December 15, 2011
Jazz
It’s here!
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| One of the best tenor saxophonists to come along in years. Tim Mayer’s approach to the horn is sophisticated, passionate, and lyrical. His big sound is warm and powerful. Listen for yourself. Tim Mayer is definitely here to stay!
“A powerful new voice has arrived on the “It always gives me pleasure to meet younger musicians who have one foot in the past, one foot in the present, and their souls firmly rooted in the future of music. Tim Mayer is one of those musicians! ” - Claudio Roditi. |
| Tim Mayer’s exposure to music, namely jazz and exotica, began at age 4, when he learned to work his parents’ record player. His favorite records were by Wes Montgomery, Ahmad Jamal, Bill Evans, and Martin Denny. He started playing saxophone when he was ten, and began learning jazz at Florida State University’s Summer Music Camp in 1980, where he found himself studying with many young and talented musicians including Marcus Roberts. In December of 1990, Tim began what was to be a three-year stint working aboard the cruise ships. This provided him with the opportunity to study a variety of styles and play in big bands that accompanied entertainers Al Martino, Vic Damone, Diahann Carrol, Bobby Rydell, Connie Stevens, Jack Jones, and many others.
In September of 1993, Tim attended Berklee College of Music in Boston where he studied privately with Andy McGhee, George Garzone, and Bill Pierce. In 1998, Tim opened for Chucho Valdez at the Baranqui Jazz Festival in Baranquilla, Columbia. In February of 2003, he performed and recorded with the RG Jazz Orchestra in Tenerife, in the Canary Islands of Spain. That same year, he partook in the 4th Seminar and Jazz Festival in Jalapa, Mexico as a performer and clinician. Tim has performed locally with visiting artists John Faddis, Bob Mintzer, Marvin Stamm, Arturo Sandoval, Nick Brignola Bobby Shew, and Ed Calle, percussionists Eguie Castrillo, Horacio “El Negro” Hernandez, and Giovanni Hidalgo; trombone greats Phil Wilson and Slide Hampton, and pianists Kirk Lightsey (in Seville), and Danilo Perez. Tim Mayer and Rusty Scott have collaborated to perform a tribute to the Tough Tenors (Johnny Griffin/Eddie “Lockjaw” Davis) and the Boss Tenors (Sonny Stitt/Gene Ammons), which has featured on different occasions as special guests Bill Pierce or Andy McGhee. In 2007, and 2008, Waitiki won consecutive Hawaii Music Awards for three consecutive releases, Charred Mammal Flesh, Rendezvous In Okonkuluku, and in 2009, Paradise Lost And Found, which was produced by Jim Beloff featuring the arranging and instrumental talents of Waitiki, is nominated for the award. 2009 has also seen a Grammy nomination for another group with which Tim has been affiliated for a long time. La Clave Secreta, the Timba Salsa brainchild of pianist/arranger Gonzalo Grau, was nominated for Best Latin/Caribbean Album. While it didn’t win, losing to Jose Feliciano is hardly a disappointment. Since 2001, he has been on the Berklee faculty teaching at the Saxophone Weekend, the Five-Week Program, Berklee’s City Music Saturday School and as Outreach faculty at Boston Arts Academy, and filling in for various faculty members during the year. Review from Jazz In Space: |
It defies belief that “Resilience” (JLP Records) is a debut recording from the young tenor saxophonist, Tim Mayer, chiefly because he sounds so old — as in experienced, polished and professional. Cohesively constructed, the album suggests that Mayer has a crush on cool school sounds originally swung by guys like Zoot Sims and Frank Wess. This is exuberant stuff that’s given the full workout by its cast of players like pianist George Cables, bassist Dezron Douglas and drummer Willie Jones III; all of them top notch talent. Also remarkable is Mayer’s guest list that includes trumpeters Claudio Roditi, Greg Gisbert and Dominick Farinacci, trombonist Michael Dease, guitarist Mark Whitfield and Don Braden on flute. Slavish to the groove, Mayer leads his all-stars through vintage jazz hits by Kenny Dorham, Lee Morgan, Fats Navarro (a juicy “Dance Of The Infidels”) and Thelonious Monk’s “Work,” where he cleverly echoes the great Charlie Rouse. Fresher still are hard-line showstoppers like Dease’s sublimely swinging “For Miles” where Mayer spins out notes with a delirious glee and Cable’s own “Klimo,” a bossa inflected bop tune that’s animated by its darting melodic lines and fusion of horns. Mayer’s effortless proficiency extends to ballads (the solid “I Guess I’ll Hang My Tears Out To Dry”) and his own rapid fire “Who Knew” that pairs the saxophonist with guitarist Whitfield, hammering their notes home in perfect unison. “Resilience” is a breathlessly exciting, straight-ahead recording. (10 tracks; 60:51 minutes) Get it here.
There are few challenges so great as being a side man on someone else’s Jazz project. The line between what you can do and what the project needs to make it the best it can be is everything. It’s also a great honor. It means someone out there values who you are and what you do to the point that they see you as a valuable asset to the project. I have been very proud to have participated in these great CD’s.
John Hazilla & Saxabone, Form & Function
(CIMP #142, 1997)
John Hazilla-drums, percussion
Jim Odgren-alto saxophone
Greg Badolato-tenor saxophone
Tim Mayer-baritone saxophone
John Pierce-trombone
Partial track listing:
Eternal Triangle (Sonny Stitt)
Our Man Higgins (Lee Morgan)
Crepuscule With Nellie (T. Monk, arr. Tim Mayer)
A Little Busy (Bobby Timmons)
Cubrazil (John Hazilla)
Yoko Miwa, In The Mist Of Time
(2000)
Yoko Miwa-piano
Tim Mayer-tenor saxophone
Massimo Biolcati-bass
Scott Goulding-drums
produced by Yoko Miwa, recorded, mixed, mastered by Peter Kontrimas at PBS Studios
All songs by Yoko Miwa except Red Dragonfly (Japanese traditional)
Fragmented Memories
The Deep End
I’m Okay
Alice
In The Mist of Time
When Will “It” Happen
Promise
Oak Square Blues
Red Dragonfly
Ahimsa, Never The Same Way Once
(OFC0001, 2000 Parajite Records)
produced by Rahul Roy, recorded by Yasko Kubota
Tim Mayer-tenor & alto saxophones, flute, EWI
Yasko Kubota-piano & keys
Archie Kubota-bass & taiko drums
Harvey Wihrt-percussion
Rahul Roy-guitars, vocals
All songs by Rahul Roy except as noted
Heyoka
Never The Same Way Once
Anamika
54 Duncan Terrace (Alan Holdsworth)
Josselyn
Hand In Hand (Ralph Towner)
Like Father Like Son
Homecoming
“Short Bread” – Rusty Scott Quartet (2000)
Rusty Scott (piano), Tim Mayer (saxophone), Keala Kaumehiewa (bass), Luther Gray (drums)
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Track List
1. Paul’s Blues |
Ed Symkus of The Tab:
Tenor man Tim Mayer offers up some of the warmest and swingingest sounds around. The Boston-based quartet is at it’s seamless best on Scott’s light and boppy “Saturday Afternoon,” while Billy Strayhorn’s “Raincheck” comes across as the most musically adventurous arrangement, and the title cut, penned by Mayer, makes for four minutes of total joy.
“Every Time” – RUSTY SCOTT QUARTET (1997)
Rusty Scott (piano), Tim Mayer (sax), Keala Kaumehiewa (bass), Harold Layne (drums)
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Track List
1. Dog Tired |
Cadence Magazine:
Every Time’s third cut, Pulse, is a classic example of traditional jazz sounds, spotlighting the rhythm section. [Tim] Mayer can completely energize the mood with his sax. My favorite track is Cane Bay, inspired by a favorite diving spot in St. Croix. It’s the kind of tune playing when you huddle up at a bar with a drink and a cigarette feeling completely sorry for yourself. It’s a beautiful melancholy jazz journey that leaves you encouraged in the end. It’s Scott’s and Mayer’s writing styles that make this an exceptional album.
The Rusty Scott Quartet combines traditional and modern jazz in a style all their own. Every Time is the best jazz CD I have heard in my years of writing for this magazine.
Douglas Sloan, Metronome Magazine:
Just when I was hoping for some well played jazz, up comes the Rusty Scott Quartet for review. This excellent band of musicians featuring pianist Rusty Scott and saxophonist Tim Mayer are some of the tightest jazz ‘cats’ you’ll hear on the Boston jazz scene. They incorporate their love of swing with a contemporary slant that is widely appealing and subtly sensual. Tim Mayer’s sax playing smokes while Scott’s piano playing is second to none. These guys are great! So, put ‘Every Time’ in your CD player and get ready to snap your fingers and tap your toes because, the Rusty Scott Quartet has arrived!”
Although I don’t listen to pop music, don’t identify with it, envision myself having a career in it, nor do I profess to know much about developments in the style, I have had many good experiences participating in these projects. I have been most fortunate to have friends in this genre with whom I have played numerous Jazz gigs. This brings the production values right into line with mine, and adds increases the camraderie and hence the hang factor significantly as well.
Gonzalo Grau-piano, keys, drums, percussion, vocals
Gonzalo Grau-keyboards, percussion, lead & backing vocals