Peter O'Mara My Time Marangani Records
2012 Ò5 Stars!Ó
http://www.criticaljazz.com/2012/09/peter-omara-my-time-marangani-records.html
As a jazz
critic I find myself a man of simple pleasures. I enjoy lyrically driven and
harmonically adventurous post modern jazz, Kentucky bourbon and musical irony.
While my short stay as a contributing critic for All About Jazz was
something far less than pleasant, I reviewed one of the finest modern jazz
vibraphone players in Tim Collins. I later interviewed Tim Collins for my site. A few days
ago guitarist Peter O'Mara contacted my office to inquire about the possibility
of reviewing his stellar new release My Time. I now owe Tim Collins a huge debt
of gratitude while over the past month A.A.J has reeled off reviews from the
rock bands Yes and Little Feat both having long been on the rock and roll scrap
heap for years. In the spirit of making lemonade out of lemons O'Mara is now
the fourth artist that has contacted my office after my not so amiable
split with A.A.J. and in doing so offers up one of the very finest releases for
2012. This Australian six string wonder has been living in Munich since 1982.
Having numerous friends living in Munich and Cologne Germany, I am well aware
of the vibrant jazz scene which may rank a close second to New York when
considering the depth and virtuoso skill the area artists are able to bring to
the studio or concert hall. The artistic community in Germany is however
slightly more artist friendly but that is a topic for another time.
Six of the ten tracks are O'Mara originals with some slightly eclectic
standards tossed into the mix to keep things fresh and moving. The lyrical
sense of purpose is perfectly captured with the opening tune "It Never
Entered My Mind." The Rogers and Hart classic is slightly reharmed into a
free flowing ballad with Tim Collins solo adding a harmonic flavor that is rich
in texture and color while blending perfectly with this stellar 4tet. The
subtle nuances from the rhythm section rounded out by contrabass player Henning
Sieverts and Matthias Gmelin are done with the type of finesse and elegance
necessary to keep the integrity of this beautiful tune. "Round
Midnight" can be a musical trip wire for some artists if they are unable
to channel the raw emotion or connectivity necessary to tug at the heartstrings
of a listener. O'Mara nails this tune as though he has played it from day one
of his career. Clean single note lines with the lyrical bass of Sieverts and
deceptively subtle brush work of Gmelin make this tune far more than the
average cover but rather an emotional trip back to the future for the jazz
aficionado that lives for tradition. O'Mara's riff on Herbie Hancock's
"Dolphin Dance" has an intriguing buoyant quality despite being a
tune done mid tempo. The ability to shift meter as well as dynamics on the fly
is an immediate head turner. O'Mara has the ability to work without a harmonic
net and more than ample chops to take this tune back up a notch when necessary.
Drummer Gmelin along with the entire rhythm section does not own the pocket
here, they are the pocket with a deceptively subtle swing bordering on
infectious. One of O'Mara's two best originals are saved for last in "Last
Chance" which has the slight musical frame of reference of early Pat Metheny
meets John Abercrombie but the key to success is that O'Mara establishes his
own voice. Tim Collins drops in with a sonic exploratory of a solo as the
ensemble begins pushing the musical envelope with the proficiency of a working
band that has been together twenty years. The other original saved to close out
this remarkable release is "Movin On" which allows the music if not
the release itself to come full circle. While O'Mara is a formidable composer,
were it not for a solid working knowledge of the material here one could easily
mistake "Movin On" as a standard in waiting and something tells me it
could very well be.
I
have reviewed over a dozen guitarists thus far with Peter O'Mara rising head
and shoulders above the pack. A dynamic 4tet with exquisite song selection and
the virtuoso talent to move effortlessly throughout each tune, the aptly titled
"My Time" is merely an introduction of a stellar talent whose musical
stock should be an arrow pointing straight up.
If
anything I owe All About Jazz a debt of thanks. Were it not for meeting
vibraphonist Tim Collins then I too may be reviewing the same geezers of rock
they find themselves working now.
Easily
a five star release and one of the best for 2012!
Tracks: It Never Entered My Mind; Sizzle; Waltz For Vivien; Maratime;
Round Midnight; Crossing Over; Dolphin Dance; I Concentrate On You; Last
Chance; Movin On.
Personnel: Peter O'Mara: guitar; Tim Collins: vibraphone; Henning
Sieverts: contrabass; Matthias Gmelin: drums.
Posted by Brent Black at CriticalJazz.com