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Stan Getz
“There are four qualities essential to a great jazzman. They are taste, courage, individuality, and irreverence. These are the qualities I want to retain in my music.” - Stan Getz |
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 Wednesday, 07 January 2009 |
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Phil Hey Quartet's Subduction |
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Written by Don Berryman
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Thursday, 13 October 2005 |
"Subduction leads to orogeny" - old geophysics adage.
Subduction, the first CD from
the Phil Hey Quartet, was recorded live at the Artists' Quarter on May
13-15, 2005. The word 'subduction' deals with the movement of tectonic plates
that is a slow process that can result in earthquakes and volcanic
activity. Likewise, music on this CD builds tension subtly and releases
that tension in great rhythmic eruptions. The first sounds you hear on
this CD is Dave Hagedorn's haunting vibraphone solo that introduces
Bobby Hutcherson's Highway One,
the last is Phil Hey's turbulent and triumphant drum solo for the final
chorus of John Coltrane's Fifth House
and the cheers of the crowd. What lies between is a demonstration of
musical mastery that each musician has honed and the collaborative
chemistry that has kept this band vital over the past 5 years.
Starting at the turn of the millennium, the Phil Hey Quartet has had a
regular gig at the Artists' Quarter in Saint Paul for one Thursday a
month
(and the occasional week-end). I have had the pleasure of
attending many, if not most, of those gigs along with a steadily
growing
cadre of oldsters and youngsters who all feel very hip indeed to have
discovered a subterranean hideout where you can hear world-class hard
bop for a $3 cover. A feature of these gigs is that they would always
play one tune that the group had never played together before, one
member
would bring in a new tune or arrangement and they'd all dig-in. This
process helps them develop a book that is full of great and seldom
heard
tunes from both obscure and well known writers. One night Tom Lewis
brought in a beautiful tune called
Floresta written by Brazilian composer Hermento Pascoal which
appears on this CD. In addition to Pascoal, Hutcherson, and Coltrane
mentioned earlier, there are tunes on this CD written by Charles
Mingus, Irving Berlin, Don Cherry, Ornette Coleman, and Phil Hey's
original, Subduction.
One night at the AQ Phil Hey told a story of touring with the great
tenor player Charlie Rouse. There was this very loud man
in the audience talking over the music. Phil said he was getting pretty
angry and kept playing softer and softer, but the guy didn't have a
clue and never shut up. Phil talked with Rouse during the break and
said "Did you hear that guy?". Rouse answered, "Yeah I heard him. It
happens ... It made you mad though, didn't it?" Phil said, "yeah" and
then Rouse said, "Then why didn't you play like it? There's nothing
worse than a drummer with no fire." and then walked off. Phil said he
was devastated, but the lesson was driven home. Phil is a passionate
drummer who now doesn't hide it, and he uses that fire to slowly bring
the music to a boil on
this CD.
Listening to this CD is almost like being there, hearing them "create
beauty on demand" (As Davis Wilson says in the liner notes).
 Photo by Howard A. Gitelson
The Musicians
Pianist Phil Aaron has his own trio that has had
a regular Friday and Saturday night gig at the Hotel Sofitel for many
years. Phil Aaron attended the Berklee School of Music and the
University of Illinois. Aaron served as music director in the dance
department at UCLA and also taught music at Santa Monica College. He is
a
preferred pianist among vocalists and national touring acts, including
Frank Morgan, Byron Stripling, Bob Sheppard, Sammy Davis Jr., John
Patitucci, Scott Colley, Jeff Clayton, Ray Drummond, Barbara Morrison
and Jackie Allen. In addition to five CD releases as leader, Aaron has
appeared on a number of recordings by other artists. Phil has a style
of playing that is dense and rich in color when comping and relaxed and
lyrical when soloing, evoking Bill Evans. Phil has a habit of rising
from the bench hovering over the keys when soloing, the sound makes one
almost believe that he is levitating.
 Photo by Andrea Canter
 Photo by Andrea Canter
Tom Lewis is one of the
busiest
bassists in town who appears as a sideman on many local CD's. He is a
first
call bass player with visiting artists like Benny Golson, Mose Allison,
and
Charles McPherson. Tom is also busy with local groups like the Phil
Aaron Trio
and is a long-time member of local bebop icon, Eddie Berger's All Stars
- along with Phil Hey. Another thing that Tom and Phil have in common
is they both attended the Woodstock, NY-based Creative Music
Studio. During the '70 and '80's, the Creative Music Studio
was considered the premier study center for contemporary creative
music. Founded in 1971 by Karl Berger, Ingrid Sertso and Ornette
Coleman, CMS brought together leading innovators in the jazz and world
music communities. Unprecedented in its range and diversity, CMS was an
acknowledged phenomenon in the international music world, providing
participants with the rare opportunity to interact personally with the
musical giants of improvisation and musical thought on a daily basis.
Phil Hey called it "a profound experience" and that was were he
met Don Cherry, Dave Holland, and Ed Blackwell who would become
his mentor.
 Photo by Andrea Canter
Their academic credentials may make them sound like a lot of egghead
music theoreticians, but these are also seasoned veterans with much
road-learning under their belts. They play with passion and commitment
to the music. As one who has listened to this band over the past
several years. I am very pleased with the result. Subduction is the culmination their
labor and artistry, and a celebration of the music they have created
together. I hope it is a first of many to come.
For the geophysics freaks here are some
subduction fun facts from Wikipedia:
Click here
 Image by United States Geological Survey 
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