Playful Intentions

Phil Grenadier

Listen: Sample 1 Sample 2 Sample 3

Tracklisting:

1. Borderick (Powell) - 6:56
2. At a Loss (Mehldau) - 9:58
3. What is This Unanswered Question? (Grenadier/Ives) - 4:42
4. Playful Intentions (Grenadier) - 6:35
5. Ellipsis (Grenadier) - 8:04
6. Idioteque (Lansky/Radiohead) - 5:00
7. More Mist from Cali (Grenadier) - 2:05
8. Tough Love (Grenadier) - 7:59
9. On the Bound (Apple) - 5:45
10. Speak Low (Weill) - 2:46
11. Give 'Er (Ballard/Carrothers/Grenadier/Grenadier/Rosenwinkel) - 9:04

Recorded in New York, September, 2002.


Reviews:

"Sweet Transients, le premier album de Phil Grenadier, essentiellement une collection de standards joués par un quintet all-star de "jeunes vétérans", avait fait bonne impression, qui est confirmée et amplifiée aujourd’hui.

Sur Playful Intentions, exit les standards rebattus : Borderick de Bud Powell, At a loss de Brad Mehldau, Idiotheque de Radiohead et On the bound de Fiona Apple se retrouvent parmi cinq compositions personnelles et une improvisation libre.

La voix du leader s’est affermie et s’impose d’autant plus, aussi bien en tant que compositeur qu’instrumentiste. Sur Tough Love, Grenadier prend son temps, comme quelqu’un qui n’aurait (déjà) plus rien à prouver. Ellipsis prend une mélodie simple, sombre et évocatrice et la grave immédiatement dans votre mémoire. L’improvisation finale Give ’er donne à penser que ce trompettiste a encore beaucoup de marge d’évolution devant lui.

Les deux reprises pop sont bien choisies. On the bound séduit avec sa ligne de basse bondissante, tandis qu’Idioteque est plus aggressif et dissonant.

Les compagnons de jeu de Grenadier, quant à eux, sont au niveau auquel on s’attend de leur part. Ils créent une atmosphère très différente de celle de Sweet Transients. Par exemple, Bill Carrothers est beaucoup moins minimaliste que ne l’était Ethan Iverson."

- Mwanji Ezana, www.citizenjazz.com

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""Trumpet Guy's" second release is just out on Fresh Sound and was well worth the wait! With the exception of bassist/brother Larry, Phil has assembled a whole new crew from his debut CD (the highly recommended "Sweet Transients") and takes the music in a slightly different direction.

It's still too early for me to get into much detail (only listened once through so far) but I can say that "Playful Intentions" is a worthy title for these 11 tracks. It sounds like the 5 musicians on this session had a ball in the studio!

This one is sure to get many spins in my CD player in the coming months. Highly recommended. Congrats Phil."

- Brian P., All About Jazz

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"Trumpeter Phil Grenadier assembles an all-star modern jazz lineup for this most entertaining effort. And it doesn’t take too long to discern, that the trumpeter and guitarist Kurt Rosenwinkel make for a rather formidable duo. Grenadier’s expressive and lyrically charged method of execution comes to fruition on the opener, Bud Powell’s “Borderick.” Here, the trumpeter, Rosenwinkel and pianist Bill Carrothers rework the melody by way of their playful intentions. Therefore, the looseness and verve intimated by the album title is permeated throughout this superfine program.

While Phil’s brother Larry and drummer Jeff Ballard dish out the often-buoyant rhythms, whether the ensemble is engaging in mid-tempo Bop, or odd-metered, funk based grooves.

One of the striking qualities of this affair resides within the band’s easygoing gait. Yet, the musicians link up via an altogether commanding approach: one that instills an overriding sense of determination into the grand scheme of things. Many of these works are constructed upon memorable melodies in concert with the ensemble’s driving cadenzas and tuneful choruses. They also venture into free-bop and poignant balladry. Phil Grenadier even reconfigures Radiohead’s “Idioteque,” into a peppery jazz vamp, via his resonant lines and Rosenwinkel’s rhythmically oriented chop chords. It all comes together rather nicely! (A top pick for 2003)"

- Glenn Astarita, Jazz Review

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"Phil Grenadier opens Playful Intentions with Bud Powell's bebop nursery song "Borderick," and closes the session with a meandering free improvisation. Between the two tracks he explores a variety of moods and modes that bridge those extremes. He parlays free bop on "At a Loss" and "Tough Love," some rock covers — Fiona Apple's "On the Bound," and Radiohead's "Idioteque," and even a piece — "What is This Unanswered Question?" — that sounds like Charles Ives channeled through Bitches Brew. It seems Grenadier is searching for the right frame for his trumpet, and he hasn't quite found it yet. What he has done is honed a distinctive trumpet style with which he can deliver cutting statements on the most diverse material. His solos encapsulate the variety of material from the sing-song quality of the opener to the jabbing passion of the freer tunes. His thematic variations on the title track are stunning. He's abetted by the fluid rhythmic work of his brother, Larry Grenadier, on bass and drummer Jeff Ballard. In more circumspect roles, guitarist Kurt Rosenwinkel and pianist Bill Carrothers provide shimmering textures and harmonic colors."

— David Dupont (All Music Guide)