Matt Dwonszyk – Live at The Side Door

Firmly rooted in the hard-bop tradition, Hartford, Connecticut bassist Matt Dwonszyk returns to the Side Door Jazz Club for a live quintet session. Like the classic hard-bop quintets of the past, this group follows a thoroughly modern path through the idiom, backed by a cast of loyal collaborators.

The tone is set from the very first bars, with pyrotechnic exchanges between the two horn players, followed by some particularly dazzling piano work. Josh Bruneau’s aggressive trumpet, Mark Knoegel’s deep, soaring tenor lines and Jonathan Barber’s relentless rhythmic carpet confirm the presence of a remarkably tight-knit quintet, where everyone is given room to take a chorus, including within the accompaniment and counterpoint.

There is no front line and no back row here. The ensemble operates as a compact unit, riding a highly energetic form of jazz whose statements are clearly articulated (Fredericksplein) and constantly propelled by an ever-present rhythm section. The compositions and arrangements undoubtedly have much to do with it. Almost the entire album consists of original material, with Matt Dwonszyk also serving as composer, arranger and educator.

As a performer, Matt Dwonszyk has also worked with trumpet legend Eddie Henderson, saxophonist Bennie Wallace, trombonist Steve Davis, and pianists George Cables, Harold Mabern, Larry Willis and Joey Alexander. Quite an education, and a first-class one at that.

From Bruneau’s “atomic” trumpet on Stage Dive to the Latin-inflected Mucho Fernet, complete with Dizzy-inspired quotations, Paquito D’Rivera-like tenor repetitions and piano phrases reminiscent of Danilo Pérez, the music keeps the pressure on. Not to mention some remarkably melodic double-bass choruses. Then comes an unaccompanied solo from Dwonszyk, followed by a ballad in which the bow finally comes out (Ms. Smith). White Butterfly brings sparkling piano, muted trumpet and a bass line that seems to gallop beneath it all.

Writing and virtuosity go hand in hand throughout the album, alternating generous bursts of energy with moments of tenderness (Mode for Rene/Home Frontier). All of it is framed by particularly meticulous arrangements, turning the recording into a kind of contemporary hard-bop classicism. For anyone drawn to the idiom, this session is essential listening. Track after track, it reveals musicians of the highest calibre, each of them capable of taking on a leadership role, yet all perfectly at home within a collective that sounds entirely spontaneous and thoroughly enjoyable.

A special mention must go to the superb recording quality, which allows the listener to feel almost physically present inside the quintet.

A particularly noteworthy release amid the abundance of contemporary hard-bop albums, and a band that deserves not only to be heard, but above all, to be followed.

For me, the bop quintet of the year.