Those familiar with this site probably know that I have given a generous amount of attention to clarinetist Ben Goldberg. To some extent this has been inspired by my having played clarinet in a community orchestra back in my student days; but Goldberg drew my attention to his imaginative approaches to jazz, which have been far more engaging than any of my orchestral endeavors. Yesterday he released eight new albums through the Bandcamp Web site under the title 8 Albums on August 8, and it was impossible for me to ignore them!
Cover of the album being discussed (from its Bandcamp Web page)
My current plan is to deal with these albums one at a time. Since they are ordered by catalog number, I knew that it would be best to begin with the BAG029 album, whose title is For Bobby. The title is also the title of a six-movement suite, which is followed by two additional tracks, “May 8” and “Snow Note.”
Goldberg leads a trio with rhythm provided by Greg Cohen on bass and drummer Billy Mintz. The album is currently available for digital download from a Bandcamp Web page. Goldberg chose the title of the album as “a heartfelt tribute conceived in honor of trumpeter and composer Bobby Bradford.” To be fair, I am unfamiliar with Bradford’s name; and, to the best of my knowledge, I have not encountered him anywhere in my collection of recordings.
In the absence of background, all that I can say is that there is an engaging amount of diversity across the six movements of the suite. The same goes for the remaining tracks, for which I also lack any background knowledge! Nevertheless, there is much to enjoy, particularly in the different approaches that Goldberg takes for give-and-take exchanges with both Cohen and Mintz. Those approaches involve not only thematic lines but also generous diversity in tempo as the music unfolds. I suppose that what matters most is that For Bobby provides an excellent source for engaging attentive listening, justifying the very nature of performance itself!
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