Merrimack Records - MR10162
LIVE AT TULA’s VOL.2
1. R-Hour
2. What Is This Thing Called Love
3. Lament
4. Belltown
5. Sweet And Lovely
6. The Loneliest Room
7. Without A Song
8. Watts Up
Jay Thomas (trumpet, flugelhorn & soprano sax); John Hansen (piano); Paul Gabrielson (bass); Jon Wikan (drums)
Recorded live at Tula's Jazz Club (Seattle, WA) on March 2nd & 3rd, 2001
A "live" recording by one of the country's top bebop artists. Jay's live performances have the feel of the after hours clubs where he first tested his jazz chops and his live CDs have gained high marks from audiences in the US, Canada, Japan and Europe. This seventh CD from leader Jay Thomas and his quartet swings from the very first note!
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JAY’S COMMENTS:
R-Hour The melody is highly infectious. If you are not careful you will find yourself humming it in the shower. What is This Thing Called Love is a standard that we have re-harmonized and opened up. From listening to this it is obvious the band members have all logged more than a few hours listening to Miles' band of the mid 60's. Lament, in my humble opinion, is one of the all time great ballads written. Belltown is a tune John Hansen composed and very much like John, it is full of dry wit and humor and has a funky streak that is rooted in the hard bop tradition. Sweet and Lovely is the last song we recorded on Saturday night and was totally on the fly. We had an Afro 6/8 going, a medium swing and double time all at once!!! But it worked! The Loneliest Room, a ballad is loaded with atmosphere. I think we succeeded in creating an evocative mood. Without A Song is a composition that jazz players have been enamored of for a long time. The rhythm section does some wicked and devious kicks over the melody that are cool but are surprising sounding. Watts Up is a tune where twists and turns abound. There also is more than a passing nod to Monk in this tune. This melody to my ears has a humorous good-natured feeling and definitely makes my toes tap. --- Jay Thomas
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“Live at Tula's Vol.2” REVIEWS
By Jim Santella, Cadence Magazine - January 2002
From a live session, Live at Tula’s, Volume 2, marks Jay Thomas’ seventh album as a leader. Volume 1, which took place in 1997-1998, contained the same enthusiasm for straight ahead fire as Volume 2. This time out, however, the band cooks with a spirit that espouses more freedom from traditional melodic and harmonic ties. Thomas started playing trumpet in the fourth grade. Much later, after a dozen years of paying his jazz dues professionally, he picked up the saxophones and flute. Several noted jazz artists play trumpet and saxophone well: among them Benny Carter and Ira Sullivan. The rich tone and natural facility Thomas has developed on each instrument comes as quite a surprise. Many artists do one thing and do it well. Thomas has become equally proficient on each instrument and feels right at home improvising before an audience. His quartet swings, while sending nods to Thelonious Monk, J.J. Johnson and Sonny Rollins. They hold special allegiance to Miles Davis’ mid-sixties band. Thomas has said that he feel a live performance contains more excitement than most studio situations, and that the songs tend to be longer, looser and contain more improvisation. This holds true for his latest session, as leader, pianist, bassist and drummer stretch out for an impressive program.