and entrancing soundtrack to the travails and chaotic disorder we face every day in this transient, often beautiful and sometimes bewildering world.”  Tangled Produced by Eric Hochberg 

JazzChicago.net

Wakefullness Jim Trompeter

Wakefulness is one of those rare recordings that leaps out of the speakers and grabs you by the ear. Not that this is an in-your-face recording of bombastic piano, but Trompeter - former keyboardist for Gloria Estefan and Miami Sound Machine does bedazzle with his artistry on the keys. A practicing Buddhist, the placidity and balance of Trompeter's inner being shines forth through his adept and sparkling fingerwork.

A wide ranging and quite satisfying mixture of tunes range from piano trio settings with bassist Eric Hochberg and drummer Mike Raynor to piano and synthesizer led settings featuring horns (including Orbert Davis) and guitar (Fareed Haque). Compelling covers of tunes like John Coltrane's "26-2," Irving Berlin's "How Deep is the Ocean," Harold Arlen's "It's Only a Paper Moon" and Cole Porter's "Every Time We Say Goodbye" seamlessly transition into originals, with the common denominators being the intelligent and graceful piano playing, the mature and interesting arrangements and the empathetic support of the players.

Two highlights include the percussion-driven, Danilo Perez-inspired "Quatrosh" - which makes one hope Trompeter will mine similar veins in the future, and the incredibly beautiful "The First Tee," which evokes the dew-laden grass, birdcalls and early morning skies of the golf enthusiast with aplomb. "Dharma John," meanwhile ends the album with the calm of the Buddhist state of wakefulness and the ascending spirit of Andy Snitzer's soprano sax. Piano jazz fans take note: this is a pianist ready to spring forward into the spotlight with this stellar release.

JazzChicago.net

Smiles  Rich Corpolongo

"Pianist Larry Luchowski, bassist Eric Hochberg, and drummer Mike Raynor communicate and anticipate at the highest levels on even the freest of the seven Corpolongo originals. The trio makes an art of nuanced support, crafting supple and elegant vehicles that let the spaces between the notes speak. Luchowski's approach calls to mind some of the comping and soloing strategies of Chick Corea and Herbie Hancock. Raynor is a nimble and melodic source of sustained swing. Hochberg has a clean, full sound that pulses with authority." Rich Corpolongo “Smiles” cd review 

All Music Guide

River  Grazyna Auguscik

"And (Grazyna Auguscik) joins troubadour Terry Callier on the album's most affecting piece, the chimeric ‘If I Ever Dream Again’, which features a beautiful muted trumpet solo by bassist Hochberg." River cd review 

Jazziz Magazine

Live at The Green Mill  Frank Catalano

The conversation is even more fascinating when you realize Catalano is in his very early 20s; Randy Brecker just passed his mid-50s. What you're overhearing is tantamount to a discussion between father and son on the state of hard bop. Keeping those conversations going is a powerhouse rhythm section: pianist Larry Novak, bassist Eric Hochberg and drummer Paul Wertico.

Jazz Times

Speaking in Tones  Tim Tobias

The Mingus cut (on Tim Tobias' "Speaking in Tones") is also the setting for some outstanding bass by Eric Hochberg. For those familiar with the Chicago jazz scene, they know Hochberg is one of the Windy City's first call bass players. 

All About Jazz

Come Sunday  Alison Margaret

ISTHMUS: MAD TRACKS REVIEW ”Up Jump Spring” “...Ms. Margaret essays the entire tune with only Eric Hochberg's dancing acoustic bass for accompaniment. Her interaction with Hochberg is light and free and very much a mutual conversation. Margaret shows her mettle by following up with some impressionistic scatting that allows the tune to deliquesce very naturally.”  

The Daily Page

Live

With The Eric Hochberg Trio

Kicking off the 29th annual Rhythm World Tap Festival, the Chicago Human Rhythm Project (CHRP) gathered a full audience into the warm and intimate Jazz Showcase June 22 in Chicago’s South Loop for a night of live jazz and flying footwork. The cabaret-style performance featured tap dancers from young students to Chicago legends, spanning both in age and roots across the globe. 

With the evening consisting of 15 solos and duets in two and a half hours of ferocious tapping, occasional singing and marvelous accompaniment by the Eric Hochberg Trio (and a couple guest musicians), it’s hard to write about the experience without going into pages of detail. But I think Lane Alexander, the showcase’s emcee, summed up the magic of the night in a few words following a dynamic improvised duet between two Rhythm World international students. While the two had just met—with one dancer calling Brazil home and the other Japan—on stage, they shared a connection that stemmed from one commonality: “they both speak in rhythm.” 

Speaking of Rhythm

The Eric Hochberg Quintet

"But it is Hochberg's compositions which make up the band's repertoire that most distinguish them.  His tunes are accomplished, and certainly not without their clever angles, but their mainvirtue lies elsewhere: these songs have one helluva lot of soul, and they stay simple enough to let that blare through. In this respect, they're like Hochberg's rich toned, remarkably concentrated bass work. When he solos, he's a man who knows just where he's heading, who automatically, unconsciously,cuts away any of the undisciplined undergrowth that clutters his

path."  Feature on the Eric Hochberg Quintet. 

Chicago Reader Critics Choice

The Eric Hochberg’s LA to Chicago Reunion Band

The "reunion" in this ad hoc ensemble's name has a rather narrow focus: it refers to the fact that Eric Hochberg, one of Chicago's most soulful bass men, attended college more than 20 years ago with keyboardist Alan Pasqua, and they both thought they'd like to play together again. That's the excuse for cooking up this quartet; but any excuse that brings both Pasqua and saxist Bob Sheppard to town--and also puts drummer Paul Wertico back in the driver's seat--requires neither apology nor further explanation. Sheppard is certainly one of the best saxophonists you don't know by name; an LA studio rat, he tempers the swaggering sound demanded for commercial work with a steady stream of tuneful ideas--some of which have shown up on albums by pianist Billy Child and, in the previous decade, Freddie Hubbard. Pasqua's resume leans further away from pure jazz, with his membership in the neofusion New Tony Williams Lifetime dominating the page, but he enhances both mainstream and rock-influenced projects with a sparkling (at times almost brittle) approach to keyboard improvisation. If you haven't been reading this space over the last few years, you might not know about the hyperdrive energy and creative precision that distinguish the drumming of Wertico, the redoubtable anchor of the Pat Metheny Group; in any case, now you do. And Hochberg, in addition to the purposefully understated accompaniment work that distinguishes him from many of his less effective contemporaries, has proved himself a savvy bandleader in recent years. He also writes some great tunes, which along with several compositions from Pasqua's recently released Milagro (Postcards) will form the backbone of this quartet's weekend repertoire.

Chicago Reader Critics Choice 

With Jerry Bergonzi

During his visit to the Windy City, The Gonz, as he’s affectionately known, conducted a workshop at PM Woodwind in nearby Evanston, Illinois, putting his protean tenor prowess on intimate display beside bassist Eric Hochberg.

Downbeat Magazine

With Terry Callier Way Memorial

Others who had closely worked with Callier in attendance included bassist Eric Hochberg (inspired by John Coltrane, Callier had deployed two double bassists to back him on his debut). Hochberg played with Callier on and off between 1972 and 2005. “His deep baritone voice drew you in to everything he did,” Hochberg recalled.  “In his simple yet profound manner, he was inspirational every night.” Hochberg co-produced and arranged the cut I Don’t Want To See Myself Without You in 1982, which eventually became popular in the U.K. years later when Eddie Piller from Acid Jazz Records reissued it.

Downbeat Magazine

With  The Steve Kuhn Trio

Pianist Steve Kuhn estimates it has been about 30 years since he last played the Chicago area, quite a span for an artist of his talents.

But Kuhn never has enjoyed fame proportionate with his gifts, which helps explain the long absence, as well as the heightened pleasure of hearing him Friday night at the Green Mill Jazz Club.

Notwithstanding the holiday weekend or the raucous Windy City RibFest clogging up traffic arteries at Lawrence and Broadway, a large audience crowded the Mill to hear what Chicago has been missing. Quite a bit, as it turns out.

A septuagenarian pianist of uncommon elegance and exquisite tone, Kuhn consistently strove to make music rather than an impression. His playing, in other words, showed considerable understatement, as well as ample integrity and craft. Though certain aspects of his trio's performance became repetitive, for the most part Kuhn's appearance proved as moving as it was overdue.

Kuhn devoted most of his first set to standards, a natural choice because he was collaborating with Chicago bassist Eric Hochberg for the first time – though drummer Joey Baron has been a longtime Kuhn associate. These three musicians needed time in which to find common musical ground, and familiar repertoire made that possible.

No one is going to mistake the Green Mill, a singular club that compresses tremendous energy into a very small space, for a concert hall. On the contrary, it's a boisterous place that intensifies and dramatizes everything happening on stage. Yet Kuhn addressed the room – as well as his instrument – as if he were in Orchestra Hall, playing with a delicacy and tonal sheen that forced listeners to lean in a bit to savor his work.

Thus in the evening's vintage opening tune, "There Is No Greater Love," the luster and musical depth of Kuhn's single-note, right-hand lines conveyed Mozartean simplicity and grace. At the same time, however, there was no mistaking the propulsive swing rhythm underlying this work, Kuhn's phrases bounding from one offbeat to the next.

Moreover, in certain passages of "There Is No Greater Love" and other works, Kuhn produced idiosyncratic, cascading figures that rippled between his hands. It's a device no one else in jazz articulates in quite this way, the interlocking figures creating a brilliantly detailed mosaic of sound.

The standard "Emily" doesn't turn up in jazz sets very often anymore, which is too bad, because its haunting, three-note motif opens up ample possibilities for development. Kuhn made the most of them, combining a poet's touch with a profound understanding of the song's underlying harmonic structure.

By playing Kenny Dorham's "Blue Bossa," Kuhn referenced his early collaboration with the great trumpeter but also transcended the clichés that have gathered around the much-performed piece. Kuhn's version opened with a rhapsodic, impressionistic introduction and included a delightfully eccentric device: a marked slowing of tempo at the ends of certain phrases.

Bassist Hochberg was in the hot seat, playing a role often held by Steve Swallow, but the Chicagoan acquitted himself quite well throughout. Hochberg's intense lyricism and extended solo in "Emily" certainly matched the ardor of Kuhn's conception of the piece.

Drummer Baron stands as a force of nature unto himself, but more than that, as well. For all the power, drive and joy of his playing, he also responded keenly to musical events as they were happening. His outsized solos, meanwhile, overflowed with a spirit of invention and a broad range of color and attack. And yet Baron's tendency to bring an extended crescendo and big finish to virtually every piece eventually became redundant.

That's but a quibble, however, in what amounted to a landmark evening.  Kuhn needs to come back soon.

Chicago Tribune

With  Bob Mintzer and Trio New

Fame is funny. During the last decade, reedman Bob Mintzer has been a savvy modernist, known in jazz circles for his strong sound (blending tonal elements of two contrasting tenor-sax models, Wayne Shorter and Michael Brecker) and his busy, muscular solos. Along the way, while leading a series of big-band dates for the small DMP label--of his own arrangements in the "contemporary jazz" vein--he's also established a reputation on the college and high school band circuits, where his charts are highly prized. And here at the end of 1991, Mintzer is essentially the same musician--except that now he's also the frontline horn for the wildly popular Yellowjackets (whose musical integrity rose significantly when he joined up last year). How that will affect those coming to see him is anyone's guess; what is not open to conjecture is the fact that in Chicago, Mintzer will get a chance to stretch out in ways you don't hear on record--that is, free of both big-band and pop-success constraints. What's more, he'll have a rhythm section guaranteed to facilitate (if not actually accelerate) the process. Trio New (as they've just started calling themselves) is pianist Laurence Hobgood, bassist Eric Hochberg, and drummer Paul Wertico; Open-minded to the point of telepathy, they offer an unusual combination of power and grace, and none of them would qualify as "risk averse."

Chicago Reader Critics Choice

With  The Joshua Redman Quartet and The Chicago Jazz Ensemble

“Perhaps the most overwhelming, yet underappreciated jazz recording ever made, John Coltrane's "Africa/Brass Sessions," has long been neglected, in part because the material calls for a large and unusual configuration of brass instruments, and in part because the arrangements by Eric Dolphy, based on voicings by McCoy Tyner, are difficult, and the solo work (in the original by Coltrane and Tyner) impossible for all but the very best to even simulate. The announcement that Joshua Redman's Quartet, backed by members of the Chicago Jazz Ensemble would attempt to take on the Herculean task of recreating, has jazz afficianados both nervous and excited at the possibity of hearing this material in the wonderful Symphony Center. And I am pleased to report that Redman and company delvered in a strong way - receiving standing ovations and a curtian call for their fine work.

Redman and crew took the stage and immediately took no prisoners - plunging into a fiery reading of "Africa," which featured Redman playing like a man possessed with the spirit of Colrane, and Aaron Goldberg who handled the McCoy Tyner piano parts - some of the greatest in my opinion ever recorded - with world class touch and dexterity. Eric Hochberg, on a second acoustic bass, played a stunning bass solo, while the brass section under the direction of Bob Belden added admirable backing on a most difficult piece. Redman commented afterward that playing that one piece felt like playing a whole concert, and they still had several more songs to go.” 

Concertlivewire.com

With Chevere de Chicago

"...the breezy, Afro-Cuban rhythms of Chicago nonet Chevere were a perfect match for the warm, late afternoon sun. The group, founded 24 years ago by drummer Alejo Poveda, remains a delightful occasional busman's holiday for some of the city's best jazz and Latin musicians, including keyboardist/harmonica guru Howard Levy and bassist-vocalist Eric Hochberg. The group's set blended jazz, blues and fusion to create a stew as tasty and eclectic as the festival itself."  

Chicago Tribune

"Eric Hochberg's 5-string bass work was superb as always. The talented Mr. Hochberg also showed his vocal chops - singing the blues with gusto on "Telegram of Love," and providing admirable low-end support throughout. But it was his solo "duel" with keyboardist Chris "Hambone" Cameron (on Mini-Moog) that left one gasping at the breadth of his abilities." review of Chevere performance 

JazzChicago.net

With The John Moulder Quintet

“Carrying everything forward, the rhythm section of Eric Hochberg and Paul Wertico is one of the finest and most impressive around, and their playing not only provided a solid base for Moulder, Carillo and Kahn's flights of fancy, but they set off plenty of fireworks of their own. Wertico's explosions and varied timbres and beats on such pieces as "African Sunset" enthralled; while Hochberg's warmly resonant supporting bass sound and lines are some of the strongest and most interesting out there, and his solos stun one with their texture and style.” 

JazzChicago.net

I think I've seen Hochberg play at the Green Mill before with someone else (I forget who now) and I seem to remember being impressed with him then. He held down the time well, but was fluid when he needed to be. His solos struck me as more thoughtful and musical than the average (real durn good) bass player. My only complaint would be given the volume of the drums, I could have heard from him just a touch more.

And of course Moulder plays great. There wasn't much in the way of straight ahead bebop stuff but he showed his chops from time to time and they're solid. His acoustic playing was a great marriage of musicality and skill in the contemporary jazz idiom. 

varrin.livejournal.com

To present Earthborn, Moulder has drawn from Chicago, Michigan, and New York to assemble a cast of splendid players. There’s only one caveat. Those familiar with these musicians, and the far-flung array of styles they represent, will probably scratch their heads at finding them all together on one stage.

There’s no problem with the Chicagoans, even though bassist Eric Hochberg, to my knowledge, has played rarely (if ever) with the terrific young drummer Xavier Breaker; the unofficial Chicago code of modern jazz dictates that its practitioners show exceptional versatility, and Hochberg has played everything from show-lounge music to electric fusion to the late Terry Callier’s unique brand of “folk jazz.” And neither Hochberg nor Breaker will have any trouble relating to the young but equally adaptable trumpeter Marquis Hill, whose newly released disc The Poet shows off his taste and stylistic sweep. But Moulder’s imports for this project – the imperturbable Michigan pianist Bill Carrothers and the flame-throwing New York saxist Donny McCaslin – each boast such a clearly stamped approach to his instrument that it’s hard to picture them together in any band. (Since they’re both on my short list of favorite artists, I relish the chance to hear them on the same stage, although I can scarcely imagine how that will play out.) 

Neil Tesser/Chicago Music.org

With The Ernie Adams Quartet

“Eric Hochberg was featured next on "Black Orpheus" (Day in the Life of a Fool). It was such a pleasure seeing Eric displaying his incomparable talent on the upright bass using a bow. It's not heard often enough by bass players and Eric was really in control on this piece. This was quite evident by the positive reaction from the appreciative crowd. He was again complemented on this Bossa Nova piece by the soloing of Adams. Back to Hochberg; throughout the evening, he demonstrated why he's considered one of the finest bass players in Chicago. Tonight he was  really in the zone!” Ernie Adams Quartet performance.  

JazzChicago.net

With Anthony Molinaro 

“Heralded as one of today's hottest young pianists, Anthony Molinaro has captivated audiences throughout the world since winning the 1997 Namburg International Piano Competition. A traditional concert pianist, Molinaro is also a gifted composer and jazz musician. Joining him on drums is School of Music faculty member Paul Wertico, a seven-time Grammy Award winner and former member of the Pat Metheny Group. Completing the triois bassist Eric Hochberg, a respected producer and a standout in the Chicago music scene. Their program features original compositions by Molinaro as well as music by George Gershwin, John Coltrane, and Miles Davis.” 

Northwestern University Pick Staiger Concerts

With The Jim Trompeter Trio

"Hochberg remains one of the more versatile bassists in the city, which makes his work the perfect foil for (pianist) Jim Trompeter's stylistically free ranging pianism...The bassist yields a plush tone and firmly linear playing. In solos, he makes even the most technically intricate cadenzas sing."  Jim Trompeter Trio Performance 

Chicago Tribune

With The Paul Wertico Trio

"Hochberg's unaccompanied solo gave off a devout folklorish wisdom....a bold and frequently soaring lyricism." Review of the Paul Wertico Trio performance. 

Chicago Sun Times

"Bassist Eric Hochberg is formidable....a rhythmic and melodic partner in the group, bowing, plucking, never letting the level falter" with the Paul Wertico Trio. 

Downbeat Magazine

With The Larry Coryell Trio

"Although renowned as a fusion pioneer, guitar marvel Larry Coryell always has played everything from bluesto Stravinsky, from Mingus to flamenco. These days, he's at the peak of his awesome powers,mainly delivering post-bop that's melodic, joyous and adventurous. His current trio co-stars two big talents from Chicago: Paul Wertico, longtime drummer with the Pat Metheny Group, and bassist Eric Hochberg." 

Minneapolis Star Tribune

With Terry Callier

"Bassist Eric Hochberg was impressive on Terry Callier's version of the classic "Satin Doll", walking the bass in measured steps beneath the vocals...".

Washington Post

"In town to pick up an award from the United Nations for TimePeace, his recent comeback album on Verve, Terry Callier appeared as part of a trio, with ace jazz bassist Eric Hochberg and able percussionist Pennington McGee expertly shading his masterful compositions."

The Big Takeover.com

"The opening Sunset Boulevard revealed a pattern that was to be sustained throughout, with Eric Hochberg's dreamy, fretless bass occupying the foreground against Callier's homely acoustic guitar and Bosco D'Olivera's percussion.  Out of this texture leapt the voice: mostly a high, keening, urgent instrument, a little reminiscent of Tim Buckley, although it could also drop to breathy caresses, which, with the melodic bass and genre obfuscation, brought the great John Martyn to mind." 

Sydney Morning Herald

With Sheila Jordan

“The high point in Saturday night`s show had to be Jordan`s somewhat rarefied version of an old standard, ‘Haunted Heart.’ The slowness of her tempo was already striking, but the sense of stillness and reverie she evoked was genuinely remarkable, especially in a room overflowing with people.

Yet whether Jordan was spinning arabesques of melody high in her range or whispering from down in the bottom, the crowd was quiet enough to let every nuance speak clearly. More important, Jordan imbued the song`s elegiac lyrics with a lifetime of painful lessons learned.

She was fortunate to be backed by some of Chicago`s best jobbing musicians. Brad Williams, a versatile pianist, this time shrewdly underplayed his part. Like the singer he was accompanying, he kept his phrases soft, direct and insinuating. Meanwhile, Eric Hochberg drew warm lines from his bass, and drummer Greg Sergo kept the music moving with unpredictable rhythms. It was a birthday concert that surely everyone in the house will remember for a long time.” 

Chicago Tribune

With Chicago Human Rhythm Project

"Although this summer’s Chicago Dancing Festival was a very mixed bag, a couple of works were special. At the gala outdoor concert in Millennium Park it was Lane Alexander’s “In the Meantime,” a bravura interweaving of three percussive dance forms — featuring the seductive flamenco of Ensemble Espanol Dance Theater, the Chicago Human Rhythm Project’s tap magic and the Trinity Irish Dancers."  

Chicago Sun Times