Original straight-ahead jazz deeply rooted in the hard-bop quintet tradition of artists like Horace Silver.

11 MP3 Songs
JAZZ: Traditional Jazz Combo, JAZZ: Bebop



Details:
From the liner notes by trumpet great Brian Lynch:

There is some music that brings you right in; the kind that from the first note you hear lets you know that you are going to be in for a most enjoyable and rewarding listening experience. Such is the music on this CD from the estimable fivesome that has come together here as the Powerhouse Quintet. Their music has that quality of making you want to put aside whatever else you're doing and dig their hip sounds.
The smooth blend of this group speaks of the long and warm relationship of the principal figures in the quintet. Bryant, Steve, and Bim are all wonderful players and composers alike, and their musical contributions in both spheres are both accomplished and complementary to each other, in a way that shows the special quality of their personal and musical relationships. I'm a firm believer in the idea that friendship off the stand translates into togetherness on the stand (or recording studio in this case), and this CD is proof positive.
The highlights on this disc are many; Bryant Allard's fluent and confident playing on his attractive original,"The Chase", Bim Strasberg's stalwart bass playing throughout the recording, along with his skein of well crafted, swinging tunes ("Incanto", "Rockermotion"). Steve Feierabend impresses me with his impassioned yet thoughtful playing as much on this record as he did sight reading my music on a recent gig with my group in San Diego. Speaking of San Diego, two of the area's finest and truly world class players fill out the quintet here, pianist Ivar Antonsen and drummer Tim McMahon. Tim's strong and supportive playing helps provide the rhythmic glue that keeps the drive going in this ensemble, and Ivar's eloquently creative solo statements and rich comping set off the horns perfectly.
I invite you to come on in and listen to the supple, swinging sounds contained herein! Sit back, relax, and enjoy the Powerhouse Quintet.
Brian Lynch - May 2003

(Brian Lynch was a member of the legendary Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers, recording three albums with the Messengers and staying with Art until his death in 1990. He was instrumental in the formation of the acclaimed Eddie Palmieri Afro-Caribbean Jazz Octet and has recently recorded with The Phil Woods Quintet, The Toshiko Akiyoshi Orchestra, and the Artist formerly known as Prince. Brian's most recent sixth solo CD, "Spheres of Influence" made it to the top of the jazz radio charts).