Brandi Disterheft: Surfboard
Justin Time Records

A more perfect title for Brandi Disterheft's fifth album than Surfboard would be hard to imagine when the associated activity evokes feelings of freedom, joy, and abandon. Consistent with that are tunes of equally breezy character and effervescent performances the bassist, pianist Klaus Mueller, drummer Portinho, and guest saxophonist George Coleman bring to the fourteen tracks. Bolstering the music's buoyant feel even more are renditions of Brazilian songs that appear alongside Disterheft originals, covers of fellow bassists' tunes, and selections from the American Songbook.

Originally from Vancouver, the now NYC-based bassist plays throughout with authority and finesse, but she also sings, with a number of pieces graced by her distinctive, breathy voice. Octogenarians Coleman and Portinho play with levels of energy and enthusiasm that belie their age, and Mueller's tasteful playing distinguishes the album too. Throughout her career, Disterheft's regularly surrounded herself with such masters, with her 2016 release Blue Canvas, for example, partnering her with the late pianist Harold Mabern and drummer Joe Farnsworth. If the playing on the new release sounds especially tight, it's in part attributable to the decade-long relationship she's enjoyed with Portinho and the many gigs she's played with him in Canada and Manhattan.

The title track, a lesser-known Carlos Jobim number, makes for a fabulous scene-setter. Punctuated by a memorably dark melodic figure, the vivacious tune otherwise bubbles deliciously, with Disterheft and Portinho locking into its polyrhythmic groove and Mueller deepening its swing with a well-spring of invention. Shifting gears dramatically, “Prelude to Coup de Foudre” slows the pace with the leader cooing lines about a first-time nightclub encounter (“Remind me of your name please …”) against the pianist's elegant accompaniment before the tune proper lunges into action with a swinging performance elevated by a soaring Coleman and Disterheft's spirited vocal. His presence is also strong on other pieces, a prime example the warm, expressive solo he delivers on “My Foolish Heart.” More standards are tackled on the release, with “On Broadway” and “Where or When” given bluesy and jubilant treatments, respectively. Whereas those two include singing, “Speak Low” puts Coleman in the driver's seat, with Portinho showering the performance with cymbals, the bassist anchoring solidly, and Mueller playing block chords when not soloing himself.

In addition to “Nanã,” a wonderful Brazilian tune by Moacir Santos and Mario Telles, and “Portrait of Porto,” an affectionate tribute the bassist wrote for the drummer, Disterheft's love for Brazilian music is shown by her bossa nova-esque “Manhattan Moon.” Her bass chops are well-accounted for too, with Oscar Pettiford's “The Pendulum at Falcon's Lair” and Sam Jones' “Del Sasser” offering excellent samplings of her prowess. Ending the release on a suitably dreamy note is “Reveries,” her composition memorable for, among other things, its closing nod to Coltrane's “Naima.” Surfboard brims with personality, from Disterheft's stellar bass playing and endearing singing to the brio of the trio and robust contributions of Coleman. It's a consistently engaging collection that, if there's any justice in the world, should bring a major and well-deserved spike to the bassist's profile.

October 2020