Randy Ingram

Aries Dance

Sounderscore

Pianist and composer Randy Ingram’s Aries Dance is a soothing, relaxing listen. It’s Ingram’s nimble touch and gift for melody and harmony that make this trio album one that you will return to often. Much of the beauty lies in its subtleties. Of course, it’s his trio mates, in-demand bassist and longtime collaborator Drew Gress and NEA Jazz Master drummer Billy Hart that frame Ingram’s originals and interpretations of standards with so much finesse. Ingram is fascinated by drummers and had long wanted to play with Hart. In turn, he claims to have streamlined his compositions to give Hart and Dress plenty of freedom to deliver special beats, fills, and expressive solos. Ingram, who is new to these pages,  draws on influences from pianists Herbie Hancock, Kenny Kirkland, Richie Beirach, Marc Copland and twentieth-century classical music as well as the blues. In any event, he comes across both elegantly and evocatively.  Lest we not mention the album is engineered by one of the best in jazz, James Farber, especially for piano trios. Ingram and Leo Sidran are the co-producers.

“Toward Polaris” opens as a lyrical waltz, Ingram seems to float, or as he says, ‘dance’ over the keys in unhurried fashion akin to a clear, rippling stream. Hart keeps a steady snare focused beat while Gress rumbles gently underneath, taking an earthy solo around the three minute mark, emphasizing Ingram’s theme of steady as she goes. We hear Hart’s signature cymbal flourishes as the piece evolves. Similarly, the title track, conjuring the arrival of Spring, moves along sprightly, with a few pauses along the way as if to admire the changes that nature brings.

“Para Milton E Pedro” is rather obviously for Milton Nascimento and less obviously to many, Pedro Martin who is picking up the mantle from the legend. The Brazilian strains here, are a bit understated except for Hart’s rhythms. With Hart having played with Joao Gilberto, this Ingram original takes on more gravitas. Another Portuguese thread runs through “Castle and Fog,” the piano intro to “Guimaraes” which is an old city in Portugal that made an impression on Ingram who was the artist-in-residence at the Guimaraes Jazz Festival. Ingram’s fascination with the modern art and ancient architecture of the city led to this composition of gorgeous melodies and colorful harmonics. Ingram’s piano alone is evocative but Gress’s expressive bass playing and Hart’s sensitive accompaniment are equally noteworthy.

There is another intro and main piece with “Into the Night” and the well-known Schwartz/Dietz “You and the NIght and the Music.” The into provides another look at Ingram’s use of polychords which he extends into the piece, making it a bit abstract while maintaining its alluring, dark edge, complete with an inventive turn from Hart. Ingram also colorfully interprets the oft covered Wayne Shorter penned “Penelope,” which like so many of Shorter’s pieces unfolds like a dramatic narrative akin to a mystery novel.  The closing piece is the standard “Dedicated to You” which for pianist enthusiasts will inevitably evoke Keith Jarrett’s reading but to these ears it will always be the Coltrane/Johnny Hartman version of the tune. In that sense, Ingram is faces a major challenge in carving  out a different take but as with the others, his gift of abstraction and 5/4 base tempo and its  changes enables him to pull it off.

It takes a special approach to stand apart from the glut of piano trio albums but Ingram, Gress, and Hart do just that. Keep this one at the top or lease near the top of that your trio file.

– Jim Hynes

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