Steve Davis - Vibe Up! (Criss Cross, 1998)

Steve Davis, trombone
Steve Nelson, vibes
Peter Bernstein, guitar
David Hazeltine, piano
Peter Washington, bass
Joe Farnsworth, drums

Mike DiRubbo, alto sax

Recorded December 19, 1998
Systems Two, NYC
Engineer: Max Bolleman

By the late 1990s, Criss Cross had settled into a Blue Note‑like routine: regularly recording a tight circle of trusted musicians in shifting combinations. It continues to be a winning strategy for the label and a great opportunity for artists like Steve Davis to gain prominence as a leader.

Beginning his career in 1990 in a late version of Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers, Davis had no apparent trouble getting gigs playing with groups led by artists like Jackie McLean, Leon Parker, Mario Pavone, and John Swana. Vibe Up! was Davis's third album as a leader and second for Criss Cross. Since 1998, he has recorded at least 20 albums and contributed to dozens more as a sideman or co-leader. Discogs catalogs over 170 appearances, and his pace of recording has not slowed down.

Vibe Up! is a bright, punchy set of five originals by the leader, two by guitarist Peter Bernstein, "The Summary" by Thad Jones, and Leonard Bernstein's "Somewhere." Davis's choice of instrumentation is unusual, if not unprecedented. The rhythm section is conventional, but a front line of two horns (trombone and alto sax), vibes, and guitar is a rarity. With five instruments capable of soloing on every tune, it's a challenge to write charts to handle the diversity. Davis not only handles the challenge but also exploits it to turn Vibe Up! into a modern classic. 

The first two tracks, both penned by the leader, illustrate Davis's approach to arranging. "Vibe Up!" is a cool cooker whereas "It's the Little Things that Count" has a sweet song-like melody. The theme statements on these originals pair trombone with vibes, creating an uncluttered combination of timbres. The solos on both tunes progress in orderly fashion over the sympathetic rhythm team.

Blue Domain's" boogaloo tempo harkens back to the Blue Note albums of the late 1960s. "Somewhere" is given a halting, up tempo treatment. Solos alternate walking beats and double-time choruses and a drum solo from Joe Farnsworth.

Thad Jones' "The Summary" first appeared on the Jones-Lewis big band's Suite for Pops (Horizon, 1975). It's the one true ballad on Vibe Up! Davis eschews a horn arrangement for "The Summary" and states the theme by himself on trombone. Peter Washington is featured on an extended bass solo. 

Perhaps the most interesting track on Vibe Up! is "Tournesol," which involves a modal shift in pace from 3/4 to 6/8. At first, it sounds like alternating 3/4 and 4/4, but closer listening reveals that the 3-beat simply accelerates into a 6/8 feel within each solo. It's a nice arranger's touch. Mike DiRubbo's Jackie Mclean-influenced alto on "Tournesol" has never sounded better. Although only appearing on three tracks, DiRubbo fills out the sound of the primary quintet. 

The secret star of the session, however, is Joe Farnsworth, whose unfaltering drum work gives the entire session a solid foundation.