The Rick VanMatre Quintet: A Showcase of Original Creativity

Place: Fairfield Community Arts Center

Date: April 12, 2013 8:00 PM

Musicians:

Rick VanMatre, Saxes
Ken Pensyl, Keys
Aaron Jacobs, Bass
Rusty Burge, Vibes
Tom Buckley, Drums

Rick Vanmatre is one of Cincinnati's most well-known musicians, covering both jazz and classical music. Over the years, he has performed around the globe in places such as here in the US, Israel, France, Germany, Scotland, Poland, and many other places throughout the world.

Rick retired just two years ago, after spending 30 years as the director of UC's College Conservatory of music jazz studies department. The quintet performed this evening, kicking off the 2013 Jazz Alive!Concert Series.

The quintet opens with an original tune called "High Line"; containing a tight, straight-ahead sound.

Rick then grabs his soprano to play "Grey then Blue", Inspired by his wife's artwork. The colors of the title can truly be heard in this number. At the risk of committing an oxymoron, a tune that sounded "lethargically lively".

Going back to the tenor, Rick Leads in with "Rays Return", a number inspired by the 1923 film, "Return to Reason", directed by Man Ray. This tune was the most eccentric of the evening, with an up-tempo, avant-garde style; off and on again walking bass patterns, and tempo and count changes that were abrupt, yet artfully executed.

The quintet performed "After again", another original that had a "getaway", romantic feel to it; then closed the first set with a feature composition from vibraphonist Rusty Burge called "After 5". This had a hopping sax melody, supported by a solid rhythm section line. Rusty gave a very analytical solo on double mallets, and Tom's killer 36 measure drum solo gave the audience something to talk about during intermission.

The Quintet returns and opens the second set with a tune written by pianist Ken Pensyl. "I had you in mind" is light and breezy, in both tempo and melody. Their next number takes a contrast shift with the deep and dark "Solstice of Another Age", Which, according to Rick, is representative of existing in the dark ages, with hopes to come out, and back into the light. This number draws shades of Equinox to the mind.

The group then closes the evening with another Ken Pensyl composition called "Coming Back to Yesterday". The tightness of this straight-ahead tune, including an exceptional vibraphone arrangement, marked the punctuation on a wonderful evening.

The vast majority of the tunes performed consisted of originals, written from nearly each of the quintet members (except for the performance of one Thelonius Monk tune). This introduced a refreshing change, and was very encouraging to the preservation of the straight-ahead sound of Jazz.

- jh