Album Notes

Vitaly Golovnev To Whom It May Concern - TIP1105 Vitaly Golovnev trumpet Jake Saslow tenor saxophone Miki Hayama piano Boris Kozlov bass Jason Brown drums Trumpeter Vitaly Golovnev was born in Nalchik, Russia into a family of musicians. In November of 2003 Mr. Golovnev moved to New York City. Since his arrival he has found himself in high demand working with many of New York’s most prominent Big Band’s including the Mingus Big Band, David Berger and "Sultans Of Swing" Orchestra, Brooklyn Big Band, and Hal McKusick Nonet. Vitaly Golovnev has been active leading and composing for his own group since they formed in 2005. His highly anticipated debut album, consisting of nine Golovnev originals, To Whom It May Concern (Tippin’), is scheduled to be released in January of 2009. Mr. Golovnev has been fortunate to perform as a sideman with many notable musicians including Wynton Marsalis, Richie Cole, Lew Tabackin, Randy Brecker, Billy Cobham, Paul Bollenback, and Donny McCaslin. Mr. Golovnev was awarded as a semifinalist in the prestigious 2007 Thelonious Monk International Jazz Trumpet Competition. ALL MUSIC GUIDE REVIEW By Michael G. Nastos Though not a young man at age 30 when these sessions were recorded, Russian born trumpeter Vitaly Golovnev makes his recording debut with a quintet of New York City peers that sound far more advanced than their ages. Steeped in the soul of '50s and '60s hard bop, this quintet firmly swings the music courtesy of drummer Jason Brown, pays homage to their elders, and makes fresh modern jazz without playing it totally straight or acting as students copping heads of any well-worn standards whatsoever. Golovnev himself has certainly heard his share of Lee Morgan, Donald Byrd, and Freddie Hubbard, but claims influence via the short-lived innovator Booker Little. This element of his playing suggests a more progressive, angular and daring feel to this music. Tenor saxophonist Jake Saslow is his front line foil, not quite yet an individualist, but a solid and supple player with tons of upside. The surprise is pianist Miki Hayama, an exciting new player on the scene who sounds quite well-rounded and expressive, while veteran bassist Boris Koslov, on loan from the Mingus Big Band, needs no introduction as one of the premier players on his instrument in contemporary jazz. Though Golovnev composed all of these tracks, Hayama should claim credit for shaping and crafting complicated heads like "Whose Shoes?" and "Miki's Trick," both featuring quirky angular lines à la Thelonious Monk or Ornette Coleman in neo-bop trim, straight-ahead and animated, clean, but requiring your rapt attention. More in the mold of Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers, the title cut is fun, hopped up and fleet with Golovnev and Saslow streaming and steaming ahead. "Pretty Far" has Hayama definitely on and ahead of it, using unusual, intellectual note progressions, while a montuno piano theme for "Corner Bistro" goes into blues-ish bossa territory, very typical of Horace Silver. Koslov takes a big bass solo during "Some Kind of Blues" cementing his top-drawer rep, "Never" is a completely doleful waltz to 4/4 ballad digging into the darkest blue spectrum of gut-wrenching reality, while "Elegy" has Saslow channeling Wayne Shorter's always compelling dark rhythm or melody changes and subtle interval wavers. This is certainly a credible first effort, one that deserves a fair chance in the modern mainstream jazz marketplace that touts only a few kings, but not enough anointed disciples willing to takes chances as this band clearly does.