Nick Vayenas

“Some Other Time”

(Whirlwind Recordings WR4640)

Nick Vayenas is a multi talented musician who plays both trombone and trumpet and also sings. A graduate of Boston’s famous Berklee College of Music his “money gig” is as a member of Michael Buble’s recording and touring band but he’s also worked as a sideman with a host of other top jazz, rock and pop names including Bryan Adams, Mariah Carey, Mary J Blige, Kendrick Scott, Aaron Parks, Lionel Loueke, Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter and Terence Blanchard. I’m most familiar with his trombone playing on albums by jazz vocalist Gretchen Parlato and on a string of recordings by alto saxophonist and label mate Patrick Cornelius (“Lucid Dream”, “Fierce” and “Infinite Blue”).

As a leader Vayenas has recorded two previous albums, “Synesthesia” (2009) and “Nick Vayenas” (2012), the latter also on Whirlwind. Like its immediate predecessor “Some Other Time” features Vayenas as both instrumentalist and vocalist on a programme that mixes arrangements of jazz standards with the leader’s original compositions. An all star band includes guitarist Doug Wamble, pianist Dan Kaufman and drummer Rudy Royston with Whirlwind founder Michael Janisch on double bass. Patrick Cornelius guests on alto sax and one piece includes the alternative rhythm section of bassist Peter Slavov and drummer Joe Saylor.

Vayenas says of the album “I wanted an album that is the most complete personal musical statement I can make. This meant incorporating many different styles as I am a big fan of all kinds of music. For the songs with lyrics I was very specific about choosing songs that meant something to me, and arrangements that would help bring out the meaning of the words”. The press release accompanying my copy of the album also offers brief insights into each of the eight pieces that make up the album.

The fast moving opener “I’m Looking At You” is a tribute to funk trombonist Fred Wesley. The music doffs its cap in the direction of Wesley’s former boss James Brown but the surprisingly propulsive 15/8 time signature puts a more contemporary slant on the proceedings. Vayenas’ ripe, fruity trombone leads off the solos followed by the urgent ring of Wamble’s clipped and chopped guitar. An invigorating start.

Vayenas features his voice on a wistful, minor key arrangement of Michel Legrand’s “You Must Believe In Spring” with its evocative lyrics by Marilyn and Alan Bergman. Kaufman, absent from the funk opener, impresses with his lyricism at the piano and Vayenas reveals another side of his trombone playing with an emotive solo. The piece features the Slavov/Saylor rhythm combination.

The Vayenas original “Assembly Line” possesses a similar energy and urgency to the opener and is a frequently played item at Vayenas’ live shows. Janisch and Royston drive the music forward and provide a real boost for the soloists as Vayenas demonstrates his considerable trumpet chops and Wamble tears off a fiercely imaginative guitar solo that makes judicious use of effects. The irrepressible Royston enjoys a high energy drum feature and generally keeps things moving throughout.

“Some Other Time” (Bernstein/Comden/Green)  formed part of the soundtrack of the 1944 movie “On The Town”. Vayenas takes his inspiration from the version recorded by vocalist Tony Bennett and pianist Bill Evans. The title is a phrase that Vayenas finds himself using a lot hence his decision to use it as the title of the album. The arrangement features Vayenas’ own voice with Wamble’s slide guitar giving the music a country-ish tinge. The mood is variously wistful, resigned and nostalgic with space also given for a stately trombone solo. Kaufman expertly fills the gaps in the arrangement and the rhythmic support of Janisch and Royston is tastefully understated.

“Polemic” is another hard driving instrumental, an angular minor blues that updates the Blue Note tradition with powerful, blazing solos from Vayenas on trumpet and Cornelius on alto. Janisch and Royston keep the pot bubbling with the bassist also enjoying a substantial solo feature and Royston a series of breaks.

Cole Porter’s “So In Love” (from “Kiss Me Kate”) is given a new 6/8 arrangement, the fast shuffle rhythm juxtaposed with Vayenas’ somewhat lugubrious vocal. It’s clever but doesn’t really work for me, the chief pleasures being the instrumental solos from Kaufman on piano and Vayenas on trumpet. 

The tune “City Of Notions” was written during Vayenas’ time at Berklee, the title honouring the composer’s home town of Boston. It’s a gentler tune than the other instrumentals and features a thoughtful and imaginative solo from Cornelius on alto. His fluency is matched by the composer on trombone and Kaufman on piano as the Rolls Royce (Rolls Royston?) rhythm section provides typically excellent support.

The policy of alternating instrumental pieces with vocal items persists to the end. It’s possible that Vayenas regards himself as a kind of Chet Baker for the twenty first century. Indeed the closing piece, Oscar Levant’s 1934 standard “Blame It On My Youth” was recorded by both Baker and Nat King Cole. It’s performed here as an intimate duet featuring Vayenas’ voice and trumpet and Wamble’s guitar in a sparse but effective arrangement that allows plenty of instrumental space.

“Some Other Time” is a diverse album that in many ways fulfils Vayenas’ aims admirably (see his quote above) but to these ears it sounds like two albums compacted into one. Regular readers of these web pages will know that I prefer instrumental jazz to the vocal variety and I love the instrumentals here, largely energetic affairs that contain some brilliant playing from all the musicians involved. I’m less keen on the vocal items although I will concede that they are imaginatively arranged and well sung and played. Maybe it’s just me but I’d have preferred a whole set of instrumentals from this highly accomplished band.Other listeners may prefer an entire vocal album. I’ve heard this album described as being “schizophrenic” and it’s possible that Mr. Vayenas is just a little too multi talented, although it’s equally possible that as a listener I’m just a little too inclined to compartmentalise.

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