Deep River

Following the acclaimed 1999 album One Bright Morning, Tony Quarrington returned with Deep River, a leaner and more direct musical statement built around the energy of a compact jazz ensemble. Recorded sixteen months after the earlier sessions, the album grew from Quarrington’s desire to explore new material that he considered simple, strong and suited to an energetic small group.

Quarrington was joined by saxophonist Pat LaBarbera, bassist Neil Swainson and drummer Greg Pilo, with veteran keyboardist Doug Riley adding Hammond B-3 organ and Fender Rhodes electric piano to four selections. The reduced instrumentation gave the music a more immediate character, emphasizing rhythmic drive, improvisation and the interplay between the musicians.

Seven of the album’s nine compositions were written by Quarrington, moving through blues, Latin-influenced grooves and strongly rhythmic jazz forms. The remaining selections were a solo-guitar interpretation of ‘Old Devil Moon’ and a newly arranged treatment of the African-American spiritual ‘Deep River,’ which supplied the album’s title.

With its combination of original writing, forceful ensemble playing and reflective solo work, Deep River presented Quarrington’s music in a form that was both passionate and economical. Its relentless swing and concentrated performances made the album not only a musical progression from One Bright Morning, but also a deeply personal artistic statement.