“To Swing or Not to Swing” - that has always been a meaningful question in debates concerning jazz. Refuse to swing and be lumped in with any overtly commercialized form of instrumental pop music, and still be marketed as “jazz” for the masses. Swing as hard as you possibly can and be tagged “traditional,” therefore being categorized with those as wide ranging as Sidney Bechet, Duke Ellington, Michael Brecker or contemporary neo-hipsters like the Royal Crown Revue. You risk being ignored by the general public, who are still learning to
tap on two and four.

Frankly, I’m pleased that drummer Pete Siers has been chosen to swing, for it is what he does best. He also does it with an ever Iovin’ fervor, inventiveness and taste that pays respect to the great drummers of the past, and steadfastly looks ahead for new ways and means to do it. Armed with many years of experience in small and large ensembles at various nightclubs in Michigan, Siers has consistently given all his bandmates over this time the support, steadiness and urgency to take their musical offerings to a higher plateau. He’s also true to himself with every flam, paradiddle, press roll and sock cymbal chink that we’ve all heard a billion times over. Thing is, those percussive notes are accented with a unique emotionalism, depth, wit, and sense of purpose in the individualistic way Pete Siers interprets them.

For this, the debut disc of Pete Siers as a leader, he’s chosen the piano-bass-drums format, one which many will tell you is the most challenging because of its sparseness and inter-dependency for all three musicians equally to make sparks fly.

Siers cites the classic trio recordings of Oscar Peterson and Monty Alexander as his primary inspiration. For this date he’s chosen no less a piano virtuoso than native Detroiter Johnny O’Neal, and the versatile Detroit area baseman Paul Keller, who has shared the bandstand with Siers for most of their adult lives.

Together they do blend as if they’re three peas in a pod. Their evident unity, ability to swing delicately or ferociously, and when they desire, mix subtle shadings of blue with the many other colors at their disposal, makes for an ultimate listening experience for us, and constant inspiration for them. I suspect Oscar will raise an admiring eyebrow at, and lavishly approve of their collective artistry.

lfs not surprising, because the three have shared experiences that bond them in many personal and musical ways. O’Neal worked on the western half of the state of Michigan with the legendary drummer and bandleader Bennie Carew, honing his craft before striking out with Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers, Ray Brown’s trio, the Toledo based trio The Murphy’s, and Canadians Dave Young and Terry Clarke. Paul Keller and Pete Siers at that time, in the’70s, lived in the Grand Rapids area, where they were heard as young lions at various clubs and concerts, and the Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp. Keller joined up with Carew and worked with him for a very productive four years from 1978-1982. Another local pianist John Shea worked with Carew and Keller until Carew’s death in ‘82, but Siers subbed for Carew when he was ill. The ensemble evolved into the John Shea Trio, working five-night-a-week engagements at clubs in greater Grand Rapids, Muskegon, Kalamazoo, Traverse City and Saugatuck.

Keller wanted to also work with a larger ensemble, and formed the Daddy-0 Orchestra. Upon the rhythm mates subsequent move to Ann Arbor in the late ‘80s, that group, augmented by many of the stellar Metro Detroit players, became the vaunted Bird Of Paradise Orchestra, playing at the Bird Of Paradise jazz club every Monday night, and releasing three CO’s; “Hallelujah Train” with pianist Mr. B, “Project X” and “Bingo!”

Since that move to Ann Arbor, Siers and Keller became frequent performers at the Bird, while also gigging extensively with Michigan music legend Eddie Russ. The educator, pianist, composer and well known accompanist was also a singers best friend and a lover of great melodies. Russ was widely known as a true original and a sweetheart of a man. Since his days with the great ensemble of the ‘70s Mixed Bag, up to his untimely death in 1997, Russ was not only a great inspiration and supporter of Siers and Keller, but a person who could wring the best out of both musicians.

They have also worked on many occasions with two other formidable pianists, the detroit based jau stalwart Bess Bonnier, and the aforementioned boogie woogie and blues juggernaut Mr. B. Siers and Keller are one-half of the excellent Keller-Kocher Quartet, featuring vibraphonist Cary Kocher and pianist Phil Kelly, have backed Ann Arbor saxophonist Paul Vornhagen, and trad guitarist Ray Kamalay’s Red Hot Peppers. In addition, Siers has been an anchoring member of the Ron Brooks Trio, led by bassist Brooks, who runs the show a!The Bird.



But there are more credits on Siers’ resume. He has collaborated with a wide range of touring jazz stars, including pianist/singer Mose Allison, pianists Jay McShann, Barry Harris and Mulgrew Miller, guitarist Russell Malone, saxophonists Frank Morgan, James Moody and Franz Jackson, the late trumpeter Doc Cheatham, vocalist Nnenna Freelon and many others. Siers and Keller recorded with Malone for the Columbia CD “Black Beauty,” while Malone and Keller are also known internationally working with the popular singer/pianist Diana Krall.

Siers recent four month “fact finding” pilgrimage to New York City proved fruitful, as he spent time there to find gigs, meet people, and drink of the heavy apple juice of the potent jazz scene to see where it would lead him. He found a certain renewed purpose and a growth curve that was enhanced by studying independently with Kenny Werner, based on the precepts of Werner’s acclaimed book”Effortless Mastery.”

A hetty prologue to be sure, which all leads into the music you will hear, a delightful program of mostly standards, bookended by two originals. The kicker Sweet Pete displays all the stark dynamic variance one could possibly wish for. It’s a hard bop, meat & potatoes original that allows the brilliant O’Neal to take liberties, while Siers shows he’s “on” from the gil go. A bossa nova treatment of Girl Talk is firmly rooted in the Ahmad Jamal interpretive tradition, with shifting tempos fueled by Siers’ hard charging gear changes. A ballad version of If You Could See Me Now lets the trio dig deep into the midnight blue spectrum, vulnerable yet elegaic, then they crank it up again for Lover Come Back to Me in an Oscar Peterson mode with some classic trading fours punctuated by Siers question-and-answer rhythmic replies. Then backing down again, Siers’ intro brush work and the tasty bass of Keller leads O’Neal in mid-stride flight on Let Me Call You Sweetheart.

Gone with The Wind is another mid-tempo swinger where O’Neal cuts loose and Keller extends his bass solo to epic proportions. Just Squeeze Me starts in an unusual “EIIingtonian” mode, and progresses, without piano, speaking in a unique melodic jau drawl that is thick as molasses. Arjuna is simply an uppity blues where O’Neal takes off like a 300 m.p.h. dragster- there’s no stopping him and you have to catch up. Another nice bass solo and a trading of fours caps this irresistible number. Then they do the old lave Sunny in bossa nova dress and a different key that is normally heard on this pop evergreen. It’s a nice feature for Keller, one that showcases his many melodic and harmonic sensibilities. Oft times when I listen closely, I hear similarities to Ron Carter, for both have a stoic classicism within their clearly jazz framework where the notes are clean, ringing, reverent, precise, and deeply soulful.

The roaring Day By Day once again slams O’Neal into high gear only, in an unrelenting manner that reflects the virtuosity of deceased peers like Phineas Newborn Jr. or Bobby Enriquez. O’Neal certainly is in their league, or they in his. The showstopper in my mind though is Tea For Two interpreted as a down-the-aisle wedding walk, with a communal chime-like tone that reflects a sacred trust, an unbreakable bond, and a spiritual underpinning from the three participants. The concluding theme Blues For Stephanie, written by the extraordinary west coast bassist John Clayton, is dedicated to Siers’ recently betrothed better half, a head nodding, unconditionally approving, solid grooving exclamation point, the perfect cherry on- top-of-the-sundae for this set of unrelenting jazz music.

For those who prefer your trios potent, full of fresh ideas and always swinging, this recording should satisfy hard cores and casual listeners alike. Siers has taken the proverbial bull by the horns with his omnifaceted percussive personality, and has given the sound of the trio a life of its own, well beyond the ordinary and mundane. And that’s truly saying something in a world full of humdrum and mediocre music. There’s more on the horizon, with Siers’ vision of a larger ensemble, and the drummer’s work with the Caj Tjader inspired Latin-jau ensemble Los Gatos. For now though this is a terrific effort, and a perfect example that those who do indeed choose to swing, are on the right path.
-Michael G. Nastos;
Cadence Magazine,
National Music Critics Association,
WEMU, 89.1 FM (Ypsilanti, MI.)