Society Jazz Orchestra CD Review:
Silver Anniversary

For a quarter of a century, Cincinnati pianist Ed Moss has, off and on, led a small group known as the Society Jazz Orchestra. Moss is known for his singular style of playing, his eccentric personality and his idiosyncratic writing. Depending on which direction you’re coming from, he’s either a genius or a madman. There is really no middle ground.

For several years, he has led his motley group of musicians on the first two Mondays of each month at Cincinnati’s world-famous Blue Wisp Jazz Club. It’s not a big band; it consists of eight pieces — two brass, three reeds and three rhythm. The band’s current recording includes charts written by Moss over the last several years and incorporated into the book. Many are written over the changes of other tunes. Others are originals.

The opening piece, “Jonesin’,” was written over the changes of “Pick Yourself Up.” It’s a completely different tune, taken at a completely different tempo. Matt Constantine, who is all over the album, plays an excellent alto solo, and the ensemble negotiates the intricate melody well.

This is followed by “Erewhon Fo Tou.” The basis for this one should be easy to figure out. Clarence Pawn solos on trombone on the head and Joe Gaudio has a hefty, baritone sax solo. Moss plays one of his tasty piano fills and the tune ends by stating the original melody. “For Natahsa…” is a pretty ballad and Constantine, playing flute this time, does nice work on it. Next up is “Tenderfoot,” based on “Tenderly.” Constantine has another great alto solo and Moss contributes a nice one on piano.

“Fat Man” has a tricky head and features solos by Pawn and Moss and launches Constantine on another romp through the changes, traveling up and down the scale (and maybe in and out and from side to side, too). “The Snake” is “All the Things You Are,” as Jerome Kern never envisaged it. It has a loping pace and solos by Constantine’s flute, Arthur Quitman’s clarinet, Pawn, Gaudio and Moss. “Bird Droppings” is Charlie Parker’s “Yardbird Suite” and it naturally has a fine alto solo. Jeff Folken gets a trumpet solo (muted, but nonetheless enjoyable) and the leader does his thing.

“Driving Through Tennessee” is completely original and features Pawn’s trombone throughout. It’s a lazy kind of ride and it is what doing the title feels like, unless you’re on I-75 in Knoxville at rush hour. “S.S.S.” is “Sunny Side of the Street.” Jim Leslie gets a drum solo on this one, along with alto, trombone and piano. “Strange Mood (Tribute to the Duke)” has a Duke Ellington feel to it and has echoes of “Strange Feeling” and “Mood Indigo.” Solos are by Pawn and Moss. “Runnin’” gets things up and running again to the changes of “I Got Rhythm.” Quitman has a chance for a tenor saxophone solo on this one.

Several years ago, a rock musician well known to the Cincinnati jazz community was murdered while leaving a gig. It was a botched robbery attempt. Moss knew the man and his catharsis was to write a piece, play it once and forget about it. He did just that and called the piece “Reminiscences and Warnings.” However, the band convinced him to record it, so it’s featured here. Joe Gaudio’s baritone sax and Mike Sharfe’s bass keep a vamp going through the whole piece. There is a collage of scraps of patriotic tunes, mostly on trumpet, in the background. The ensemble comes in and the vamp gets softer, but it’s still noticeable. After the ensemble portion, there are strange noises, including saxophone squeaks, and the vamp continues. Then, the ensemble comes back in and is suddenly cut off by two shots on Leslie’s drums. As the piece comes to a close, Moss plays the piano strings.
The CD closes with “Melancholy Metamorphosis,” which Moss calls “a dirge, perhaps, but with a little bit of hope for the future.” Silver Anniversary is not something to put on for background music. It’s something to be listened to, more than once, to get the full effect.

—Don Henke