JAZZ HOT MAGAZINE
Issue No. 583 Date: September 2001
Why Not??
Chuck Zeuren
(Red Records 2001)
Chuck Zeuren (drms), Shunzo Ono (tpt, flgl hrn), Dave Finucane (tnr sx), Roger Wilder (p), Dick Sarpola (b), Café (perc).
Recorded in New York
Red Records 123291 (Dam)
Watch out! High voltage music! From the first notes of Why Not?, the tone is set: Chuck Zeuren, who was with Lionel Hampton's big band in the late 70's ("He really got the band swinging everynight," remembers Hamp), is a drummer whose clean, precise sound and ability to listen can set a group on fire. The group in question: Shunzo Ono on trumpet, who takes a few bravura solos; Dave Finuncane, a hard-charging tenor player; and Roger Wilder, an agile and inventive pianist. Completing the rhythm section is the solid Dick Sarpola on bass, and on a few tracks, the indispensable Café. After the effervescent first track - written by the drummer, as are the others - there are some very interesting moments on this CD, such as the very beautiful "Old Friends," a feature for Dave Finuncane (with attentive counterpoint from Shunzo Ono and the leader's fine accompaniment on brushes); "Ber-Gon-Crazy," exploding with energy after the slightly shaky theme; the spinning, leaping "Samber"; and finally, "Put Yo Foot in Yo Mouf and Say Ah!," another piece on which the quintet has energy to spare - Chuck Zeuren does an excellent job on cymbals, and his duo with Finucane is worth the price of admission! In sum, here is a "modern post bop" record whose energy and pleasure in playing is obvious. Worth a look.
Domi Truffandier
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