FIVE PLAY – Live From The Firehouse Stage
5Play 2019
Sherrie Maricle (d); Noriko Ueda (b); Jamie Dauber (t, flh); Tomoko Ohno (p); Janelle Reichman (ts, cl)
Recorded at Firehouse stage NYC 13 October 2018
Recorded at the Schorr Family Firehouse stage in Johnson City, New York, this is the latest in a series of recordings by Five Play. Their first CD was issued back in 1999 and Sherrie Maricle was the drummer on that one although the personnel has changed over the years. Even so, this particular quintet has been together for over ten years and you can tell in their cohesive work that they enjoy playing together. Sherrie is the leader on drums, and she kicks things off with T Bone Special, a charging, explosive and boppish original of her own. Sherrie also supplies The Time Being, another bop swinger that closes the programme. Four out the five members of this tightly knit quintet arrange and compose as well as play and all contribute material. Bassist Noriko Ueda wrote Uneven Pieces, a track where she has a good workout and on the ballad Nancy With The Laughing Face she plays a sturdy walking bass line as Sherrie gives the drums a good airing before the horns take over. Just Squeeze Me is played as a smooth ballad and features Janelle Reichman on clarinet; she also solos on tenor sax on other tracks with a lithe, flowing sound. Pianist Ohno contributed The Pilot and the only Latin selection Samba De Sorvete. Ms Reichman also wrote, arranged and plays tenor on Unexpected.
The quintet is very much together on all selections here and the programme is varied enough to please most jazz enthusiasts. All members are first class soloists, and most have provided serviceable charts. Not to be overlooked, Jami Dauber is the group’s manager and she plays a lyrical trumpet and flugelhorn. Playing time is over 55 minutes.
Reviewed by Derek Ansell
