CADENCE MAGAZINE  Vol. 26 No. 12   December 2000
Review of : Steve Rudolph  "Christmas with the Steve Rudolph Trio " RLCD 1054

Pianist Steve Rudolph demonstrates that one needn’t compromise one’s aesthetic values when doing a Christmas album.  Though the repertoire consists of the usual suspects of holiday pop songs and carols, Rudolph comes about as close to having a Christmas album with year ‘round appeal as one can.  (I happen to believe that’s an impossible measure anyway.)  It makes me curious to hear what he plays the other eleven months of the year.

Rudolph deftly reharmonizes the pieces here and establishes structures that support extended blowing.  On the hard swinging "Hark the Herald Angels Sing" the harmonies shift between suspension and release.  "We Three Kings" gets turned into a four-to-the-bar romp.  But he doesn’t always go against the grain of the tunes.  On "O Come, O Come Emanuel" he extends and embellishes the somber mood of the original piece.  Probably my favorite here Is the way he turns the stodgy "Silver Bells" into a hip waltz with some shifty harmonies.

He’s well supported throughout.  Langosch outlines Rudolph’s quirky structures and makes them swing.  Drummer Matt Wilson doesn’t stint on the polyrhythms.  Just because it’s Christmas doesn’t mean you can’t wail, and that’s just what Rudolph and company do, and that makes this session one of the best Jazz Christmas recordings to come my way.       David Dupont
 

This CD is the first holiday recording by jazz pianist Steve Rudolph - the Trio features drummer Matt Wilson and bassist Paul Langosch.

Ten Christmas classics are included in this CD:

Let It Snow, Sammy Cahn/Julie Styne  (arr. Rudolph);
O Come, O Come, Emanuel, traditional  (arr. Rudolph);
We Three Kings, traditional (arr. Rudolph/ Andy Middleton);
What Child Is This, traditional  (arr. Rudolph);
Hark, the Herald Angels Sing,  traditional  (arr. Rudolph);
Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas, Martin/Blane  (arr. Rudolph);
God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen, traditional (arr. Rudolph/Andy Middleton);
Silver Bells, Evans/Livingston  (arr. Rudolph);
I’ll Be Home for Christmas, Gannon/Kent  (arr. Rudolph);
and Deck the Halls, traditional (arr.Rudolph / Andy Middleton).

THE MUSICIANS:
Paul Langosch - Bass
Paul has worked with many of the leaders in the jazz world including: Phil Woods, Tal Farlow, Al Cohn, Mose Allison, Johnny Hartman, Bud Shank, Zoot Sims, Barney Kessel, and Herb Ellis.  His credits also include tours with Jon Hendricks, George Shearing, Rosemary Clooney, Mel Torme, Susanna McCorkle, and Conte Candoli.  Paul is a member of the Ralph Sharon Trio that tours with vocal legend Tony Bennett.  In his time with Tony Bennett, Paul has recorded five albums and performed an average of 200 concerts per year, including multiple tours in Japan, South America, and Europe.

Matt Wilson - Drums
Matt presently resides in New York City and performs regularly in groups led by Dewey Redman, Cecil McBee & Lee Konitz as well as his own heralded quartet.  He has recorded over 50 albums with various leaders including David Liebman, the Either Orchestra, and Don Friedman.  Matt records as a leader for Palmetto Records and his two releases have been highly acclaimed.  He was voted "Best New Artist 1997" by the New York Jazz Critics Circle.

Steve Rudolph - Piano
A native of Indiana, Steve now lives in Harrisburg, PA.  Four European tours highlight his career as well as performances with Louie Bellson, the Mills Brothers, the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra, Mark Murphy, Cal Collins, Al Grey, Herb Ellis, Conte Condoli, and Sal Nistico.  The 1995 recipient of the PA Council on the Arts Jazz Fellowship, he has recorded with Johnny Coles, Bill Goodwin, Mike Smith, Vinny Valentino, Bob Moses,  Matt Wilson, and John D'Earth.  A founder and past president of the Central PA Friends of Jazz, one of America's most successful jazz societies, Steve has been instrumental in the growth of jazz in Central Pennsylvania.

Recorded and engineered by Kent Heckman at Red Rock Recording, and produced by Steve Rudolph and Paul Langosch under their record label, R&L RECORDS, Christmas with the Steve Rudolph Trio is the sixth recording released by R&L in the last three years.