Dan Cray, an Evanston Illinois based, Bill Evans inspired pianist and his trio take a romp through eight standards and three original compositions on the CD No One. But what a romp! This listener has concluded that Dan Cray is somewhat of an impressionist. Like the turn of the 20th century Parisian painters and composers whose work led to merely “suggest” a particular scene or sound, so to does much of Dan Cray’s work on No One. On some standard tunes Cray completely omits the melody playing only the changes as though to suggest the listener already knows the tune and should be creative on their own in what might be heard to his accompaniment. There are times when Cray slightly modifies a well-known melody just enough to draw in the listener who recognizes the difference. It is sort of like telling an “inside” joke that only the “informed” would fully understand. More than once Cray also will approach a tune by avoiding playing the head until well into an
introduction that basically deconstructs and expands the tune before we hear it. Such is the case on the trio’s performance of the standard “Avalon.” The trio plays an extended introduction before the group melds into a smooth and swinging up-tempo delivery of the head. The recognizable melody comes across as serving more as an aural sorbet to the group’s previous improvisations and a respite before the trio again trails off into a new groove and approach that is thinly connected, but in its evolution, also continually removes itself from the original tune.

Bass player Clark Sommers contributes two original compositions for the recording. “Time Window,” is a sensitive and pensive sounding ballad evoking thoughts of loss and melancholy, that includes some interesting percussion effects by drummer Greg Wyser-Pratte using what sounds like mallets on his drums along with shimmering cymbal sounds behind the melody of Cray’s piano. In contrast, Sommers’ other original “The Simpleton” is much more of a piece emoting sentimentality and remembrance again enhanced by the tasteful drumming of Wyser-Pratte. The original penned by leader Cray, the title track “No One,” is an easy swinging medium tempo piece. Cray’s composition is full of echoes of the music of Thelonious Monk, however Cray’s approach to the piano is still more closely akin to the delicate touch of Bill Evans rather than the heavier splayed finger accents of Monk.

Other tunes on the CD include two of Monk’s compositions, a machine-like driving “Epistrophy” and a somewhat less definitely rhythmically centered “In Walked Bud.” In both cases Cray and his band mates provide a fresh reading and a new spin on these jazz classics. Also, the trio’s rendition of Dizzy Gillespie’s “Woody N’ You” holds firmly to the tradition of bebop at first, then during improvisation shows us whole another way to go. “For All We Know” provides another very pretty tune and Horace Parlan’s “Wadin” gives the CD a little soul. No One by Dan Cray is a recording full of interesting twists that delight the listener, and also some very high level musicianship and artistry. It is a recording that would be a delight to most any listener and certainly a welcome addition to any jazz aficionado’s collection.

The pianist I hear most as an influence on No One is Ahmad Jamal. His distinctive method of breaking up time is very prominent on this CD. The propulsive, clipped time of the bass and drums make a good platform Dan Cray's busy soloing. A touch of "Sketches Of Spain" haunts the Midwestern reflections of the lovely "Time Window," while "Avalon" is built on an unexpectedly soulful and urgent bass line from Clark Sommers and a creeping tension that continually builds pressure in the piece.

The two Monk tunes are rethought in interesting ways. "Epistrophy" is powered by tumbling drums and a repetitive piano counter-melody on the chords, while "In Walked Bud" is where the Jamal influence is most evident. Cray chops the melody into bits then rumbles along in a clipped, percussive fashion with Sommers and Wyser-Pratt adding heft to the sound. This group as a lot of intriguing ideas to spruce up the familiar piano trio format, most as interesting, if not more, than the celebrated Bad Plus. This is an excellent CD that is well worth seeking out.

Jerome Wilson

Cadence Magazine ,  February  2004

back to the top

Dan Cray has been compared to Ahmad Jamal. Cray does not have Jamal's touch or sense of musical space, but he shares Jamal's deep concern with group form. What is most interesting about Cray is not his considerable chops--there are piano chops around to burn these days--but his sophistication as a conceptualist. Like Jamal, he thinks about the piano trio orchestrally. Each of the 10 tracks on Save Us! is a complete design, and improvisation flows directly from the plan.

Most often that plan is a bold, creative assault on known material that transforms every structural element and leaves just enough of the song's skeleton in sight for recognition. Cray is also interested in the organic relationship between jazz past and jazz present. He strongly represents the latter, but chooses material with a rich history. His abstractions of "Without a Song" and "Just One of Those Things" and "When You Wish Upon a Star" are fearlessly liberated yet reveal their own inner logic.

The performance that permanently makes the case for Dan Cray is "If You Could See Me Now." This Tadd Dameron song needs no improvement, but Cray's painfully slow search through its possible connotations, returning to its ascending melodic affirmation over and over, never quite separating from it, understanding it anew, is a very good reason to buy this album.

back to the top

"Cray takes his piano trio on a high-flying flight with his upbeat style. Playing jazz classics, standards, and one of his compositions, he sails through the program with a touch of elan and a spring in his step. There is a bounce in nearly everything he does, starting with Charlie Parker's 'Segment' and moving through the brisk program of ballads and fast tempo tunes. Cray has an interesting way of interpreting the standards. He adds a dash of his own flavoring while still respecting the melody line, assuring the freshness of the interpretations. He has a scampering way of gliding over the keyboard, which is frequently altered by single note comping to emphasize the rhythm section. When he stretches out, it is off to the races as he and the trio accelerate in a joyful way.

Bassist Sommers handles the role as second soloist with aplomb. He has an adept touch on the strings from which he expels improvised passages that dovetail with Cray's solos. Wyser-Pratte gives the music a light-handed rhythmic base by concentrating on soft-toned hues and brushwork. His near-march tempo on 'Old Devil Moon' sets the pace for the song that has numerous time signature changes within it. The slow ballad is a rarity, yet it is handled lovingly on 'I've Grown Accustomed To Her Face,' where Cray again employs the single-note tactic to emphasize the melody. He finishes the set with a bluesy solo where is left hand works the bass line in stride fashion. Cray's trio plays a delightful blend of tunes, and their output is consistently enjoyable. They work as a unit to produce a solid trio set."

back to the top

This is a notable debut by pianist Dan Cray, who with bassist Clark Sommers and percussionist Greg Wyser-Pratte, hang their collective hat on the great Gershwin brothers tune, "Who Cares," for a title platform but go on to accomplish much much more.

For openers, one of the most pleasant surprises in this highly accomplished first collection is Cray's own composition, "Patiently Waiting," a sweet melodic journey that offers numerous twists and delightful detours. Cray's piano is particularly deft and at times daring on this cut. Equally elevating is the trio's accomplished rendering of the fabulous Charlie Parker tune, "Segment," to which the group adds its own sweet spins and digressions.

Further, the trio makes strong stands on such familiar grounds as "It Could Happen to You" and "Old Devil Moon." And it gets better with Cray's slow, extended version of "I've Grown Accustomed to Her Face."

While just a recent graduate from Northwestern University's Jazz Studies program, Cray already has experience playing with such notables as Max Roach, Rufus Reid, Eric Schneider, George Fludas, and Hinda Hoffman. As such, he appears to be a wise young talent, ahead of his time—a unique blend of polish, enthusiasm, and emotional depth.

The answer to the rhetorical and titular question "Who Cares? should be, "Anyone who cares for modern jazz"! Who Cares may very well be the start of something big. At a minimum, it is an accomplished and impressive opening from a bright new Chicago player and leader who deserves a serious following.
 

back to the top