photo by Jeff Kozera

On his latest CD, "A Few Dozen" (MSK112), guitarist and composer Bruce Arnold presents a tightly knit set of tracks based on twentieth century classical structures, that run from upbeat swing to lyrical ballads to rumba clave. In addition, the music is enriched by electronic sounds which create atmosphere and orchestral density.  In on the fun and rounding out the trio are Ratzo B. Harris on acoustic bass and Tony Moreno on percussion and drums. Arnold writes, "The more I listened to the works of various masters, the more I felt that the elements they were working with could refresh and expand the possibilities of jazz."

Bruce Arnold has been creating vital and thought provoking work since the release of his first solo CD,"Blue Eleven",  which Jazziz Magazine called  "a frazzled blast of electro-bop."  More kudos followed, with CMJ hailing Arnold as "a remarkable guitarist with a powerful intellectual approach."  Bruce Arnold grew up playing rock and blues in his home town of Sioux Falls, South Dakota. He earned his music degree at The Berklee School in Boston, where he became one of the most highly sought after guitarists in the jazz scene there. After moving to New York City, he created The Bruce Arnold Trio and rekindled his interest in twelve-tone composition. He currently also works with Release The Hounds, a free improv trio with Chris Dahlgren (The Jazz Mandolin Project) and Jay Rosen, and Spooky Actions, an ensemble devoted to standing the work of Webern and Schoenberg on its head. In a more mainstream vein, he is a member of Harvie Swartz's remarkable Jazz-Latin band, Eye Contact, where his feel for Latin forms coupled with his avant-garde sensibilities helps the band to create a singular take on clave.  Bruce is also currently performing with Roberta Piket's Alternating Currents with Roberta Piket on piano, Jeff Herchfield Drums and David Ambrosio Bass.

 Not only are all the compositions in "A Few Dozen" based on twelve tone structure, but so are all the guitar solos - no mean feat!  Highlights include "Reflection" a beautiful jazz ballad that sounds as if it were already part of the standard repertoire.  The brooding "Numbers" is hypnotic, dark and menacingand vies for being the most powerful and accessible track on the CD along with "Broadway Y2K" with its driving Latin percussion.  

A Few Dozen: A well disguised swinging twelve bar blues.  A Few Dozen is a sortie into counterpoint using the traditional form of a 12 bar blues.  The guitar and bass both play a 12 measure melody which contains two statements of a 12 tone row. (Hence the name A Few Dozen.)  These independent voices work with a system of hexatonic groupings which give a soloist greater flexibility for improvisation within serial based structures.

Reflection: Mainstream Jazz ballad.  Reflection may sound like a typical jazz ballad but it is in fact a 12 tone melody.  This piece, as well as Dialog and 7th Street are based on an interval grouping of a half step and a minor 3rd, which creates interesting melodic and harmonic palettes for composition.  The guitar solo is made up entirely of this interval pattern which changes to fit each harmony as it passes by.

7th Street: Starts out as up-tempo swing and veers into funk. Great bass hook.  7th Street is based on the harmonic and melodic implications of a half step and a minor 3rd.  In this composition the improvisation explores the superimposition of this 3 note grouping, this time over a static harmonic foundation.

Dialog: For those who appreciate great improvisation and great interaction.  This one goes everywhere.  Dialog is a 12 tone contrapuntal composition.  Believe it or not, the unaccompanied bass solo is played entirely without overdubs or processing although Ratzo does use his chin to play the underlying bass figure behind the drum solo. The use of these extended techniques shows that very musical and brilliant effects are possible beyond the bass's traditional vocabulary.