DAWN CLEMENT / STEVE KOVALCHECK / JON HAMAR

DAWN CLEMENT/STEVE KOVALCHECK/JON HAMAR

Independent Release

Dawn Clement, piano/composer; Steve Kovalcheck, guitar/composer; Jon Hamar, bass/composer.

Clement, Kovalcheck and Hamar offer the public a drum-less trio of contemporary jazz. Their first tune on this album is titled “Blind.”  It was composed by their pianist, Dawn Clement, for a debut gig in Denver, Colorado back in the spring of 2019.  This piece features a two-part melody, where the bass line weaves in and out of her piano melody like a different-colored, musical thread. Also, the intricate interplay between guitar and pianist might make the listener wonder which is the predominant melodic phrase.  It’s a soothing tune of moderate tempo, with the bass line becoming a countermelody to both guitar and piano. The second track is a jazz waltz called “Spirit Spin” with the counter melodies continuing between bass and guitar lines.  Where I would expect either the piano or especially the guitar to create rhythm in replacement of the missing drum rhythms, neither really does that.  Instead, this music floats around without any one instrument laying down a rhythm pattern.  It’s a cool concept, but sometimes you just want a beat to pop your fingers to or to encourage you to tap your toes.  However, I do hear enough ¾ rhythm and recognize this song as a waltz.

The “Lazy Dragon” is a cute title.  It was composed by the bassist, Jon Hamar, and It falls in line with the moderate tempo of the two songs before it.  I think they could have presented the repertoire in a little bit different order, that way comfortably engaging the attentive ears of their audience.  So far, this sounds like music played softly during a full body massage.  It’s peaceful, but with low energy.

However, this changes on Hamar’s tune “Paseo Del Mar” that adds a Latin twist to the arrangement. Here is a composition quite rhythmic. It gives Jon Harmer a platform to feature his upright bass. Dwan Clement finally creates a rhythmic piano to support the groove.

On “hardball” they are back to the counter-melody concept, even though clearly it has a be-bop energy, but the arrangement only lasts a brief one and a half minutes.  You get a taste and before you can swallow the full arrangement morsel, the sweetness is snatched away.

However, they finally hit their groove on the Steve Kovalcheck tune “It’s About Time.”  We leave the contemporary, laid-back energy for some traditional Straight-ahead jazz blended with a Latin fusion.  This quickly became my favorite tune on their album.

I also enjoyed the Clement composition that closes this album out called, “Tree Hugger.”   Dawn Clement brings a very classical perspective to the trio. One thing about these three musicians, they have established a trio style all their own, basically easy-listening contemporary jazz.

Reviewed by Dee Dee McNeil

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