For Dad

An article in the current issue of Jazz Times explores the physical challenges of playing trumpet, which might explain why we seem to have far fewer trumpeters in town than saxophonists. And many of the area’s accomplished trumpeters appear regularly with big bands and orchestras, far less often with small ensembles. Last month, perhaps the most celebrated of area jazz trumpeters, Kelly Rossum, blew his last note at the Dakota and headed to a new home in New York. At about the same time, one of the area’s most promising young musicians, trumpeter John Raymond, headed east for graduate studies. Before concluding that there’s now a vacuum in local jazz trumpet, pick up a copy of young Adam Meckler's premiere quintet release, For Dad (Meckler Music House). Meckler was recently on stage at the Dakota with both Rossum and Raymond in the closing set of the Trumpet Summit held July 31st. Perhaps that was a prophetic moment.

Adam Meckler © Andrea Canter

For Dad is Meckler’s debut recording, all his original compositions and featuring four of the area’s most sought-after musicians—Brandon Wozniak on tenor sax, Zacc Harris on guitar, Adam Linz on bass and Greg Schutte on drums. Explains Meckler, “We recorded 11 of my tunes in about 6 hours. The saxophone player had never seen the music before the session ...Luckily I found the right guy to come in and play [Wozniak] because he absolutely killed it.” A tribute to his father (Rick Meckler) who passed away in February, Adam notes that “I have written a lot of music to commemorate his life-- music that represents my emotions at the time of learning of the heart attack and the events that followed. I feel it is important for me to lay this music down now, when the emotions are still so fresh. My hope is that the listener can be touched by my music, and feel some of what I have been going through for the last 6 months.” 

The success of For Dad suggests we will be hearing a lot of this trumpeter, in small ensembles and solo contexts, on grooving tunes and more elegant fare. Overall the ten tracks could be movements of a suite, carrying a thread of funky ambience as well as eleagic song from first to last. Several tunes are dedications, the opening “Banana Lady” written for Adam’s wife Jana has a softly tropical groove, the two horns conjuring a Latin band’s front line. On what sounds like electric bass, Adam Linz keeps a dazzling counterline going beneath Zacc Harris’s exploratory guitar. The leader solos in a twisty swirl of concentric circles of sound. Written for friend Andrew Stoll, “Tears, Tears” brings the two horns together to form a majestic, if at times dissonant, harmony. On flugelhorn, Meckler’s songful voice is sweet and round, while Wozniak is gently slippery on soprano sax. The title track is a lovely interaction among the musicians, at times the sound suggesting Meckler has overdubbed to create a duo of muted and open trumpet. 

A standout track is “Just Wait for Spring,” a sweet incantation with Meckler soloing over his rhythm section, again a suggestion that he’s overdubbed a second trumpet track before turning the lead to Wozniak on tenor sax. But it is largely the leader’s vehicle, which he drives with hymnal elegance. “I Didn’t Really Know Her” launches with a bit of a whiney groove, followed by a prolonged solo from Adam Linz, here seemingly on acoustic bass, and in typical Linz fashion, he engages the instrument in conversation with human-like inflections. Meckler solos with an impassioned tone, handing off to Wozniak to carry on in a similar vein, while Harris adds more assertive ambient fills and Schutte pushes the pulse throughout. Tension and anticipation, courtesy of the interplay among Wozniak and Harris, marks “The Call,” while “One More” finds the two horns weaving their lines together in often unexpected directions without wandering far from home.  

“Pebble Beach” is a family affair with Adam’s wife Jana Nyberg providing lyrics and vocals. It starts out with a bass vamp, but soon the horns add a layer of harmony, and a lazy ambience follows, Harris providing the sounds of water gently washing over the feet as Jana adds a hazy vocal sunshine. After Linz’s tender bass solo interlude, the vamp returns like high tide. “Pittsburgh’s Song” closes the set, more country hymn than urban bustle. There’s one more track available as a free download from Meckler’s website, “Simpler Things.” 

If you’ve been wondering what’s next in Twin Cities’ jazz trumpet, For Dad from Adam Meckler should give you a strong hint.  

 More about Adam Meckler including CD ordering information at www.mecklermusic.com 

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