WASHINGTON CITY PAPER REVIEW: Saltman Knowles, Yesterday's Man

Review by Michal J. West
January 27,2010


LINK: http://tinyurl.com/yd2lqgz

Yesterday’s Man is the third album by D.C.’s Saltman Knowles,the latest stop on the group’s neverending quest for melody and hooks. This time, pianist William Knowles and bassist Mark Saltman lead an unusual octet that features a steel pan drummer (Victor Provost). Adventures in instrumentation aside, Yesterday’s Man is the slickest Saltman Knowles production yet. More importantly, though, it’s a tour de force for singer Lori Williams-Chisholm, the band’s only constant besides its namesakes. As always, her joy in singing is unshakable, even on less-than-joyful tunes like “They Don’t Really Care for Us,” but her silken delivery and exceptional timing make up a lot of that ground and help convey the darker moods. Better still are her scatting and improvisations on “Blues for Sale” and “08 Bossa,” among others, where a remarkable talent for rhythmic sounds and melodic variation come through. Yesterday’s Man is a worthy document of one of the District’s most consistently high-quality ensembles.

Also: Nothing official yet, but if history is an indicator, you can expect a CD release gig or two at HR-57 in the very near future.

SALTMAN KNOWLES REVIEW: Yesterday's Man

IMPROVIJAZZATION NATION

http://zzaj.freehostia.com/Z98Reviews.htm

Saltman-Knowles - YESTERDAY'S MAN: Music from these folks is always welcomed here at IMPROVIJAZZATION NATION... we reviewed their "Return of the Composer" CD in issue #94. Knowles keyboards and Saltman's bass are just as vibrant on this new 10-song album... there are a whole host of other players here, but their other regular player is vocalist Lori Williams-Chisolm, whose vocals shine again this time. That's particularly true of her singing on tracks like "Cry"... at about 6:11 into the 7:10 piece, she rolls into a scat that's among the best I've ever heard... will bring a tear of joy (or more) to your eye, for sure. The funk-poppin' beat of the bass helps a great deal on the lead-in to "Shesh", but as always, they bring it right back to the jazz that's at the core of all their musical adventures... great piece, to be sure. Their music is all original, so there's no chance that you'll be challenged with tired covers of someone else's jazz vision... the energy is high and the talent just flows from these folks! My favorite cut was "Blues For Sale" an original from Saltman that puts that bass right out there where it belongs - driving this kickin' tune that they said (in the liner notes) has "a bit of bug juice in the percussion solo"... not sure exactly what they meant there, but this tune is superb jazz that will get your spirit movin'! Actually, though, the whole production is a winner, & I give it a MOST HIGHLY RECOMMENDED, to be sure. "EQ" (energy quotient) rating is 4.93. Get more information at www.saltmanknowles.com Rotcod Zzaj

Four Star Review for Saltman Knowles New CD Yesterday's Man

Nathaniel Rolnick – MuzikReviews.com

November 10, 2009

Read entire review at: http://www.muzikreviews.com/reviews.php?ID=836

Bassist Mark Saltman and pianist William Knowles previous album was titled It’s All About the Melody and clearly they still believe that. Yesterday’s Man boasts ten original songs (five by each partner) chock full of warm, satisfying melodious craft. Yesterday’s Man boasts ten original songs (five by each partner) chock full of warm, satisfying melodious craft. The duo bandleaders revere traditional melody, the musical choice of a bygone type of man who, according to their press release, “dressed well, was articulate…had sophisticated tastes, integrity, a much longer attention span, and most of all…listened to good melodic music.” Ok, so maybe they have a slight case of nostalgia. Melody and substance are timeless and they show it.

REVIEW: SALTMAN KNOWLES - "RETURN OF THE COMPOSER"

JAZZ IMPROV MAGAZINE – NEW YORK


By Nick Mondello

PERSONNEL: Mark Saltman, double bass/composer; William Knowles, piano/composer; Lori Williams- Chisholm, vocals; Jimmy “Junebug” Jackson, drums; Alvin Trask, trumpet; Robert Landham, saxes

Pacific Coast Jazz Label


What is it about bass player-composers? While predominantly dwelling in the harmonic-rhythmic foundation of the jazz composition, bassists such as Charlie Haden, and of course, the Dali Lama of bassist composers, Charles Mingus, have given the jazz world some of its most intriguing, memorable compositions. In this highly engaging CD, Return of the Composer, Mark Saltman continues and lives up to that basso profundo compositional tradition – but he’s not alone.

Saltman’s compositional colleague on this date, pianist William Knowles, also steps up to the plate here with a fine foursome of neat originals seemingly steeped in the best Horace Silver tradition. The result of this compositional collaboration, combined with the talents of the rest of this ensemble, is a terrific array of intelligent, involving music. With ten original selections, each with a driving, catchy rhythmic undercurrent, Saltman, Knowles and cohorts make the most of the composed platform they are provided.

Not surprisingly, the rhythmic ribbons on many of the selections are engaging from the bottom up, but, are never clichéd. Bassist Saltman, the savvy composer that he is, knows what will drive and what might turn rhythmically stale and melodically non-supportive. Knowles knows this all too well, too. Pianist William Knowles‘s playing is outstanding, never stepping on either vocal or ensemble toes. Vocalist Lori Williams-Chisholm has a beautiful, soprano voice that is pitch-pure. Since all the selections here with the exception of the closer “Pain Management”, have no verbal lyrics, Williams-Chisholm’s intonation, sense of swing and ensemble “playing” need to be perfect – and they are. Horn input from the exciting Robert Landham on saxes and the very talented Alvin Trask on trumpet are noteworthy. Both solo con brio y alma throughout. Drummer Jimmy “Junebug” Jackson pushes and prods nicely throughout the session.

The rhythmic mix here is extremely good. There is a high degree of esprit evident. Although each selection is highly listenable and involving, of particular interest are the hustling “Bellport,” the triple-metered “It’s Been a Mad Spring,” and the stealthy “Creepin’ Up”. The production and recording values are excellent. With such expertise in their respective comp skills, I wondered as to why there is not a ballad selection included. With what Saltman and Knowles have in their compositional knapsack and with the wonderful vocal talent displayed by Williams-Chisholm and ensemble excellence displayed, I’d wager it would be another stellar performance, as is this effort.

I hope the composers’ return again – very soon.

REVIEW POINT BLOG features Saltman Knowles

Saltman Knowles: "Return of the Composer"

Review by Dennis Brotz, guest author at:

Review Point (Blogcritics.org) site of Paul Jordan

http://reviewpoint.blogspot.com/2008/12/saltman-knowles-return-of-composer.html

Sunday, December 14
The legendary author of Slaughterhouse Five, and many other books, Kurt Vonnegut, used to be fond of saying

"The United States of America has come up with only two good new things: Alcoholics Anonymous and jazz."

The first, with it's 12-Step Program now adapted to over 200 different addictions and problems, spiritually awakens even atheists to taste Heaven - and sometimes Beyond - Now. Great art similarly can take even absolute misery and make us experience it as sublime. Or Better. Such is the jazz CD Return of the Composer by Saltman Knowles.

Jazz is quite sophisticated music. So much so that it's usually beyond me. But then I'm lucky if I like one or two new songs a year from any genre. And for me melody is the key. If the melody's not immediately compelling, forget it, I can't pay attention. Occasionally a song can grow on me beyond how it originally strikes me. For example, a first listen to Jewel's Pieces of You album bounced off me almost completely, as did Losing my Religion by R.E.M. and Imagine by John Lennon. Now I more than love them. Songs like Time of the Season by the Zombies and Let's Live for Today by the Grass Roots bowled me over immediately. Now you get my range...

Saltman Knowles members seem to be among some of the most highly credentialed in their genre. Reading their bios is the only way to fully appreciate this. Of relevance to me is the fact that one of Mark Saltman's most striking major influences was Dr. Yusef Lateef, the great American multi-instrumentalist, composer and educator whom Mark met while attending the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. Discussions, according to Mark, would involve

"all kinds of things, including music, religion, and politics. He is Muslim and I am Jewish, so we really went into the whole religious thing. It was totally respectful and totally enlightening."

And - more than coincidentally? - at the heart of the Middle East conflict and terrorism today. Lateef also encouraged Mark to find his "own sound within." Wherein the Divine resides. Or, as Christ put it to the Pharisees, who didn't believe in him, "The Kingdom of God comes not with observation. You can't say, 'Look! There it is!' Or, 'Behold! It is there!' For the Kingdom of God is within you." Or, as the old saying goes: "We don't see the world as it is, but as we are." The Greeks claimed the influence of the goddess Muses. Their art then helping us tap into our own Divine Spark within!

Mark is also an educator in the Washington, D.C. schools and likes exploring the relationship between sound and color in the study of Synaesthesia. Cutting-edge stuff at a time when it's being demonstrated that we humans actually have at least 53 senses, and not just the 5 Aristotle named a long long time ago. He also said that a fly had eight legs. And almost no one bothered to check otherwise - to discover they only had 6 - until centuries later... And then, natch, there's the possibility we have a 6th or 7th Sense or Senses. Further information about all this can be found at ecopsych.com, describing Project NatureConnect, whose founder Dr. Cohen, claims it's the Grand Unified Field Theory most science claims is as yet undiscovered. William Knowles and the soulful vocalist Lori Williams-Chisholm's qualifications also bear deeper investigation and are very relevant, but the main point I'm getting at here is that - whatever the credentials - very little impresses me musically.

Great melody being an absolute requirement to open my Inner Door. And - with the help of other very skilled musicians - that very requirement seems the central bond of the two core members of Saltman Knowles in their

"mutual hunger for melodic content woven within a tapestry of harmonic emotional patterns. It all starts with a singable melody, because without that there is no glue. Then we like to do something that sounds harmonically unique...to write things that evoke very strong feelings."

Residing in a lively, culturally rich area of Washington D.C., their last release, It's About the Melody received excellent reviews and won the Best International Jazz song from Toronto Exclusive Magazine in 2007.

Some of the melodies on this album were - how to put it? - Beyond Infinitely Sweet! Far more significant was that within days of just listening to the album once, I experienced a feeling of love or Love in a Divine - or Beyond? - Sense, stronger than any I've felt in my 55 years. Coincidence? The themes on this possible masterpiece very much cut to the very spiritual heart of not only the new millennium, but the timeless. Homeland, for example, is about a longing for a place to call your own where you feel like you belong and can feel comfortable. The concept is more of a spiritual home than a physical one.

The composition Shalom and Salaam, comes from the word "peace" in Hebrew and Arabic. It uses elements from both cultures and almost all of our wishes to find a peaceful settlement to the seemingly unsolvable and extremely dangerous Middle East Conflict. Seeds and Deeds is about the deeds we do today being the seeds for things tomorrow. The Nichiren Buddhist chant "Nam-myoho-renge-kyo" means "Devotion to the mystic law of instantaneous simultaneous cause and effect through sound vibration" wherein Awakening and Enlightenment can occur as the Experience of The Heaven Beyond Heaven. Here. Now. In this lifetime. Instant karma gonna get you!

A Pillar of Saltman was written for Mark's dad, Kopi Saltman, who passed away, and while very quiet, always tried to hold firm to his ethics and beliefs. A State of Being wherein - as described by Bill Wilson, entails very special almost immediate Rewards: "When I follow the dictates of a Higher Power, I presently live in a new and wonderful world - that gets increasingly wonderful as time goes on - no matter what my present circumstances". Pain Management is a song for the broken hearted. She ran off with another man. Saltman Knowles renders this so the listener gets a sublime experience, though not necessarily immediately. The smiles of almost outrageous joy on the CD cover reflect a genuine condition of being that the music inside actually creates or elicits in the listener. Sometimes with a delayed-effect.

As our spiritual, emotional, psychological, artistic, and political landscapes unfold and develop - with always some initial growing pain - very painful in many circumstances - into a potential New Golden Age such as humanity has never seen before, perhaps even ushering in a New Heaven and a new Earth, God knows we can use all the Help we can get. Enlightening some of our suffering. And in that sort of suffering, the Buddha informs us, the sufferer leaves. Saltman Knowles' "Return of the Composer" gives Precisely That State of Being - and in this humble listener's opinion - beyond sublimely more, just opens New Eden's door. Nothing more is a chore.