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jesse stacken "magnolia" fresh sound records (fsnt 359)

Folks tend to think that there is not much new that can be done with the piano/bass/drums jazz formula. Those who know better, know that this isn't necessarily so since new piano trios discs pop up each month and there are still some surprises in store. This is the second offering from Jesse Stacken's piano trio, after a fine duo disc with Kirk Knuffke and a quartet with Peter Van Huffel. "Solstice" begins with just a few skeletal notes on the piano slowly repeating a short phrase, building quietly as it develops. As the piece evolves, the bass & drums come in and add to the repeating groove, the overall effect is subtly mesmerizing and a bit like the Necks but developing much quicker. Jesse likes to come up with one memorable line at a time, repeat it and then slowly twist it into a different idea. The bass and drums always enhance the phrase by adding sparsely to the pulse as it ascends. On "Aquatic House" it is the bass and drums that fill in the structure while the piano plays the sparse curves and corners. "The Whip" has one of great, slightly funky, effervescent melodies that will make you smile as soon as you hear it. The subdued vibe here helps to make this an exquisite, melancholy offering which feels just right when one is at their wits end and need to relax. There is something magical and/or dreamlike about this music, an elegant vibe that I find touching. This is one of the most charming piano trio discs I've heard in a long while. Bill Evans fans should dig this gem.
- Bruce Lee Gallanter, Downtown Music Gallery

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jesse stacken / kirk knuffke "mockingbird" steeplechase records (sccd 31677):

a number of piano/trumpet duo recordings have been made throughout jazz history, though most musicians prefer the safety net of having a full rhythm section. but these two men, still in their twenties at the time of the recording session, had the confidence and the ability to play without a net, recorded live to boot. pianist jesse stacken and trumpeter kirk knuffke met in new york vity  in 2005, and shortly thereafter began jamming together. after experimenting with a bit of free jazz, they chose to record ten pieces by two jazz masters, though putting their own stamp on each of them. seven of the songs are by thelonious monk, including a few that aren't recorded very much. the cat-and-mouse rapid-fire interplay of "teo" (which includes snippets of "yesterday") is a wild affair, while their spacious hand-in-glove treatment of the ballad "reflections" captures the essence of it. The trumpeter opens the ellington/strayhorn masterpiece "isfahan" (from "far east suite") with an unaccompanied improvisation, while the duo slowly savors this timeless ballad, playing it seemingly slower than ellington himself to unveil its many facets. ellington's "sunset and the mockingbird" is a neglected gem from his "queen's suite"; knuffke's trumpet takes on a whimsical air in his solo, while stacken at times blurs the chords a bit with his liberal use of the sustain petal. this is the way jazz ought to be, taking risks and utilizing first takes, as was done on this enticing project.
-ken dryden, allmusic.com

If a Mount Rushmore for jazz is ever erected, Ellington and Monk will surely be among the countenances carved in the rock. Practically every player who chooses the idiom tackles tunes from one or the other at one time or another. That Everest-sized edifice of precedence makes the prospect of devoting an entire album to the composers’ works all the more prone to redundancy. Pianist Jesse Stacken and trumpeter Kirk Knuffke greet any warnings against such an action with a collective shrug. Both have valuable experience playing in free settings, Knuffke in particular on a string of albums for Clean Feed, 577 and KMB labels. That kind of out-of-the-box thinking serves them well in this context as they interpret ten tunes, seven by Monk and three pulled from Ducal suites, in front of an audience at the Bloomingdale School of Music where Stacken teaches.
The duo configuration of piano and trumpet is hardly novel, having its recorded jazz inception in the Louis Armstrong and Earl Hines masterpiece “Weatherbird”. Other partnerships have followed, perhaps most notably and prolifically through the pairing of Ruby Braff and Ellis Larkins in an initial 1955 meeting and subsequent reunions over the following decades. The has even greater similarities to Braff’s later modernist-leaning conclave with Roger Kellaway given the Jaki Byard-like breadth Stacken brings to his constructions on the keys. Knuffke echoes Braff too in a warm, rounded tone and supple phrasing that parallels the elder man’s preferred parlance on cornet. Reference points are superficial though as Stacken and Knuffke speak their own shared language devoid of slavish regurgitation.
Both men are avid conversationalists in counterpoint, their colorful layering on a reading of “Teo” evincing just how complete their rapport. They rightly take clever liberties with the tunes, fixing Ellington’s “Such Sweet Thunder” with stark tango-style syncopation and slowing “Misterioso” to a languorous crawl. The lyrical rendering of “Reflections” is outright gorgeous and the pair follows it perfectly with the bouncing joviality of “Skippy”, Stacken’s off-handed slide into rambunctious stride beneath Knuffke’s burnished staccato. Most importantly, they take their time with the pieces and that unhurried pace pays huge dividends in the amount of space it opens up for the repartee. At just south of 50-minutes the set’s a bit short by Steeplechase standards and as Stacken notes in the notes, a few mistakes occur, but damn if they don’t matter a whit when the give and take that surrounds them is this good.
-Derek Taylor, Master of a Small House

Usually I try to be cautious to keep close to this blog's profile in terms of the music that I review : adventurous, innovative, expressive, boundary-shifting music, with deep artistic vision. But once in a while it's difficult to ignore or not to share my enthusiasm for music that does not fit this category.
Pianist Jesse Stacken and trumpeter Kirk Knuffke tackle the music of Ellington and Monk, but then in a context and with a stylistic revision that belongs to early jazz, and on top of this with the technical refinement of a classical chamber ensemble. The end result is musical joy from the very first note to the last. This is an ode to the beauty of composition, melody and interplay, without any further pretense or ambition. Whether "Bright Mississippi" or "Misterioso", or especially "Skippy", the versions this fantastic duo brings of Monk's compact music is crystal clear, precise and joyful. Alternating these with Ellington's more melancholy and bluesy compositions "Isfahan" and "Sunset and The Mocking Bird" is a great idea because it adds variation. The album ends with "Four In One", with both musicians playing the tune in unison at breackneck speed, and in truth, a piece to laugh out loud just from sheer listening enjoyment at their skills and at the end result. Not free, not avant-garde, but a daring and refreshing take on two icons of jazz history by two young musicians whose normal biotope is modern jazz. Enjoy!
-Stef, Free Jazz Blog

"mockingbird" named best tribute recording of 2009 by all about jazz - new york!

"this is nostalgia made vibrant, played with precision, depth, good taste, and a leisurely refusal to overcrowd the sonic space."
-martin longley, all about jazz new york.
read the full review!

JESSE STACKEN & KIRK KNUFFKE - Mockingbird: The Music Of Thelonious Monk & Duke Ellington (Steeplechase 31677; EEC) Downtown piano wiz, Jesse Stacken, has a great trio disc out on Fresh Sound from last year that I raved about and is about to have another one on the same label soon. Trumpet man Kirk Knuffke is in Ideal Bread who did a swell tribute to Steve Lacy, as well as having two fine discs as a leader on the 577 and Clean Feed labels. For this duo effort, Jesse & Kirk cover select gems by Duke Ellington and Thelonius Monk, two of jazz's most popular and influential composers. This duo set was recorded live at the Bloomingdale School of Music in NYC in September of 2008 and the sound is just right. Monk's "Light Blue" is first and given a fine treatment with an exuberant piano solo featured. I dig the way the duo twist Monk's "Teo" into fragments at the beginning before Jesse breaks into a strong two handed piano solo. Kirk also takes a great solo without wasting a note riding on top of Jesse's spinning note waves. Duke's "Such Sweet Thunder" is an interesting choice since it is rarely covered by anyone else than Duke's band. The piece rocks slowly with a pensive bass line played thunderously on the low end of the piano with Kirk taking an inspired solo that captures the history of jazz trumpet in a nutshell. Monk's "Reflections" is even more laid back than usual with a sublime trumpet solo that shines softly above the elegant, skeletal piano. "Skippy" is a perfect title for Monk's tune which does skip and rock back and forth in a great old-fashioned sort of way. Ellington & Strayhorn's "Isfahan" is another odd choice but is done with a haunting elegance. I like the way the duo slow down Monk's "Misterioso" to a more dreamy pace until Kirk takes a solo which spins more quirkly on top. "Bright Mississippi" is given a festive, jubilant treatment with a great piano solo featured. I can't recall ever hearing Duke's "Sunset and the Mockingbird" before this, but it is another calm and lyrical gem with some lovely trumpet. This great disc ends with the classic "Four in One", a most difficult tune that is a test of one's jazz chops. The duo do a fine job nonetheless working their way through the nooks and crannies and hairpin turns of this daredevil song. An excellent duo disc on all accounts.
- Bruce Lee Gallanter, Downtown Music Gallery

review of jesse stacken/kirk knuffke live at cornelia st. cafe, nyc:
"their repartee was crisp and in the pocket and their choices seemed to emphasize the sheer expressive range of canonical jazz.."
-david r. adler, all about jazz new york.
read the full review!

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jesse stacken "that that" fresh sound records (fsnt 308):

"freedom," "dissonance" and "envelope-pushing" are the watchwords of this adventurous ecm-ish piano-trio outing by jesse stacken and his fellow provocateurs eivind opsvik on bass and jeff davis on drums. the three explore some dark, thorny terrain on "shady oak," distractions" and "inventor," demonstrating remarkable flexibility, an uncanny chemistry and an underlying capacity to swing. and zen-delicate rubato pieces like "sad sidewalk" and "birds in slow motion" make dramatic use of silence and breath. a rare gem.
-bill milkowski, jazztimes

JESSE STACKEN with EIVIND OPSVIK/JEFF DAVIS- That That (Fresh Sound NT 308; EEC) Featuring Jesse Stacken on piano, Eivind Opsvik on bass and Jeff Davis on drums. Ace pianist, Jesse Stacken, played here at DMG with Peter Van Huffel a few months back and just left us with copies of his fine debut disc. The rhythm section also backs Jeff's wife Kris in her trio, as well as in that recent jazz tribute to Black Sabbath (!?!) called 'Rocket Engine.'
Jesse composed all but two of the twelve pieces here with two group improvisations. I love how the trio erupts on the second piece, "Shady Oak," the dynamics and tension are bristling until Eivind takes a more contemplative bass solo and calms things down a bit. What amazes me is how tight this trio is and how they change direction, tempo and dynamics in mid-flow. In a blindfold test, you might just mistake them for Herbie Hancock, Ron Carter and Tony Williams when they played for Miles. All but one of the pieces here are under five minutes, so the trio seems to compress their ideas into highly focused excursions. "Sad Sidewalk" is angelic, spacious, minimal and elegant without being too sweet. This trio has a way of being dramatic one minute and then simmering the next, reminding me of the way that life sometimes unfolds. On "North Shore," Jesse develops a couple of different themes as the trio hangs on to the powerful waves of his left hand while his right hand burns on top. Each piece here seems to tell a little story or set a different scene and each one is distinct. Jesse, again, works with a couple of different themes on "Ignored," one is Monk-like while circles around and expands upon that quirky stream. The way it builds into intense wave and then subsides is quite breathtaking. Without a doubt, one of the best piano dates we've heard so far this year.
  - Bruce Lee Gallanter, Downtown Music Gallery.

"a piano trio led by jesse stacken - whose lyrical soul is evident since the very first chords that he articulates on the keyboard - and featuring an extremely competent bassist in eivind opsvik (from norway) and a sensitive drummer named jeff davis. i don’t remember of having ever met these artists before, yet enjoying their crystal-clear playing was a complete pleasure. formed in 2005, the group performs a nice blend of jazz-oriented compositions where improvisational spurts and a very conscious interplay are fundamental cards. the defining element of this album is a kind of veiled elegance often bordering on melancholy, both attributes quite apparent behind the façade of a complex metre or amidst some dissonant dissertation. i was reminded of certain old ecm chapters still to be liked on these shores, such as the works by the john abercrombie quartet circa “m” (of course minus the guitar); in fact, stacken made me think of richie beirach’s approach more than once. but, i stress, the whole trio is a treat for the ears, despite their choice of not overly trespassing the limits of well-conceived and executed architectural structures. brilliant music that will surely keep good company for many evenings to come, without the pretence of being remembered as a milestone yet guaranteeing almost one hour of detachment from the preoccupations of technical contortionism."
-massimo ricci, touching extremes

It was a pleasant surprise when I listened to Jesse Stacken, pianist of the Peter Van Huffel Quintet, who has shared the music stand with the young guitarist Scott Dubois, and is a leader who also shows very interesting stance. Stacken, now, takes flight with this CD which serves as his prologue, as well as his Mission Statement.
Accompanied by a non-contemptible rhythm section, formed by the Norwegian Elvind Opsvik and the American Jeff Davis, this trio is a very good example of the music that is being developed by certain youths in Brooklyn . Fresh Sound New Talent records has been putting out CDs for years that attempt to define a denomination of origin to this great New York Borough. At times the results have been more fortunate than others, and there has been a criterion of vagueness, but there are left these instances for posterity to remind us of what was cooking at the beginning of the millennium among young jazzmen of Brooklyn.
Focusing on Stacken, after listening intently to THAT THAT, we find a complete pianist, formed with a great capacity and ability that tells us about the many places he wants to go to. That lack of focus is normal in young musicians, and should not be an obstacle at the time of evaluating Stacken in its just measure. His “pianism” emerges in gushes full of life, taking us from one place to the next without fully exploding, but maintaining our interest intact throughout the CD.
Stacken sounds at moments like Andrew Hill, Paul Bley, Jarrett, Mehldau and even as Craig Taborn, still undefined, but shows solid technique and a fresh risk-taking approach.
THAT THAT is a very interesting debut in that Jesse Stacken, with innocence according to the circumstances, shows a superior quality to many supposedly consecrated pianists. The raw material is there. The maturity will come soon enough. Now he must go forward and show us what he wants to do.
Yahve M. de la Cavada. - tomajazz.com

Jesse Stacken, a pianist based in New York, has released a really interesting and enjoyable album entitled "That That," joined by Eivind Opsvik on bass and Jeff Davis on drums. Going in with no background on any of the musicians on the album, I was interested to hear what they had to offer. I get a lot of promos these days for a number of reasons, and I set the bar higher for reviewing randoms than I do music I'm familiar with.
One of the first things that struck me in listening to the album was the focused brevity of the tracks. The recorded medium used to provide mandatory constraints on the length of compositions and improvisations recorded in early jazz. By the time we get to the LP that has become less of a concern, and in the age of the CD we have Pat Metheny releasing The Way Up, a bloated 68 minute composition that seems to fill up space just because it can.
There's something to be said for restraint and constraints, and the impact that kind of focus has on musicians who are given a certain amount of time to put in their two cents. I'm all for coloring outside the lines, but it's not always what's called for by the music and the players, and the focus on this album is not only refreshing but is also works.
There's a great balance of improvised pieces and compositions on the album, and the improvisation that opens the affair was one of the things that drew me into the listening experience. The trio has tuned their rapport and achieve powerful states of improvisational flow as a result. I'm not sure if it's the length of the tracks or the way they flow together, but the whole listening experience goes by quickly and seamlessly.
Overall, a really impressive album from a musician who I was not familiar with but will certainly look out for in the future.
- dan melnick, soundslope

"jeff davis and [eivind] opsvik are the rhythm team supporting pianist jesse stacken on that that. stacken directs the trio's energy more through the often-fractured rhythmis abstractions of his piano work than through thematically-driven compositions though there are plenty of wonderful ones here; "shady oak", "distractions" and "ignored" are fine displays of his fluency with ambitious rhythmic structures. nonetheless, the ear can't help but be drawn to extemporaneous invention that flows from stacken's playing. davis provides empathatic support, matching stacken's knack for multiplicity with fluid time-keeping and colorful, lush cymbal work. as with opsvik's overseas project, this is an ensemble that has worked together for a while now. the energy ebbs and flows, displaying unity towoards a common directions, even as fragments of tonalities and rhythmic fluidity are strewn throughout the sonic environment." - wilbur mackenzie, all about jazz new york.

"on “that that” (fresh sound new talent), his quietly restless new album, the pianist jesse stacken presents a program of all-original material; he also showcases his intuitive and slippery rapport with the bassist eivind opsvik and the drummer jeff davis, who rejoin him for this cd-release gig." -nate chinen, new york times

"jesse stacken, a person of exceptional talent who has been active on the ny music scene since 2002, is one of the remarkable young jazz pianists. this soulful cd celebrates the fruits of his labor with the trio which was formed in 2004. the powerful rhythm secion of the bassist eivind opsvik and the drummer jeff davis, creates dangerously dark and unique sound. listening to the trio's sharp and thrilling interplay makes one's hand sweat. this is truly a very sensational cd." -diskunion, japan.

"refreshingly, a piano trio that gels perfectly in a way that doesn't recall grooving trendsetters such as est. instead stacken's inside-outside playing is closer to paul bley's enigmatic tonal world. "
-selwyn harris, jazzwise magazine

listen up feature in all about jazz ny - february 2008

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press for sideman appearances:

peter van huffel quintet "silvester battlefield" fresh sound records (fsnt 290):

"pianist jesse stacken, who comes to nyc by way of minnesota, is adept in his role as both the trigger for and connection between these mood shifts. such is the case on "delirium", where he intricately combines with dubois to lay down a frenetic rhyhtm, allowing van huffel to blow bop, and then artfully picks up the leader's subtle cue to set a pensive mood. his "good mornings" is the albums most touching moment and the vehicle for van huffel's most tender tone."
 - elliot simon, all about jazz - ny. read the full review at allaboutjazz.com

"i'd also single out pianist jesse stacken's lovely and powerful good mornings. more riveting basswork from bates yields to a sumptous, spacious theme, only to have its consonance grow darker and more dissonant and interesting. this track - and really the disc as a whole - is quite a journey and this kind of play by play does it a disservice, sighting its surprise value."
-peter hum, ottawa citezen


liam sillery "minor changes" oa2 records (oa2 22020):

"the other major voice here is pianist jesse stacken, who delivers rich, plush chords when playing behind other soloists and adds a playful touch in his own breaks."
 -forrest dylan bryant. read the full review at fojazz.com

"pianist stacken contributes a thoughtful, lyrical solo to "prana."" -paul oberlin.  read the full review at jazzreview.com

sherisse rogers' "slight of hand" (self released):

"a hot piano solo by jesse stacken gives [blue skies] just enough of the original taste to make it fit the program."
- jim santella : jazz improv magazine.