Pete Mills Quartet

By GLENN ASTARITA, Published: December 23, 2007

Tenor saxophonist Pete Mills doesn't chart new musical frontiers on this 2007 release. On the contrary, he just gets it done the good old fashion way via lots of gusto, oomph and up-tempo grooves, performed with his estimable band-mates. Mills regenerates the jazz organ combo vibe here, complete with soul/funk, swing and meaty underpinnings provided by the rock solid and fluidly moving rhythmic unit.

With Hammond B-3 ace Tony Monaco and guitarist Pete McCann onboard, the musical climate here is loaded with zestful motifs amid the soloists alternating exchanges. On "Eddie, Monaco embarks upon a vengeful tear by slamming his organ into overdrive. And in other spots, the musicians comp, dart and weaver around each other's often-torrid dialogues that tend to project a multi-layered and harmonious group-centric vibe.

"Crooked Cheese is a quirky funk romp, where Mills' edgy sax lines nicely contrast Monaco's silvery chord progressions. Nonetheless, the musicians mix it all up rather vibrantly. No doubt, a good time was had by all. And check out Mills' warmly penetrating choruses on the quiet duet with McCann on Billy Strayhorn's "A Flower is a Lovesome Thing.

In sum, the ensemble merges the best of many conceivable worlds. Chops-heavy, yet compositionally sound and focused, the artists' jovial camaraderie transcends the norm. Brimming with the essence of good cheer, Mills and crew communicate a distinct sense of musical merriment during the entirety of this impacting and irrefutably entertaining jaunt.

Track Listing: Straight Up; Eddie; Fossil; Too Close to Call; Schlooze; Diggin' on Dexter; Crooked Cheese; Talkin' with the Tubs; Winter Rain; For a Beginning; A Flower is a Lovesome Thing.

Personnel: Pete Mills: tenor sax; Tony Monaco: Hammond B-3 organ; Pete McCann: guitar; Jim Rupp: drums; Andy Woodson: bass.
- Allaboutjazz.com

Straightahead jazz combines pleasant memories with fresh energy when it's created by a unit such as Pete Mills' quintet. His lovely tenor saxophone tone soothes while it cascades around the room. The session remains peaceful and quiet throughout. Mills stretches out on up-tempo romps and lays back casually for lyrical ballads.
With the pared-down backing of just bass and drums, he delivers “In Walked Bud” with a bounce. Careful to keep the tempo in the moderate range, he interprets this chestnut from the heart.
Lighter numbers, such as “Spin Dri” and “Dot Com” fly by much faster and give his audience a firestorm of ideas. The images run fast and furious, and cast their impressions right on the money.
Ballads such as “Chelsea Bridge” reveal the warmth in Mills' demeanor. Interpreted here as a lovely duet with guitarist Pete McCann, the piece stands out as would a magnificent painting, sculpture, or a work of architecture. The album's title, no doubt a reference to the visualizations that accompany mainstream jazz, applies firm lines and colors to the quintet's music.
Mills interprets his originals and three standards in different formats. Duos, trios, quartets and a quintet formula all work equally well. His best frame of reference, however, occurs when he teams up with guitarist McCann. Together, they drive with clarity, originality, and a fresh sound. Creative artists such as this need to be heard to be appreciated. Art and Architecture comes highly recommended.
~ Jim Santella

Jim Santella has been contributing CD reviews, concert reviews and DVD reviews to AAJ since 1997. His work has also appeared in Southland Blues, The L.A. Jazz Scene, and Cadence Magazine.
- AllAboutJazz.com

Pete Mills
Fresh Spin
Chicken Coup 7009
***1/2

Jim Snidero
Tippin’
Savant 2086
***1/2

The spirit of classic organ groups led by the likes of Brother Jack McDuff, Jimmy Smith and Jimmy McGriff is reflected in the nimble improvisations and reliable groovemaking heard on satisfying new sessions led by alto saxophonist Jim Snidero and tenor saxophonist Pete Mills. Both CDs make timely reminders of the format’s viability.
Snidero, who launched his professional career with an early-’80s stint in McDuff’s quartet, salutes his old boss with Tippin’s title track, a burning blues built around a simple phrase. He toasts another influence and employer, saxophonist Frank Wess, with the mellow, gospel-tinged ballad “Let’s Be Frank” and contributes two other original tunes—the stair-stepping “K2” and modified blues “Fried Oysters,” the latter as good and greasy as its name implies. The standard “Alone Together,” with Paul Bollenback’s guitar lines spinning off Snidero’s reading of the melody, is a treat, as is the challenging, quick-paced “Young Like,” Mike LeDonne’s nod to B-3 great Larry Young.
Fresh Spin boasts a warmer sound, in part owing to the big, bracing bite of Mills’ tenor and partly due to a bottoms-up approach to the CD’s sound mix. Midtempo swing rules—as Tony Monaco mans the B-3 chair—with detours to the old-school r&b of guitarist Pete McCann’s “Crooked Cheese” and inspired takes on Horace Silver’s “Diggin’ On Dexter” and Billy Strayhorn’s delicate “A Flower Is A Lovesome Thing,” played as a Mills–McCann duet. Mills’ originals are fine, too, particularly the opener “Straight Up” with its references to Miles Davis’ “Four.” —Philip Booth

Tippin’: Tippin’; Let’s Be Frank; Young Like; The More I See You; Lover Man Oh Where Can You Be?; You Stepped Out Of A Dream; K2; Alone Together; Fried Oysters. (52:01)
Personnel: Jim Snidero, alto saxophone; Mike LeDonne, Hammond B-3 organ; Paul Bollenback, guitar; Tony Reedus, drums.

Fresh Spin: Straight Up; Eddie; Fossil; Too Close To Call; Schlooze; Diggin’ On Dexter; Crooked Cheese; Talkin’ With The Tubs; Winter Rain; For A Beginning; A Flower Is A Lovesome Thing. (59:59)
Personnel: Pete Mills, tenor saxophone; Tony Monaco, Hammond B-3 organ; Pete McCann, guitar; Jim Rupp, drums; Andy Woodson, bass (3, 7, 9).
- Downbeat Magazine

by Scott Yanow
Pete Mills, a tenor saxophonist inspired by his mentor Walt Weiskopf, is an excellent player influenced by but not derivative of John Coltrane. On Art and Architecture, most of the music is straight-ahead post-bop, utilizing chord changes in the themes but not necessarily always tied to them in the improvisations. Mills' dry tone is showcased at its best on the augmented blues-with-a-bridge "Dot Com," "In Walked Bud," a brief duet with guitarist Pete McCann on "Chelsea Bridge," and the lighthearted "Pumpkin Shoes." The band really gets to romp on the funky "Clubfoot" and there are fine spots along the way for McCann and pianist Bobby Floyd, with bassist Dennis Irwin and drummer Matt Wilson being stimulating in support. The program has plenty of variety in moods and grooves, and Mills fares quite well in every setting of this excellent modern jazz set. - All Music Guide