“First Contact” with Jazz Drummer Ken Serio

Cover of the album being discussed (courtesy of Powderfinger Promotions)

By way of “full disclosure,” I should begin by acknowledging that my past experiences with Powderfinger Promotions have tended to be disappointing; but, since these tend to be released through Play MPE, every now and then I let my curiosity get the better of me. I suppose one of the reasons I wanted to check out an album entitled Brooklyn Oasis was because I spent my first elementary school years in Brooklyn, but that New York City borough has changed significantly over the half century that followed those times! The other reason I decided to give the album a try was that Ron Carter was playing bass.

The entire combo was the Ken Serio Quartet, led by Serio on drums. The “front line” for the quartet is saxophonist Dave Mullen, alternating between soprano and tenor, and the remaining performer is Tomoko Ohno on piano. My guess is that, if I had seen this group perform at Mr. Tipple’s Jazz Club in an experience enhanced by good food, drink and even dessert, I would have come away with the impression that it was an evening well spent. Nevertheless, on the album none of the tracks leaves much an impression, whether it involves the tune itself of its capacity for improvisation. Even Carter tended to keep himself discretely in the background.

Nevertheless, I suspect there will be listeners that will appreciate this album for the relatively understated mood it sets. They will be able to download the MP3 tracks this coming Friday through the above hyperlink. Because this is an Amazon.com site, that Web page can currently process pre-orders.