Tubman Atnimara
Yardbird's Blues: The Charlie Parker EP
© 2004 Tubman Atnimara (634479498695)
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"A CD not to be missed. Once again, Atnimara's Jazz comes head to head with the Blues. Yet it's all Charlie Parker in the end. Oscar Pettiford meets Ron Carter meets Jaco Pastorius. Tubman IS 21st century bass."
tracks
- 1 Now's the Time
- 2 Billie's Bounce
- 3 Cheryl
- 4 Another Hairdo
- 5 Barbados
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Tubman Atnimara: Yardbird’s Blues: The Charlie Parker EP.
Review from “Jazz Improv,” Nov. 2005. By Dennis Hollingsworth.
Tubman Atnimara’s EP of Charlie Parker tunes had a tumultuous evolution. Originally planned as a full length trio recording of electric bass, drum kit and electric guitar, technical problems resulted in a new direction. Limited by a small window of physical recording time, Atnimara and his cohorts chose to improvise with available equipment, not often attempted by musicians in the best of circumstances. A set of congas and an acoustic guitar, both of somewhat questionable quality, became the tools at hand. A further deterrent might have been the meager facilities used as a studio, Tubman’s own Bronx residence. Nonetheless, these fellows took the risk of moving ahead, hence the EP in review. That being said, recording quality is sufficiently good and does not detract from the overall musical statement. My guess is that this may be the first reading of Parker tunes with this instrumentation set to disc.
“Now’s the Time” starts with MoDough on the guitar, laying down an eclectic chord pattern and setting the up tempo meter. Atnimara enters along with Kuda, the bass playing the melodic line. Kuda plays a solid recurring pattern throughout, stopping only for the final passage. Atnimara applies pitch bends and liberal phrasing to his solo around the melody, restating it in straight fashion before dropping out altogether, leaving MoDough’s unaccompanied chords to end the tune.
The familiar “Billie’s Bounce” follows in straight AB format. Atnimara states the line in solo unadorned fashion for each A, soloing in the B sections with the trio. His tone is rich and full, typical of electric bass fed straight into a recording board/apparatus. Nimble finger plucking, with more pitch bends highlight his approach. Like before, Kuda lays down a static conga pattern. MoDough’s playing is most unique, inserting slide techniques into a very fresh chord progression.
For “Cheryl” Atnimara presents an entire bass solo. Consistent with the other cuts, the melody is played as written by Parker. Liberties are taken with the tempo and choice of solo notes rather than the traditional melody or harmonic architecture. Atnimara mixes simple patterns, references to other tunes and rapid lines to convey his thinking, never venturing far from charted waters. Technique is not overdone, a refreshing change from the compulsion of bassists who wish to ‘out-pastorize’ Jaco.
“Another Hairdo” is a lesser known Parker tune, taken at an accelerated speed by all three players. A short 1:55, it promotes Atnimara’s physical ability to use 16th notes within the context of the tune. Glissando’s are another prominent spotlight.
“Barbados” is another of Parker’s melodic lines that every jazz aficionado knows. Countless players have honed their chops on this tune. Also relayed in AB form, Atnimara delivers the melody with Kuda’s background, MoDough joining in for the B sections as Atnimara solos.
This EP does not break with tradition and will not shock your sensibilities. Its freshness comes as a result of quirky instrumentation and a willingness to take risks with the physical realities of a recording session. Suitable for anyone, bass players and acoustic guitar players in particular will find worthwhile moments.