Tom Ollendorff

“Open House”

(Fresh Sound New Talent FSNT 656)

Tom Ollendorff- guitar, Conor Chaplin – bass, Marc Michel – drums
with Ben Wendel – tenor saxophone

“Open House” is the second album as a leader from the young British guitarist and composer Tom Ollendorff. Like its predecessor, 2021’s “A Song For You”, it appears on the Barcelona based record label Fresh Sound New Talent.

“A Song For You” featured Ollendorff’s regular trio with bassist Conor Chaplin and drummer Marc Michel. The new album retains their services but four of the nine tracks see the group expanded to a quartet with the addition of New York based saxophonist Ben Wendel. Canadian born Wendel has released six albums as a leader and has worked prolifically as a sideman with a wide range of jazz and pop artists. He is also well known as a member of the innovative quintet Kneebody, appearing on all seven of that group’s albums. Persuading Wendel to appear on “Open House” represents a considerable coup for Ollendorff and is indicative of the esteem in which the young guitarist is held.

Now based in London Ollendorff is a graduate of the Jazz Course at the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama in Cardiff (RWCMD). During his time in Wales (around 2015) I was fortunate enough to witness him performing with a number of local and visiting jazz artists, among them fellow guitarist Deirdre Cartwright, pianist Atsuko Shimada and bassist Aidan Thorne’s band Duski.

It was also in 2015 that Ollendorff was awarded a Yamaha Scholarship for outstanding jazz musicianship.

Around this time Ollendorff was also responsible for bringing the great Israeli born guitarist Gilad Hekselman over to the UK from New York for a short series of performances, including a memorable trio show (alongside bassist Joe Martin and drummer Jeff Ballard) at a sold out Dempsey’s in Cardiff. Ollendorff continues to maintain his links with Wales and is now a visiting tutor at the RWCMD

Since moving to London Ollendorff has continued to hone his craft and has become an increasingly significant presence on the British and international jazz scenes, appearing regularly at venues and festivals in the UK and across Europe. He has also continued to work with leading American musicians.

Musicians from both sides of the Atlantic with whom Ollendorff has performed include saxophonists Geoff Simkins and Bill McHenry, drummers Ari Hoenig, Jeff Williams, James Maddren and Billy Pod, pianists Huw Warren and Nitai Hershkovits, vocalist Megan Thomas, bassist Or Baraket and fellow guitarists Dave Cliff and Dekel Bor.

The nine tracks on “Open House” are comprised of six original compositions by Ollendorff plus covers of tunes by Charlie Parker, Victor Young and Sonny Rollins. Surprisingly neither of the pieces composed by the two great saxophonists actually features the playing of Wendel.

Ollendorff says of his writing for the new album;
“The music was written, in part, on the road whilst touring. Different places have always had a profound effect on my writing process and the opportunity to tour extensively, allowing me to visit new towns, cities and countries as well as re-affirming connections with locations that I had previously got to know and love were the catalyst for this album’s creation”.

The album commences with “Three Bridges”, introduced by a passage of unaccompanied pointillist guitar arpeggios. Wendel’s tenor then takes over the melody, with bass and drums also added to the equation. Guitar and saxophone continue to intertwine effectively, skilfully supported by the flexible rhythm pairing. Ollendorff and Wendel also deliver more orthodox jazz solos, with Ollendorff sometimes singing along to his contributions. Ollendorff favours a clean, orthodox jazz guitar sound, similar in style and tone to his mentor Gilad Hekselman, or at least Hekselman before his recent experiments with elements of rock and electronica.

Charlie Parker’s “Bongo Beep” represents an opportunity for Ollendorff to really show off his technique on a trio rendition of this tricky bebop tune. Chaplin and Michel are similarly impressive, offering busy but subtle support as well as enjoying their own solo features.

Wendel returns for “Passing Ships”, an elegant ballad that initially sees the ships of the title floating past each other on the most serene of seas. Ollendorff’s guitar solo demonstrates a crystalline lyricism while Wendel’s more forceful tenor feature gravitates between the lyrical and the anthemic. Chaplin and Michel respond intelligently to the changes in the musical weather, with Michel moving from brushes to sticks as the piece progresses.

“Carnival” is a trio piece that demonstrates Ollendorff’s gift for a Metheny like melody. Like some of the pieces on “A Song For You”  it is occasionally reminiscent of Metheny’s début “Bright Size Life”. In addition to the leader’s eloquent guitar playing the performance is also notable for a superb double bass solo from Chaplin that combines a rich, rounded tone with a strong sense of melody and an admirable dexterity.

Ollendorff gives a delightful solo guitar performance of the Victor Young composition “My Foolish Heart”, combining a sophisticated and impressive technique with considerable emotional depth. His playing emphasises both the notes AND the spaces between them in a manner that illustrates his growing maturity as a musician.

Wendel returns for “Istanbul”, one of those pieces inspired by a specific location and the lengthiest track on the record. His playing adds heft to a piece notable for its rhythmic complexities and the saxophonist stretches out to deliver his most expansive solo of the set, probing deeply above the constantly evolving rhythms. Ollendorff fulfils a comping role before eventually taking over from Wendel as the featured soloist, his slippery melodic lines skilfully supported by Chaplin and Michel. Ollendorff and Wendel then work in tandem, exchanging phrases before a drum feature from the impressive Michel. The combination of guitar and tenor is sometimes reminiscent of Metheny’s “80/81” album, recorded with saxophonists Michael Brecker and Dewey Redman and a rhythm section of bassist Charlie Haden and drummer Jack DeJohnette. It’s a sobering thought to reflect that of those only Pat and Jack are still with us.
“Istanbul Coda” is presented as a separate track, a brief and far more gentle reflection of that great city. It’s the only piece to feature any significant guitar FX, but does so very subtly and judiciously. This is an atmospheric piece coloured by Michel’s mallet rumbles and cymbal shimmers, with Wendel remaining on board to blow some mellifluous saxophone lines.

Sonny Rollins’ “Airegin” represents another opportunity for the core trio to demonstrate their collective bop chops with a lively but sophisticated interpretation that incorporates solos from Ollendorff and Michel.

The album closes with the slow, spacious ballad “Hollywood”, a highly melodic composition with the same ‘wide open’ or ‘big skies’ feel as Metheny’s “Travels” or “Farmer’s Trust”. A gorgeous melody is combined with sensitive playing, with Michel’s delicate brushwork a particular highlight. it’s a beautiful way to conclude the album.

As an album “Open House” exhibits many of the same virtues as its predecessor. Ollendorff’s writing combines accessibility with musical sophistication and the level of rapport between the members of the core trio is exceptional throughout.

The presence of Wendel adds sonic variety and his more forceful approach supplies rather more of the light and shade that I felt was missing on the first album. It makes for a more varied recording, which is a positive as far as I’m concerned, although some commentators have expressed the opinion that the illustrious guest sometimes overpowers the leader. An interesting point, and not entirely without foundation.

“Open House” sees Tom Ollendorff continuing to develop as an instrumentalist and as a composer and in general the recording has been well received. He’s also a British musician who has been making a mark with American and European audiences and his reputation continues to grow both in the UK and abroad.

blog comments powered by Disqus