9307 - CHARLIE WATTS JIM KELTNER PROJECT (2000)

CHARLIE WATTS JIM KELTNER
''CHARLIE WATTS JIM KELTNER PROJECT''
MAY 23 2000
54:53

1 Shelly Manne 02:53
2 Art Blakey 05:17
3 Kenny Clarke 03:22
4 Tony Williams (Mick Jagger, Jim Keltner, Charlie Watts) 11:39
5 Roy Haynes 04:08
6 Max Roach 04:03
7 Airto 06:20
8 Billy Higgins 04:34
9 The Elvin Suite (Blondie Chaplin, Jim Keltner, Charlie Watts) 12:16
Tracks By Keltner & Watts, Except 4, 9

Kenny Aronoff/Percussion
Blondie Chaplin/Vocals
Philippe Chauveau/Congas, Cowbell, Kalimba, Oud, Shaker, Surdo, Tom-Tom, Voices
Mick Jagger/Guest Artist, Keyboards
Jim Keltner/Drums, Flute, Guitar, Keyboards, Percussion, Sampling, Sequencing, Tom-Tom
Keith Richards/Guest Artist, Guitar
Charlie Watts/Drums

REVIEW/AMG
by William Tilland
**** / *****
Those fans with more than a passing knowledge of the Rolling Stones will be aware of drummer Charlie Watts' longtime interest in traditional jazz. Some might even be aware that Watts has assembled and fronted a British big band, and has also led a solid jazz quintet with several CDs to its credit. Still, it comes as something of a surprise initially that Watts would produce what appears to be a solo drum CD, with song titles named after various jazz master drummers -- "Max Roach," "Art Blakey," "Shelley Manne," and so on. Superficially, this might suggest an ego trip for Watts wherein he sets out to demonstrate his dazzling technique and versatility, but Watts' characteristic modesty would never allow him to attempt such a thing. Instead, what he has done -- with the assistance of drummer, producer, and idea man Keltner -- is to distill some sort of personal essence of each of the nine drummers featured on this CD, and then put together what amounts to a series of musical portraits. So, for example, the Art Blakey piece is very African and tribal, with plenty of tom-toms, emphasizing that aspect of Blakey's playing. And Airto's piece, of course, uses a samba rhythm, supplementary congas, and a bandolean for added ethnic flavor. Other interpretations are a little less obvious, and perhaps more subjective. Kenny Clarke's piece, for example (Clarke being the elegant longtime drummer with the Modern Jazz Quartet), uses violins, oud, and tar, and has a decidedly Middle Eastern cast -- even though Clarke has no obvious connections with the Middle East. The Billy Higgins and Max Roach selections make creative use of samples and have a techno element, although the Roach piece also includes some very good traditional jazz piano as well. And the Tony Williams selection is a somber dirge, and less an interpretation of Williams' nimble percussive style than a moving memorial to his unexpected death. Throughout, Watts weighs in with his customary tasteful, rock-solid beats, and Keltner (along with other musical guests) sees to it that the program is diverse and entertaining. This is an unusual "one-of" project, but it is a highly successful one.

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6165 - PAGE MCCONNELL (2007)

PAGE MCCONNELL
''PAGE MCCONNELL''
APRIL 17 2007
52:34

1 - Beauty Of A Broken Heart/00:03:35
2 - Heavy Rotation/00:10:37
3 - Maid Marian/00:05:04
4 - Close To Home/00:04:16
5 - Runaway Bride/00:03:49
6 - Back In The Basement/00:08:11
7 - Rules I Don't Know/00:06:01
8 - Complex Wind/00:04:58
9 - Everyone But Me/00:05:06
All Tracks By McConnell

Trey Anastasio /Guitar
Jonathan Fishman /Drums
Mike Gordon /Bass
Jeff Hill /Bass
Jim Keltner /Drums
Page McConnell /Accordion, Bass, Clavinet, Drum Programming, Organ, Piano, Synthesizer, Synthesizer Bass, Toy Piano, Vocals, Wurlitzer
Jared Slomoff /Bass, Guitar (Acoustic), Guitar (Electric), Trumpet, Vocals, Vocals (Background)
Adam Zimmon /Guitar

REVIEW
by Stephen Thomas Erlewine
It's a strange thing that when Phish members go solo they make simpler records that are more streamlined than any of their band's albums. These are records that are often better as albums than Phish's studio efforts, which often tended to meander and never quite gelled. Such is the case with Page McConnell, the Phish keyboardist whose eponymous 2007 solo debut is uncannily reminiscent of Trey Anastasio's eponymous 2002 solo debut even if it's different in many respects. What is similar between both albums is that they share a soft, hazy quality that brings to mind the laid-back vibe of Californian singer/songwriters of the '70s, but McConnell's album is more unified than Anastasio's. It also has more modern touches, like a turntable faintly scratching in the background on "Heavy Rotation" or the skittish drum-n-bass-inspired rhythm track of the closer, "Everyone But Me." Despite these flourishes, Page McConnell nevertheless sounds like a thowback to the late '70s, both in its warm, burnished production (courtesy of producer Bryce Goggin and engineer Jared Slomoff) but also in its mellow, mildly jazzy funkiness and how the songs easily open up for solos from McConnell and his band, anchored by veteran drummer Jim Keltner. This has such a relaxed vibe that even when McConnell sings about the murky menace of modern times, it sounds friendly; never have melting ice caps and stolen elections sounded less threatening than they do on "Maid Marian," delivered in Page's plain, conversational voice. Far from being a detriment, that relaxed vibe is what makes Page McConnell a satisfying listen. There's nothing rushed about this album, yet it doesn't wander; it all flows from the same unhurried place, and the keyboardist and his colleagues, who include guitarist Adam Zimmon plus all former Phish mates, find interesting ways to spin his soft, soul- and jazz-inflected tunes. Such low-key exploration, combined with some good modest tunes, makes for an endearing solo debut that finds McConnell forging a new, interesting path away from Phish.

BIOGRAPHY
by Steve Leggett
Best known as the piano and keyboard player for Phish, Page McConnell was born May 17, 1963, in Philadelphia, PA, moving to Basking Ridge, NJ, in 1969 with his family. McConnell began piano lessons at the age of four and was playing in local bands by the time he was in the seventh grade. He attended Southern Methodist University in Dallas, TX, from 1982 to 1984, and then transferred to Goddard College in Vermont, graduating in 1987. McConnell played with several area bands while at Goddard, including Love Goat, Pueblo Fever, Tom's Sub Shop, and most notably Phish, which he officially joined in 1985, spending the next 15 years playing, recording, and touring with the group. In 2001 he formed the electronic trio Vida Blue with Oteil Burbridge and Russell Batiste. The group released two albums, 2002's Vida Blue and 2003's The Illustrated Band, before calling it quits. In 2007 McConnell released his debut solo album, simply entitled Page McConnell, on Legacy Records.