ZACH ADLEMAN

WE MAKE: STORIES FOR A NEW DAY

Cellar Music Group

Zach Adleman, drums/composer; Luther Allison, piano; Jared Beckstead-Craan, bass; Steve Davis, trombone; Austin Ford, trumpet; Steve Wilson, flute/alto saxophone; Sarah Hanahan, alto saxophone.

The first song on Zach Adleman’s debut cd swings harder than Shohei Ohtani, the guy hitting all those home runs for the Dodgers.  It makes sense that the tune would groove and swing since the composer is both a drummer and bandleader of this spectacular group.  Zach Adleman slaps the two and four in place like his life depends on it.  The pianist, Luther Allison, pounds out the groove along with the drummer, while stitching the blues into his mix with steady fingers.  I have to play “In Between Places” twice, because it feels so right; so good!  Zach’s composing for this record is based on his own life narrative, his choices; his experiences.  This first tune reflects the blues of living, working, and commuting between New Jersey, New York and Virginia.

Adleman is a NYC based musician who enjoys hiking and the outdoors.  This is reflected in the next tune called “All Around Us.”  He tries to capture the waterfalls and park places where he has wandered to find peace and inspiration for this song and others.  His music is quite melodic, while his drumming is power-packed and aggressive.  On this song, his drums take control towards the end of the arrangement, breaking through like a baseball crashing against a glass windowpane.  His drums soak up the spotlight as they propel the horn lines forward. The same holds true on the groups Straight-ahead arrangement of Cole Porter’s “Night and Day.” Hanahan’s alto solo is dynamic.  Allison is also compelling and creative during his expressive piano solo, but Adleman steals the attention during his trap drum improvisations.

Zach Adleman spent his coming-of-age years in the college town of East Lansing, Michigan. One of his songs is dedicated to that mid-western state called “It Always Rains in Michigan.”  It’s the first song that Zach Adleman ever composed, shuffling into the picture at a medium tempo. Steve Davis is brightly featured on trombone.  A tune called “Song for Wedgewood” features a beautiful flute solo by Steve Wilson. Adleman’s original composition is absolutely lovely. Another swinging example of Adleman’s composing genius is a tune called “A New Day” that features the awesome talent of Sarah Hanahan on alto saxophone.  Their final tune (a Monk composition) “Evidence,” is a smashing duo arrangement featuring Steve Wilson on alto sax and Zach Adleman on drums. Wonderful!

This is an excellent album.  Each tune offered is beautifully arranged and these musicians create a tightly woven ensemble of excellence.

Reviewed by Dee Dee McNeil

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