Skip to main content

New quartet album by jazz drummer Billy Drummond is a treat

On Valse Sinistre, Drummond's ride-cymbal beat is lively, varied and full of passing cross-rhythms — the sound of a musician fully engaged and in the habit of attentive listening.

08:30

Contributor

Related Topics

Other segments from the episode on August 23, 2022

Fresh Air with Terry Gross, August 23, 2022: Interview with Mo Amer; Review of Valse Sinistre

Transcript

DAVE DAVIES, HOST:

This is FRESH AIR. Over the last 30 years, jazz drummer Billy Drummond has made hundreds of records with, among many, many others, horn players John Faddis, Javon Jackson and Marty Erlich, and pianist Renee Rosnes, Steve Kuhn and Carla Bley. He also records as a leader. Jazz critic Kevin Whitehead says Drummond's new quartet album is a treat.

(SOUNDBITE OF BILLY DRUMMOND AND FREEDOM OF IDEAS' "LITTLE MELONAE")

KEVIN WHITEHEAD, BYLINE: Billy Drummond's Quartet on Jackie McLean's "Little Melonae," the sound of a drummer keeping time on ride cymbal is a familiar jazz marker, maybe even a jazz cliche. True, some drummers keeping time sound like they're on autopilot, self-hypnotized, but not the best ones like Billy Drummond. His ride cymbal beat is lively, varied and full of passing cross-rhythms, the sound of a musician fully engaged, hearing and reacting to everything happening around him.

(SOUNDBITE OF BILLY DRUMMOND AND FREEDOM OF IDEAS' "LITTLE MELONAE")

WHITEHEAD: Saxophonist Dayna Stephens with Billy Drummond's quartet Freedom of Ideas from their new album "Valse Sinistre." The leader doesn't take many solos, but he doesn't need stand-alone spots to show his stuff. He conducts a lot of side business while keeping time. Great jazz drummers are motivators, prodding their comrades and making sure everything swings in an interactive way. This is Micah Thomas on piano.

(SOUNDBITE OF BILLY DRUMMOND AND FREEDOM OF IDEAS' "RECONFIRMED")

WHITEHEAD: The title track of "Valse Sinistre" is a gem of a waltz by Drummond's old boss, Carla Bley. Dayna Stephens plays it on soprano sax whose bright tone suits the melody and leaves exposed the rhythm section's sideways moves underneath. On bass is Dezron Douglas.

(SOUNDBITE OF BILLY DRUMMOND AND FREEDOM OF IDEAS' "VALSE SINISTRE")

WHITEHEAD: "Valse Sinistre" by Carla Bley. The slow ballad and one standard on the album "Valse Sinistre" is David Raksin's 1944 movie theme, "Laura." Billy Drummond's quiet grace with wire brushes reminds me of the great tap dancer Bill Robinson doing a rhythmic shuffle on a sandy surface. But Drummond can also be a little contrary.

(SOUNDBITE OF BILLY DRUMMOND AND FREEDOM OF IDEAS' "LAURA")

WHITEHEAD: On Billy Drummond's album "Valse Sinistre," there is also music by pianist Stanley Cowell and Frank Kimbrough and drummer Tony Williams and by members of the band. The quartet revived the late trombonist Grachan Moncur's "Frankenstein" from 1963, a minor tune with odd chord changes, the kind of offbeat choice that helps make this album a treat. It's not surprising that a leader in the habit of attentive listening would turn up some good, old tunes that other folks overlook.

(SOUNDBITE OF BILLY DRUMMOND AND FREEDOM OF IDEAS' "FRANKENSTEIN")

WHITEHEAD: Kevin Whitehead is the author of the book "Play The Way You Feel: The Essential Guide To Jazz Stories On Film." And he writes for Point of Departure and The Audio Beat. He reviewed the new album Valse Sinistre by Billy Drummond's quartet, Freedom of Ideas.

On tomorrow's show, the risk of growing tension between China and the U.S. Michael Beckley says China is engaged in the largest military buildup since World War II and is being increasingly aggressive with its Asian neighbors and with the United States. Beckley's new book with Hal Brand (ph) is "Danger Zone: The Coming Conflict With China." I hope you can join us. For Terry Gross, I'm Dave Davies.

(SOUNDBITE OF BILLY DRUMMOND AND FREEDOM OF IDEAS' "FRANKENSTEIN") Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.

You May Also like

Did you know you can create a shareable playlist?

Advertisement

Recently on Fresh Air Available to Play on NPR

41:49

Private opulence, public squalor: How the U.S. helps the rich and hurts the poor

Pulitzer Prize winning author Matthew Desmond talks about the roots of American poverty and how he says so many affluent citizens benefit from government subsidies and exploitation of the poor. His new book is Poverty By America.

09:41

Songs by Iris DeMent, Sunny War and Margo Price speak urgently to the current moment

Whether it's the folk-protest music of Iris DeMent, the cutting-edge blues of Sunny War or the hard-charging Americana of Margo Price, these three artists create music that stands out.

52:30

From 'Almost Famous' to definitely famous, Billy Crudup is enjoying his new TV roles

Billy Crudup is an actor you've probably seen more than you realize. He won critical praise and an Emmy Award for his performance in the Apple TV series "The Morning Show" with Jennifer Aniston and Reese Witherspoon. His film credits include "Almost Famous," "Sleepers," "Jesus' Son," "20th Century Women" and "Watchmen," where he played a marvel comic superhero who's bald and blue.

There are more than 22,000 Fresh Air segments.

Let us help you find exactly what you want to hear.
Just play me something
Your Queue

Would you like to make a playlist based on your queue?

Generate & Share View/Edit Your Queue