REVIEW – Bill O’Connell Quartet featuring Craig Handy, Friday, October 18, 2024 at A Place for Jazz

Pianist and leader Bill O’Connell announced “the political part of our program” Friday at A Place for Jazz; without taking sides or naming names, he then expressed, decried and resolved political strife with “Enough Is Enough.” This was about process, but also emotion, and so was the show overall – a thrilling synthesis of ideas by a group of free-range autonomous talents.

From left: Bill O’Connell, piano; Santi Debriano, bass; Craig Handy, saxophones and flute; and Billy Hart, drums

Let’s look at “Enough Is Enough,” second song in the second set, before starting from the top. 

O’Connell pushed “Enough” as a menacing march, argumentative, ominous; emphatic chords synced to Billy Hart’s toms. Craig Handy’s tenor saxophone at first felt pleading – for civility? –then rasped in frustrated, plaintive cries. When O’Connell reclaimed the lead, he, too, played at first with restraint, then gained a bustling bluesy force, etching a low ostinato that brought a smile to Santi Debriano as he took it up with his bass. Debriano both blended with O’Connell’s piano and set up a pulse that carried through the 12-minute tune. If the pulse marked the pace of time, a war and peace history played out in Handy’s second solo that went far outside into wild, intense conflict before a serene resolution, like Pharaoh Sanders at his most spiritual, like peace returning to a troubled land.

The way these four musicians fused disparate elements into purposeful power in “Enough” confirmed super-fan Mabel Leon’s observation at intermission that “They all have different styles” – but they all made things fit. The balance moved around, especially when Hart, 83, asserted his hard-bop aggressive style. He played splashy cymbals when setting the beat alongside the telepathic, always on the money Debriano, but spoke mainly through toms and kick drum when soloing – several times hitting the “Salt Peanuts” bebop lick. He hit hard; a single mic hung high over his kit. Mostly busy, always tasty, O’Connell often played with happy, elegant Oscar Peterson swagger, but eased into Bill Evans-like reverie in the tender “Moms’ Song,” their only ballad all night.

Bill O’Connell, piano and leader

In the first set, O’Connell played all original, deeply personal tunes, celebrating his current home at a Long Island beach in “Seaglass,” recalling the vibrant street energy of his former NYC residence in “85th Street,” visiting the islands in “Cayman,” welcoming three new grand-daughters (all born within two weeks!) with “Moms’ Song” and honoring his mother’s memory in “Sparks.”

He opened both sets solo, his piano shimmering all alone in “Seaglass” then everybody sparkling in turn. Hart exploded an aggressive eruption before things settled some as Handy ran fast scales that O’Connell appropriated in his main solo, pulsing with Debriano’s discreet bass nudges and capped with rapid Hart cymbal rolls, everybody sounding spirited and playful, swapping short riffs at the end.

“85th Street” jostled and honked with energy so urban you could almost smell the inside of a Yellow cab, the stale spice of a hot-dog stand. As in “Seaglass,” Hart hit a hot flurry early on. Handy delivered a restrained-then-wilder solo, then O’Connell briefly quoted “Softly As In A Morning Sunrise” in his. After Hart’s tasty toms break, the drummer ended his solo by glance-cuing O’Connell to lead the coda.

“Cayman” felt too busy for reggae or calypso at first as Handy switched to soprano sax, his tone even sweeter than on tenor. But as he pumped abrupt short riffs, the sun came out on the tune and it went all Caribbean travelog, mainly in O’Connell’s salsa runs, recalling his long tenures in Latin bands..

The pianist also set the tender tone of “Moms’ Song,” a mellow valentine that Handy’s switch to flute fit perfectly. Debriano’s arco bass and Hart’s gentle mallet and brushes beats also imparted a loving vibe.

Billy Hart; Craig Handy, above

“Sparks” was all-in drive and dazzle, especially O’Connell after a short but effective tenor break. O’Connell played the whole piano in this one; but then Handy played a riff everybody jumped aboard for smooth sailing, Hart quoting “Salt Peanuts” as DeBriano quietly went double-time in the coda. O’Connell’s intro was mystical; the band’s playing tangible and earthy.

O’Connell came onstage alone for the second set, speculating the band would soon join him. This felt impromptu, but was good schtick even if they’d rehearsed it. His intro to “Three Little Words,” the only standard all night, had a jaunty Errol Garner swing, busy at a confident mid-tempo. When he gazed into the wings, ten charming minutes in, his bandmates got the message and strolled on for ten more. 

We’ve already talked about “Enough Is Enough;” then came “Tip Toes,” dedicated, O’Connell said, to Fred Flintstone’s bowling style. This made sense with the abrupt cartoony cadences up front and soon proved among their most interactive tunes with O’Connell playing in harmony with Handy’s tenor, then Handy returning the favor with a cadence O’Connell adopted.

Debriano, left, and Hamwright

This weekend is Homecoming at Union College, and Union grad Debriano greeted fellow alum photographer Rudy Lu and former band mate Ricardo Hamwright at intermission with happy hugs. 

Brellochs, left; and McCann

Before the show, SUNY Schenectady County Community College School of Music Dean Christopher Brellochs and A Place for Jazz President and WCDB jazz DJ Bill McCann announced saxophonists Dylan Doeg and Tyler Munson as twin winners of the A Place for Jazz scholarship, the first time two players had shared the award.

A Place for Jazz wraps up its season Friday, Nov. 1 with trumpeter-singer Bria Skonberg and her Quartet.