Album Notes

"The kid can play...so lyrical, and deft and swinging to boot. Bless him, and the sidemen too." -Robert Pinsky, United States Poet Laureate


Primarily a jazz stylist, New York City saxophonist Patrick Wolff has brought his voice to an eclectic mix of styles and groups, from the old-school swing of the Glenn Miller Orchestra to the Nigerian roots music of afrobeat ensemble Asiko. His playing was featured in the 2001 education issue of JAZZIZ magazine, and he has since established himself as a jazz educator through six years on the faculty of the Stanford Jazz Workshop. Fans and colleagues have praised him for the warmth and feeling of his sound, the respect and knowledge of jazz traditions he conveys, and the open, original quality of his phrasing.

With "Petals", Wolff has released his first album as a leader, and presented a first-rate modern jazz trio. With veteran bass player Chris Van Voorst Van Beest's big sound and precise touch, and drummer Yujiro Nakamura's propulsive swing, the group preserves the jazz feeling through a wide range of repertoire. They play a dynamic mix of originals, pieces from jazz composers like Thelonious Monk and Ornette Coleman, and interpretations of songs from latin folk traditions. The trio has an accessibility and feeling that can only be found in dedicated bands- with two years together, they have shaped a sound that emphasizes cohesive textures and melodic interplay.

Here's what noted poet and jazz aficionado Ken Fields says about the album:

"What a gem, from that beautiful Latin opening, all the way through. I love that big tone (out ofthe old legato cats I love) with modern harmonics. It's clearly his trio, and he's out in front, exposed, pulling it all off, but what a trio, fabulous drums and bass. They clearly are listening to each other, and working without a piano really gives them an untethered or almost untethered feeling, a real sense of lift that culminates with the last song. The arco passages give voice to another horn sound, just when we want it. The Ornette piece is inspired. I love So in Love. He's been in the lower end of the horn for most of the album--or so it seems on a first hearing--and moving up gives a stirring conclusion to a whole performance. There's nobody like Porter for giving a sense of inevitability, almost like fate, and So in Love is one of my favorites for its erotic momentum, lyrics, melody, structure. I'll treasure this one."