Some four decades after his untimely death, appreciation for Herbie Nichols' unique musical gifts
has at last reached an audible pitch. With tributes by Roswell Rudd, the Herbie Nichols Project
and a sparse-load of others already in the can, guitarist Eric T. Johnson jumps into the fray with his
newest release.
As those who have tried their hand will readily attest, the late pianist's music is far from a walk in
the park. Though brimming with beauty, tenderness and melancholy, Nichols' eclectic pen demands
utmost sensitivity and discipline from its interpreters. That said, Johnson and company - rounded out
by Phil Grenadier on trumpet, George Garzone on saxes, Bob Nieske on bass, and Nat Mugavero
on drums - have clearly done their homework. Throughout the set, the ensemble remains faithful to
the material at hand, while infusing it with originality and freshness of their own invention.
Of particular note are Johnson's arrangements, which cast intriguing degrees of shadow and
light through harmonic pairings of
guitar and horn. On "Love, Gloom, Cash, Love," for instance, Johnson picks delicate,
tender lines while Grenadier's trumpet deftly cascades up and down the melody. With "Crisp
Day," the contrast is even more dramatic, as Johnson's musing guitar plays parent to
Garzone's youthful, frolicking soprano. In both cases, the result is a delightfully textured sound that
manifests the depth of Nichols' compositions.
Above all else, Johnson's recording reinforces the fact that, though buried for some 40 years,
this
material remains compelling and poignant to the ear today. The more musicians endeavor to play
this fine music, the more people will get a chance to hear it - and eventually, perchance, the rightful
legacy of Herbie Nichols will at last be realized.
Note: this review originally appeared in All About Jazz: New
York.
~ Riel Lazarus
