Steppe Forward
"Steppe Forward" - TP & Company
Review by Bruce Lindsay
ALL ABOUT JAZZ
From the opening notes of "Steppe Forward" itself, Ted Piltzecker and his sextet give a clear statement of intent: Steppe Forward is going to be an upbeat, joyous and uplifting album, from beginning to end. As the closing bars of "Reunion Blues" fade away, it's clear that the band has achieved this intention, with a lively, inventive and engaging set of tunes and some exceptional playing.
A former member of pianist George Shearing's Quintet, Piltzecker leads a young group of musicians through a varied set of tunes, all characterized by the mellow and warm sound of the leader's vibes. All but one of the tunes is a Piltzecker composition, the exception being Horace Silver's "Nica's Tune," inspired by Baroness Pannonica de Koenigswarter (friend and supporter of many great jazz musicians including Charlie Parker and Thelonius Monk). It's a lovely arrangement, with soprano saxophonist Sam Dillon and acoustic guitarist Nick Llerandi both playing gentle but insistent solos, while Jerad Lippi's underpinning drums are slightly more assertive and complement the lead instruments perfectly.
"He Sent an Angel" is a slow and beautiful tune, with Piltzecker playing the melody line and keeping things simple but, at the same time, creating an intimate and personal relationship with the song. Some of the finest music on the album arises from the interplay between Piltzecker and Dillon. This is at its best on "Kalunga," with the vibraphonist and saxophonist almost indistinguishable at times as they deliver its lilting, flowing melody.
"Why So Long?" doesn't quite match the standard of the rest of the album. It's pretty, and Piltzecker's solo is one of his best, but it lacks a strong theme and, at almost seven minutes in length, overstays its welcome. The album's high standard returns for "Reunion Blues," though; a bop-influenced number that features a smooth, brightly toned tenor solo from Dillon, fluid electric guitar from Llerandi, and a chance for bassist Mike Kujawski to shine on his own solo.
Steppe Forward is an accessible album, with a warmth and humanity throughout. Piltzecker and his fellow musicians are talented and stylish, capable of swinging or of creating a more emotive and reflective atmosphere. His tunes are a delight, and the band brings out their full potential.
Track listing: Steppe Forward; Flight Following; He Sent an Angel; Nica's Dream; Kalunga; Why So Long?; Reunion Blues.
Personnel: Ted Piltzecker: vibes, piano, percussion; Rogerio Boccato: percussion; Sam Dillon: saxophones; Nick Llerandi: guitars; Jerad Lippi: drums; Mike Kujawski: bass; Harvie S: bass (3).
"Steppe Forward" - TP & Company
Review by George Carroll
THE MUSICIAN'S OMBUDSMAN
Jazz vibist Ted Piltzecker has by default succeeded in conjuring up
a palatable and compelling CD Project if just by his choice of
sidemen and the specific jazz standards contained therein. ''Nica's
Dream'' stands out as one of the group's successgful treatments
that will stir your sensibilities. The group luxuriates and grooves with
excitement, charm, and lyricism as they bring this particular take
to fruition. The combined group plays with a certain emphatic cadence
that can't be denied as well as with musical and harmonic contrasts that will
startle one's imagination. Subjectively speaking, I hear strong music that is
enriched, delicate, decorative, mysterious and subdued albeit broad and thoughtful.
Standing Alone
"Standing Alone" - Ted Piltzecker
Review by Judith Schlesinger
ALL MUSIC GUIDE
Any solo CD requires great talent and imagination to be interesting all the way through. With vibes, such lone expeditions are rare and can be risky, with things turning monotonous and muddy in the wrong hands. Fortunately, Ted Piltzecker has the right ones, as well as superb taste, time, sensitivity and swing - all of it evident in this thoroughly enjoyable collection of thirteen tracks, mostly jazz classics done at ballad tempo. A master player with pyrotechnics in reserve, {Piltzecker} is also a composer, professor, and clinician who tours with the George Shearing Quintet and has released three albums as a leader. Here, he uses a cool palette of violets, blues and greens - with occasional flashes of red - to create music is both soothing and intriguing. The CD works beautifully as a solo journey because it avoids too much abstraction, delivers one heartfelt, definitive chorus of each tune, and provides continuous variety and contrast in dynamics and material. Given Piltzecker's judicious use of the pedal, the tracks are clean and clutter-free; highlighting the beauty and versatility of the instrument, they add a lovely shimmer to old favorites. With this treatment, the more haunting melodies, like Invitation, Coltrane's Naima, and Jobim's Trieste become positively magical. On La Malanga, the joyful little closer, Piltzecker accompanies himself on the djimbe, a West African drum: a fitting ending to an adventurous journey that is also touching and elegant.
RATED: excellent & AMG pick
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"Standing Alone" - Ted Piltzecker (Equilibruim)
Review by Irene Wadkins
JAZZ CONNECTIONS
Vibist, Ted Piltzecker's new solo CD "Standing Alone" on Equilibrium is a collection of the finest standards of all time by composers Duke Ellington, Johnny Green, Miles Davis, John Coltrane and played by vibes virtuoso Ted Piltzecker. This 13 track CD features Ted and vibes, a lot of talent and technique and pulls off a very daunting task, playing solo and interpreting the songs that were written to stay. If you're a fan of classic standards like; My One and Only Love, God Bless The Child, Invitation, then let Piltzecker take you down memory lane because he gets it just right. You can sing, hum, or just sit and listen but what you hear is someone very dedicated to his music and does it with integrity proving jazz doesn't always have to be layers of sound tracks. It can be just what you want it to be. Bravo!
Irene Wadkins/jazz journalist
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"Standing Alone" - Ted Piltzecker (Equilibruim)
Review by Mark Corroto
ALL ABOUT JAZZ
Like solo piano sessions, solo vibraphone recordings are extremely personal, solitary events. They tend to relate to their listeners on an individual basis. Vibes-man Ted Piltzecker a member of George Shearing's quintet releases this solo session as a follow up to his 1996 excellent quintet date Unicycle Man with Bob Mintzer, James Williams and Harvie Swartz. By choosing mostly jazz standards, Piltzecker begins halfway inside the listeners comfort zone. He takes you the rest of the way by his quiet elegance. Standing Alone reminds one of the late John Lewis' final Evolution recordings. Piltzecker doesn't thrill you with pyrotechnics; he relies on a well-placed note. Covering John Coltrane's Naima, Rodgers and Hart's My Romance, and Ellington's In A Sentimental Mood&Mac226; appeals to Piltzecker's modest approach to jazz's passionate history. He fills the 43-minutes with expressive grace, maintaining interest throughout. He can sound like he's ringing leaded crystal In Your Own Sweet Way&Mac226; or he can reproduce the feel of a piano. Piltzecker applies both a single and a four-mallet approach with a fluid delivery and an insider's hipness. Highly recommended.
Track Listing: My Romance; My One And Only Love; In Your Own Sweet Way; In A Sentimental Mood; Trieste; God Bless The Child; Body And Soul; Do You Know What It Means To Miss New Orleans; Blue In Green; Invitation; Like Someone In Love; Naima; La Malange.
Personnel: Ted Piltzecker, Vibraphone, Djimbe.
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"Standing Alone."
Ted Piltzecker (Equilibrium)
Review by Bob Protzman
POST GAZETTE.COM - A&E
This solo CD by vibraphonist Ted Piltzecker has been around for awhile, but it is so special that it's very much worth calling jazz fans' attention to it.
For one thing, how often does one hear an entire album of solo vibes? Without doing in-depth research, one would guess never, or at least rarely.
Piltzecker, leader of his own ensemble as well as a member of the current quintet led by the legendary pianist George Shearing (you can hear him on "The Rare Delight of You," the quintet's current CD featuring vocalist John Pizzarelli on Telarc), is a truly masterful player.
An experienced educator as well, he certainly knows the ins and outs of his instrument, getting the most out of it by using all its capabilities in a personal, creative way.
His technique and imagination are such that he deftly avoids what in someone else's hands could have become a tiresome sameness. Instead, each piece, beautifully played, stands alone.
He takes full advantage of his instrument's lovely bell and chime-like tones, although he prefers to limit his use of another of the vibraharp's distinctive characteristics -- tremolo, or the echoey notes that the great Milt Jackson used so frequently and effectively.
Piltzecker concentrates on strong melodic development and ornamentation on a nicely chosen repertoire of classic popular music songs, as well as well-known jazz pieces: "My Romance," "Invitation," "My One and Only Love," "Body and Soul," "God Bless the Child," Miles Davis' "Blue in Green" and John Coltrane's "Naima."
The music is played so consistently well that listeners' favorite tracks probably will depend upon their favorite songs on this must-CD for anyone who loves the vibe of vibes.
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"Standing Alone" - Ted Piltzecker
Equilibrium Records, POB 301, Dexter, MI 48130
Review by Tom 'Tearaway' Schulte
NEW SOUNDS.NET
Master vibraphone artist Ted Piltzecker recorded this solo CD away from his normal ensemble, the George Shearing Quintet. While he is himself a composer, Ted chose for this album to instead apply his performing talents to the work of other composers, for instance Duke Ellington ("In a Sentimental Mood"), Dave Brubeck ("In Our Own Sweet Way"), and Jobim ("Trieste"). Piltzecker's solo vibes arrangements are very full; there is not a lot of playing with space here. However, in the absence of a rhythm section, the music is still very light and airy, it is very spacious "below." Standing Alone is an exquisite collection of standards he knows well in sophisticated and delicate form delivered from four mallets applied to the vibraphone and nothing else. (Excepting, that is, "La Malanga" where he accompanies himself on the djimbe.)
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"Standing Alone" Ted Piltzecker Equilibrium EQ43
Review by Rick Anderson
MUSE
Vibraphonist Ted Piltzecker is most often seen onstage as a member of the George Shearing Quintet or at the head of his own Ted Piltzecker Group. But on this unusual program he delivers a set of jazz standards played entirely solo (though he does accompany himself on djimbe for his rendition of "La Malanga"). For the most part, the tunes are predictable fare by the likes of Rodgers and Hart ("My Romance"), Duke Ellington ("In a Sentimental Mood"), Miles Davis ("Blue in Green"), and John Coltrane ("Naima"). But as one might expect, Piltzecker's approach to this standard repertoire is unusual, and not only because a solo vibes setting for these tunes is rare; because it is played with several mallets held between the knuckles, the instrument lends itself to dramatic leaps of register and widely spaced chord voicings, but its natural mellowness of tone tends to minimize the aural shock of gestures that might sound harsh or awkward on a piano. So while Piltzecker's renditions of familiar melodies like "Do You Know What It Means to Miss New Orleans" and "My Romance" involve all kinds of virtuostic leaps and twists, the result is a simultaneously technically impressive and deeply relaxing listening experience. Any library supporting a jazz curriculum, especially one offering courses in the mallet keyboards, should consider purchasing this album.
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"Standing Alone" Ted Piltzecker (Equilibrium)
Review by Kevin O'Connor
Jazz 88fm Music Director
WBGO - Jazz 88 Musings
Vibraphonist Ted Piltzecker is not exactly a household name among either his fellow vibe-players or jazz folks in general, which comes as a surprise, given the ease with which his last name flows from the lips of radio announcers and lay-people alike! Actually his absence of true notoriety is probably due more to his fierce independence than his talent and originality as a vibe-stylist, two areas in which he excels. For Piltzecker's first outing: "Unicycle Man," he worked in traditional jazz-combo settings, but nevertheless distinguished himself as an energetic player and interpreter. With his latest, "Standing Alone," Equilibrium, Piltzecker braves the territory of unaccompanied solo performance, seldom attempted anywhere outside classical music. "Standing Alone" is both sparse and fruitful, and Piltzecker has an innate sense to celebrate either virtue. There are thirteen standards on this release, all vibraphone solo's. Best of all: He didn't have to pay any sideman.
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"Standing Alone" Ted Piltzecker (Equilibrium)
Ted Piltzecker, solo vibraphone
Review by John Henry
AUDIOPHILE AUDITION
And Piltzecker certainly is standing alone. This solo album takes more guts than, say, a solo piano or organ album. He keeps all four mallets flying in an often multiple-voiced style that quickly makes you forget anything at all is missing. The session is all standards that Piltzecker has played in a variety of contexts, mostly with other performers. Fans of the vibes will have good vibes about this one!
Tracks: My Romance, My One and Only Love, In You Own Sweet Way, In a Sentimental Mood, Trieste, God Bless the Child, Body and Soul, Do You Know What It Means to Miss New Orleans, Blue in Green, Invitation, Like Someone in Love, Naima, La Malanga.
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"Standing Alone" Ted Piltzecker (Equilibrium)
WFIU - DIRECTIONS IN SOUND
Ted Piltzecker: Standing Alone. Piltzecker's solo vibraphone recordings set a tone of peace and tranquillity on such standards as "My Romance," "God Bless The Child," and "Naima." (Equilibrium
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Unicycle Man
"Unicycle Man" Ted Piltzecker (Equilibrium)
Review by Kim Richmond
JAZZ PLAYER MAGAZINE
I confess. Vibraphone is not one of my favorite instruments. My list of those I enjoy listening to at length is very short, but I must add to that list Ted Piltzecker. He is not only a technically-capable vibist, but has fresh arranging and compositional ideas. He has here a wonderful product in this CD (Unicycle Man).
Piltzecker has assembled a superior supporting cast. Bob Mintzer, on tenor and soprano saxophones, who has proved himself a superlative arranger/composer, is one of the best of the New York crop of tenor players. Harvie Swartz (bass) and Dave Meade (drums) support and solo excellently. But who provides as extra-good foundation for most of the music on this CD, and pushes it into a higher dimension, is pianist James Williams. On the one piece where he does not play, although everyone's performances are good, he is missed. As far as I'm concerned, performance-wise, Williams is the unsung star of the recording.
Joe Passaro is mentioned (as extra percussion) in small print in the side credits. If he is playing all of the percussion parts (they could have been done by drummer Dave Meade as overdubs), he deserves a good measure of credit. On the selections that include percussion, this is a main ingredient, and is excellently performed, with great style and feeling.
The recording sound is exceptionally noteworthy. Though the performances are wonderful, it is the arrangements and compositions which are the most outstanding elements on this project. I especially admire the introductions. All are originals by Piltzecker except No Greater Love, which was placed next to the last on the CD.
The liner notes are good brief observations by the leader about each selection, (except for the last track) but I would like to know something about Piltzecker himself. Each selection of the CD is quite unique and deserves individual mention, and I have five favorites out of the nine tracks. The first is an ideal opening number, Buffalo Dance, a medium-up Latin salsa. It is eased into with percussion, the tenor saxophone melody threading in over a rhythm pattern. Vibes and piano play the release section. which leads into the solos. Mintzer's tenor sounds relaxed and hip, his solo has good structure with some interesting cross rhythms. Throughout the album, Piltzecker's vibes sound especially good: excellent microphone placement and pickup. The interlude features a cross rhythm clapping pattern which leads to more tenor improvisation and then back to the head.
A word about Mintzer: he almost always solos with interesting content, but when the rhythm section settles into a funk groove for a length of time, he sometimes gets sucked into playing clichés.
The second favorite of mine is Thea. For what started as a sweet waltz written for Piltzecker's daughter, this tune turns out to be, for me, the Pièce de résistance of the album, thanks to James Williams. Piltzecker's liner notes state: "During the session we recorded it as a sweet little waltz, just as intended. When the band went into the booth to listen to the take, I noticed that James Williams was still at the piano, and still messing with the tune. James is from the South, and has a deep-rooted gospel background. When I heard what he was doing I thought 'Yeah!' and forgot about waltz idea. We immediately went back in and recorded this version." Williams' comping is a delight, subtly accommodating and working in a few of the original more dense chords betwixt his gospel interpretations. Even beneath Swartz' excellent bass solo, Williams continues his full, but soft gospel style.
Another that vies for my very favorite is the closing Hometown. This is the tune about which I would have most enjoyed some comment on the liner. It is an appealing melody on a Latin bossa groove. Again, the percussion playing is important and outstanding. One bothersome element, is the uncharacteristic use of synthesizer (string sound) chords on the intro. A choice section of this piece has the entire band playing a single chord in a jutting rhythm that builds in intensity, underpinning a fine Dave Meade drum solo.
The most unique composition is Conundrum, another straight eighth bossa. Again we hear an inventive introduction setting up the melodic statements that are contained in several sections, at the end of which is a short, odd-metered interlude.
The title tune, Unicycle Man, is a clever piece which relates to Piltzecker's philosophy regarding his art. He has been riding a unicycle for almost thirty years. There's a great photo on the CD cover of him riding. In the liner notes he writes. "Balancing is a series of corrections. It is an interesting place to be - a pleasant blend of danger and control." I think that's why I personally am drawn to Piltzecker's music. The composition is characterized by start and stop figures and features a very inventive arrangement. After a great vibraphone solo, the rhythm section starts to groove (even eighths) behind the tenor. On Mintzer's third chorus, the start and stop rhythm pattern recurs, which eventually sets up a double-time swing with walking bass. Then the tenor is left to improvise with drums only, followed by another ensemble figure which catapults into the piano solo over swing time and walking bass. An interlude of the start and stop figure features the drums and percussion ( which is again a very important element here). I love the low dense final ending chord.
Although the above describes my favorite tracks, all of the tunes have special merit in their composition and arrangement. I hope we hear more from Ted Piltzecker, a composer/arranger and vibraphoinst to be reckoned with. - Kim Richmond
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"Unicycle Man" Ted Piltzecker (Equilibrium)
PERCUSSIVE NOTES
Ted Piltzecker's recording of Unicycle Man provides the listener with great jazz compositions and performances. Piltzecker wrote all the compositions and displays amazing vibraphone virtuosity as well. In addition to Piltzecker on vibes the other musicians on this recording are saxophoinst Bob Mintzer, pianist James Williams, drummer Dave Meade and bassist Harvie Swartz. The recording quality of the vibraphone is excellent with every note of every run heard and played accurately by Piltzecker. The balance between all performers is fabulous. Selections include"Thea," a dichotomous mixture of waltz and gospel styles; "Buffalo Dance," a Latin tune; "Unicycle Man," featuring the strong improvisational skills of Piltzecker; and "Ouray," a beautiful and lyrical melody. Unicycle Man is a "must buy" - particularly for jazz vibraphonists. - Lisa Rogers
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CD Title: Unicycle Man
Featured Artist: Ted Piltzecker
Record Label: Equilibrium
THE JAZZ REVIEW
Here's a fine vibraphonist formerly with George Shearing coupled with four other wonderful improvisors. The quintet includes Bob Mintzer of the Yellowjackets on sax, James Williams on piano, bassist Harvie S and drummer Dave Meade.
Nine tracks entice the listener including one standard, "There Is No Greater Love". All other compositions are by leader Ted Piltzecker. I truly loved his creation titled "Thea", a nice little waltz written for his newborn daughter. James Williams' piano styling on the piece is outstanding and somewhat reminiscent of Don Shirley.
The title tune, "Unicycle Man" is a showpiece for all in the group. Dave Meade's drumming is a real attention grabber. Even more surprising is the fact that Ted Piltzecker actually rides a unicycle and has done so for many years. To each his own! I have no intention of putting my bulky body through that kind of torture.
All of Ted's compositions on this issue were written in 1996 and we really shouldn't have had to wait so long to hear them. The presence of Bob Mintzer makes the wait worthwhile.
This is a beautiful session and well worth a listen. It's an album that will appeal to jazz fans of all persuasions.
Reviewed by: Richard Bourcier
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TED PILTZECKER: Unicycle Man (Equilibrium EQ-7)
Review by Fritz the Nite Owl WWCD 101.1-FM
REAL JAZZ - SHORT NORT GAZETTE
The combined physical skills of a drummer and pianist are needed to master the vibraphone. Ted Piltzecker has an abundance of both, along with superb compositional abilities, as you'll hear on this good-vibes excur-sion, which also features splendid solo and ensemble work from Bob Mintzer, James Williams, Dave Meade, and Harvie Swartz
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TED PILTZECKER: Unicycle Man (Equilibrium EQ-7)
CADENCE MAGAZINE
Vibist/Unicyclist Piltzecker asserts that the one-wheeled bicycle presents a metaphor of equilibrium for manythings in life. Judging from Piltzecker's compositions, which make up all but one of the disc's selections, that metaphor is incorporated in his writing. The leader's pieces offer a nice balance of melody and musicianship, with an emphasis on the medium tempo. The majority of the numbers offer a polished unison front-line melody, supplemented by a laid back, but solid, rhythm section.
Occasionaly, one of the supporting cast asserts himself, temporarily breaking the group symmetry, as in James Williams' lon, right handed hard bop rundown in "There Is No Greater Love," or when Bob Mintzer serves up a warm and mellow tenor feature on "Tango for an Elegant Man." The leader himself lays down numerous inspired vibe solos, fleetly building on
the shift, see-sawing "Conundrum," or dropping a heavy Latin pulse on the uncharacteristically upbeat "Buffalo Dance." Overall, Piltzecker and crew have created a very consistent and balanced session. - John Morgan
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TED PILTZECKER: Unicycle Man (Equilibrium EQ-7)
VICTORY REVIEW
Piltzecker is a vibraphonist with great talent and good friends. His compositions - 8 of 9 cuts - are well-formed and amenable to improvisations by Bob Mintzer, sax, James Williams, piano, and Harvie Swartz, bass. This is a thoughtful recording filled with tasteful flair rather than blazing virtuosity, the product of cinfidnet, mature musicians who are committed to the ensemble. Given pieces like "Buffalo Dance," "Tango for an Elegant Man" and Isham Jones' "There Is No Greater Love,' their commitment is worth every note. Piltzecker, an assured improvisor himself, plays with subtle voicing and sublime intervals: you lean in to learn just what is going on. - Walter White
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TED PILTZECKER: Unicycle Man (Equilibrium EQ-7)
WAXWORKS - Bainbridge, GA
"Unicycle Man," a la virtuoso vibist, Ted Piltzecker, playing his own tracks in earthy, gutsy style, backed with a solid all-star ensemble, getting under our skin. - Jack Burke
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TED PILTZECKER: Unicycle Man (Equilibrium EQ-7) BLACK AND WHITE - Birmingham's City Paper Ted Piltzecker is a new name on the vibes, but Unicycle Man (Equilibrium; Box 305, Dexter, MI 48130) has him with seasoned friends like saxman Bob Mintzer and pianist James Williams in a solid quintet essaying the leader's originals that are focused, diverse (influences from Chick Corea to gospel to R&B), and very enjoyable. Piltzecker has a strong sense of space and continuity in his playing; he's the most interesting vibes man to emerge in quite some time..
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