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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (July 20, 2001)
iily2Q,2ÛQl» MUSIC ..........V........... No doubt about it, Crittenden is a real Renaissance man—a painter, composer, musi cian and former technical designer for an engi neering firm. But he has decided to forsake the “ugly world of corporate America” and concen trate on his first loves: music and art. And, oh yeah, he’s also an accomplished tarot card reader, which he uses as a form of meditation. “There are analogies to music; each card in the major arcana is associated with a note,” he explains. As for his artwork, you might have seen it on dis play last month in the Art Tent at Pride 2001 . Deeply felt Portland bass player reveals himself in an album rich with beauty by O r ia n a G r e e n y work presumes that the deepest mysteries lie in the unexplainable attractions to beauty,” Rick Crit tenden wrote about his paintings of European landscapes. But after hearing his new CD, I believe it also applies to his lush music. Although he’s played for years as a tal ented sideman and recorded for Windham Hill and Narada, Crittenden finally has released his own CD, Passages. His compositions on this disc were inspired by an earlier tour of Europe he made with the great jazz band Oregon. The tunes also date back to a time when he was “coming to terms with and realizing that I am g ay ...I was coming out, so Pas sages seemed an ap propriate title for the project.” Fans of Oregon quickly will recognize the lilting horn work of Paul McCandless, which dominates— in a good way— the first upbeat tune on the disc, “Swiss Bell.” Sprightly keyboard work by Art Lande contributes to the overall tone of opti mism. That mood is not surprising consid ering the inspiration came when Critten den was awakened one morning by the sound of 10 tolling church bells in Bern, Switzerland. Track two, “The Place Between,” takes us down a slower, more thoughtful path and at times almost feels like a lament. Drummer Chris Lee does some sensitive brushwork, and the whole quartet sounds very cohesive. This beautiful tune was inspired by the view of a Venice canal. On the next cut, “Crittendude," the group revs the tempo back up to full speed for some impressive experiments with chords and a lack of chord changes. On this one you really can hear why the piano is classified as a percussion instrument. With the fourth track, "Touching the Stone,” Crittenden finally takes the lead. This moody duo with tablas is magical and reflective and pays homage to a small stone chapel in Assisi, Italy. Crittenden’s mentor is player extraordinaire Glenn Moore (also of Oregon fame), who joins him for an unusu al bass duet on the contemplative “Trans parent Child.” You can feel the vibration in your bones from the bowing of the strings in what feels like a meditation, and you almost can hear a steady mantra in the overtones. Then just when you think you can peg this album as a spiritually toned essay, Crittenden offers “Now That You’ve Gone,” a languid and dreamy tunt that for me paints a mood of mar tinis in hand-blown glasses at sunset. It’s a per fect soundtrack for seduction— or just unwind ing after a rough day. ates an airy confec tion and an air of excitement. It would be easy to visualize this music in some fabulous foreign film. After eight original compositions, the CD ends with the standard “Body and Soul” featur ing Nancy King on vocals. Although it’s a fine performance, for my taste it distracts from the cohesive feel of the rest of the album. (At least Crittenden didn’t try to sing it himself, unlike the well-known Portland jazz pianist who can’t resist vainly inserting his own weak vocal tracks into his otherwise fine discs.) It also feels a shame to end with a vocal number, which suddenly reduces the instrumentalists to accompanists instead of allowing them to final ize the album with a strong musical statement. Crittenden has an ear for fresh melodies and interesting arrangements. And unlike some albums by bass players, this one doesn’t force the instru ment into a lead position. Crittenden is a generous player who accepts that his instrument of choice often works best in a sup porting role. Overall, whichever combination of instru ments are in play, they always blend well, mak ing for a tight group that sounds like they’ve Rick Crittenden with jammed together for a two of his paintings long time. This nicely paced C D would be great to play at a cock When he carries the melody as he does tail party, because jazz always sounds better to with this one, Crittenden plays in an emotive me as the day wanes. Then again, it’d also be way that makes you feel as if you are hearing nice to wake up to. lyrics. Imagine my surprise when I read the Crittenden continues to work steadily as a liner notes and learned this tune was suggested sideman doing recordings and live gigs. As for not by some hunk in his past but by the death playing his music locally, he says, “The direc of his mother! (When I confess this to him, tion I’m leaning toward is putting together a Crittenden quips that it just proves “how concert-type show and touring with it.” In the multipurpose music can be.”) meantime, check out Passages at any area The next cut revisits the same piece but as music store. j n a lively, uptempo number you’d expect to hear wafting out of some chic penthouse. It features O r ia n a G reen always has been a huge jazz the sophisticated, breezy touch of pianist fan, even to the point of toting a trap set around Lande, who puts out some stylish solos. in her hatchback for a special drummer back in Next stop: Florence and the “Uffizi,” where her hippie days. Now she’s the Entertainment Crittenden gets inside the artist’s mind with Editor of Just Out and can be reached at some fun, fast, pizzicato harmonics work on the oriana@justout.com. bass played off soprano sax and oboe. This cre Crittenden is a generous player who accepts that his instrum ent of choice often works best in a supporting role P R O G R A M M IN G H IG H L IG H T S SAT - 7.21.01 Raceline____________________________ Blazer Dancer Selection Final Pro w restling AIW Slams & Jams SUN • 7.22.01 Portland Fire vs. Detroit Shock Portland Fire: On Fire MON 7.23.01 USAR Pro Cup Auto Racing TUE 7.24.01 Portland Fire vs. New York Liberty SAT 7.28.01 Portland Fire: On Fire Portland Fire vs. LA Sparks in HDTV MON - 7.30.01 • A C TIO N SNORTS CARLS NETWORK www.ASCM.tv Portland Fire vs. Utah Starzz in HDTV ^39
