Axiom
Bill Cantrall | Up Swing Records
By Edward Blanco, AllAboutJazz.com

New York-based trombonist and composer Bill Cantrall, without an extensive recording resume, may not be well-known, but Axiom, his debut as leader, will change that in dramatic fashion. This is an impressive first effort for Cantrall, who successfully crafts a hard-swinging post bop repertoire of exciting originals and uncommon standards, given re-worked arrangements that make them sound almost new.

He does this with a stellar cast of players in a septet including a four-horn front line, producing a swinging sound referred to in the liner notes as being "in the classic tradition of Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers." The music leads off with the electric up-tempo title track, with plenty of solos from members of the band. Pianist Rick Germanson starts it off with quick finger play on the keys, leading to Sherman Irby's alto excursion followed by a Cantrall phrasing; a terrific opener.

"Minor Transgression" is a bit more subdued but does bring out the assertive horn section in unison before giving way to more solo performances. Cantrall takes the lead on "Shanice," delivering a gentle performance on this soft and cushy ballad piece. Two of the high points on this album

come in the form of the sharp brisk-toned "Torrent," and Cantrall's soulful interpretation of Cole Porter's "After You," featuring Stacy Dillard's tenor voice followed by another sizzling alto solo from Irby and eventually punctuated by the trombonist's own contribution.

Trumpeter Ryan Kisor and bassist Gerald Cannon make their mark in convincing style with formidable solos on Cantrall's "Like I Said" and "Halfway House" respectively. There are two renditions of "Maker's," delivered in different tempos and both featuring Cantrall, in high gear on the first and in a more relaxed mode on the second. The Victor Shertzinger/Johnny Mercer standard "Tangerine" is the session's finale and what a closer it is. The group comes out swinging with Cantrall setting the stage for Irby's last bit, followed by Kisor's trumpet and Dillard's cooking tenor solo capped off with a fine run from the pianist.

This is an exceptional debut for Cantrall--frankly, not so much for his performance, which is outstanding, but for the quality of his compositions and the all around musicianship of the first-call players in the band that make Axiom one of the elite recordings of the year.

Track Listing: Axiom; Minor Transgression; Shanice; Torrent; After You; Like I Said; Halfway House; Maker's (One); Maker's (Two); Tangerine.

Personnel: Bill Cantrall: trombone; Ryan Kisor: trumpet; Sherman Irby: alto saxophone; Stacy Dillard: tenor saxophone; Rick Germanson: piano; Gerald Cannon: bass; Montez Coleman: drums.

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"Sliding into the Spotlight"
Queens-Times-Ledger
By Morgan Rousseau CLICK HERE TO OPEN PDF

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Bill Cantrall
Axiom
Upswing CD

The old saw that music should constantly strive to sound "new" has been pretty well debunked in the postmodern era. Musicians crossing a wide swath of genres have proven that one can channel a style from a past era and find new things to say in its context without merely troping (not that aren’t a lot of those out there who merely trope!). Still, the concept of novelty as an inherent virtue persists in some areas of criticism. This is particularly true in conversations about jazz, where many wounds from the mod/trad schism of decades past have yet to heal. But among up-and-coming jazzers, a catholicity of styles and flexibility of approaches indicates that an increasing rapprochement.

A case in point is trombonist Bill Cantrall. A New Jerseyan who’s played on both the Chicago and New York scenes, he’s played salsa, avant-jazz, and collaborated with post-rockers such as Rob Mazurek and Jeff Parker; but he’s also worked in traditional contexts. His own CD, Axiom, reflects interest in the latter. It is an excellent septet outing that combines the trombonist’s originals with examples from the American songbook. Joined by an crackerjack horn section – Ryan Kisor, Sherman Irby, and Stacy Dillard – as well as pianist Rick Germanson, bassist Gerald Cannon, and drummer Montez Coleman, Cantrall presents material that hearkens back to hard bop, all the while sounding freshly conceived.

There are a number elements to savor. Germanson’s harmonic choices on the title tune are exquisite. The original "Like I Said" has a sassy refrain with cooking charts that is guaranteed to relieve nearly anyone’s doldrums. Another standout is a lovely rendition of Cole Porter’s "After You;" a solo by Cantrall displays a supple, round tone while Germanson executes delicate filigrees during his too-brief turn. But once again, it is the tutti ensemble that wows, performing as a tight unit in this live-to-disc context. Hopefully, Cantrall can keep the charts flowing and this band together for a long while.

Christian Carey
www.sequenza21.com

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Bill Cantrall: Axiom
Rating: 88/100 (learn more)

Axiom is trombonist/composer Bill Cantrall's first release as leader. The album's title cut combines the sounds of Maiden Voyage-era Herbie Hancock with that of Crosswinds-era Billy Cobham, which featured trombonist Garnett Brown and trumpeter Randy Brecker. That is a good thing. Pianist Germanson and trumpeter Ryan Kisor are among the best plying the trade these days. As a bonus we also hear some impressive sax playing from Sherman Irby and Stacy Dillard in the tune's forward-moving midsection. (It is unclear from the liner notes if both play on the tune. They could be in the mix. At any rate, it is Irby who takes the solo.) Bassist Cannon and drummer Montez Coleman are a top-notch rhythm section as well. Composer Cantrall waits until late in the game to take his star turn. The '60s and '70s influences aside, "Axiom," the tune and the album, is finely crafted modern jazz providing plenty of improvisational space for these talented musicians to do their thing.

Reviewer: Walter Kolosky, Jazz.com Tags: 2000s jazz · trombone

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Axiom
Bill Cantrall | Up Swing Records
By Forrest Dylan Bryant, The Jazz Observer

, Trombonist Bill Cantrall comes from the old school. For his debut recording as a leader, Cantrall has written a set of original hard-bop and post-bop tunes that replace contemporary noodling with the directness of an earlier generation, and assembled a crack septet that knows how to treat those grooves right.

The title track kicks off with a coolly driving theme that would have been right at home on a Woody Shaw album in the 1970s, showing the rich harmonies, strong sense of modernist swing and relaxed heat that typifies the album as a whole.

But while the writing is dynamic, Cantrall himself is not a flashy player. He tends to spin straightforward lines at a thoughtful pace, even when the band is burning. He can pick it up, as in his bopping solo on "Tangerine," but Cantrall sounds most at home on the album’s slower numbers.

This polarity is further illustrated near the end of the album, where the tune "Maker’s" is presented in two back-to-back versions, at differing tempos. Each works, but for a different reason—the faster take for its Art Blakey-inspired rhythmic punch, the slower for its relaxed, comfortable horn solos.

On burners and ballads alike, the strength of this album lies in Cantrall’s original compositions, several of which sound like lost classics. It’s that natural freshness within the tradition that makes this highly promising debut such a pleasing success.

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Axiom
Bill Cantrall | Up Swing Records
By Fred Bouchard, All About Jazz

Three trombone-playing leaders here afford themselves plush settings for some pretty good arranging and blowing. Best of the three is Bill Cantrall’s Axiom. Cantrall had Chicago big band experience and moved to NYC to play with Cubarama and the Gil Evans Orchestra. His balanced and tasteful (if a tad polite) charts challenge the players, smartly vary three-horn blends and gather warm energy from inspired solos by altoist Sherman Irby ("Like I Said") and trumpeter Ryan Kisor ("Torrent"). Cantrall adds historical value by choosing sublime if increasingly rare Tin Pan Alley covers - Cole Porter’s sauntering "After You" and the neglected Mercer/Schertzinger gem "Tangerine", arranged optimally and played to the hilt.

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Axiom
Bill Cantrall | Up Swing Records
By All About Jazz, Woodrow Wilkins

In mathematics, an axiom is a proposition that is assumed to be true without proof--used for the sake of study. In music, it can be accepted as truth with proof that a band with four horns, piano, bass and drums will create an excellent sound.

Trombonist and composer Bill Cantrall performed in Chicago with salsa groups, big bands and sat in with other musicians. After moving to New York, the New Jersey native pursued a master's degree in jazz performance while continuing to play salsa and other styles. Axiom is his debut release as a leader.

The rhythm section warms up the title song before the horns take lead. Ryan Kisor is out front on trumpet, but Cantrall and saxophonists Sherman Irby and Stacy Dillard blend in. After Rick Germanson's piano solo, Irby delivers a free-spirited solo on the alto, effectively squeaking during points of emphasis. Cantrall then solos. Throughout, Germanson, bassist Gerald Cannon and drummer Montez Coleman keep active in the background. "Torrent," as the name implies, is a deluge of sound. With a dramatic underscore, the horns are in perfect sync. The piano and bass deliver a dark undercurrent during Dillard's tenor solo. Cantrall then steps forward before giving way to Kisor. The trumpet is smooth and clear. Then it's all stop, while Coleman solos, working the snare, toms and cymbals. "Like I Said" has a swinging rhythm. The horns sing in unison on the melody. Kisor begins a series of solos. Dillard stretches out for a good bit before Cantrell comes in. Germanson and Cannon get their licks in, too. From start to finish, the rhythm section is tight. Eight of the 10 tracks are Cantrell originals. The band also covers Cole Porter's "After You" and the Shertzinger/Mercer collaboration "Tangerine." Each song is more than six minutes, offering lots of freedom, and the musicians take advantage of it. Axiom lives up to its name.

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Axiom
Bill Cantrall | Up Swing Records
By Ken Micallef, Yahoo Music

Axiom-atic! Bill Cantrall wails the old school into the 22ndCentury: New York's Bill Cantrall pursues old school hard bop on his debut, Axiom. A veteran of groups led by hard hitting Latin heads like Miles Pena, Los Hermanos Morenos, and the big band, Cubarama, Cantrall--a trombonist by design--has also gigged w ith the legendary Gil Evans Orchestra at New York's Sw eet Basil. But to these ears, Axiom, particularly the title track, recalls mid 60s Blue Note smokers like Herbie Hancock's Maiden Voyage, Donald Byrd's The Cat Walk, and perhaps something by Horace Silver. The grooves rock and rise, everyone solos like their life is in danger, and the group's melodic heads are uniformly sw eet and w ell executed. Featuring New York ringers like Ryan Kisor, Sherman Irby, Stacy Dillard, Rick Germanson, Gerald Cannon and Montez Coleman, Axiom features Cantrall's distinct septet arrangements of seven original compositions, as w ell as tw o rew orked standards, Cole Porter's "After You," and "Tangerine" from classic collaborators Johnny Mercer and Victor Schertzinger.

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Axiom
Bill Cantrall | Up Swing Records
By Walter Kolosky, Jazz.com

Axiom is trombonist/composer Bill Cantrall's first release as leader. The album's title cut combines the sounds of Maiden Voyage-era Herbie Hancock with that of Crosswinds-era Billy Cobham, which featured trombonist Garnett Brown and trumpeter Randy Brecker. That is a good thing. Pianist Germanson and trumpeter Ryan Kisor are among the best plying the trade these days. As a bonus we also hear some

impressive sax playing from Sherman Irby and Stacy Dillard in the tune's forward-moving midsection. (It is unclear from the liner notes if both play on the tune. They could be in the mix. At any rate, it is Irby who takes the solo.) Bassist Cannon and drummer Montez Coleman are a top-notch rhythm section as well. Composer Cantrall waits until late in the game to take his star turn. The '60s and '70s influences aside, "Axiom," the tune and the album, is finely crafted modern jazz providing plenty of improvisational space for these talented musicians to do their thing.

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Axiom
Bill Cantrall | Up Swing Records
By Mark Saleski, Jazz.com

This composition illustrates just how much creative juice can be extracted from a simple set of chord changes. "Torrent" has its structure introduced by Gerald Cannon's bass, laying down a simple rising/falling motif. Like many famous modal pieces (thanks Miles & Mr. Coltrane), much of the power derives from how the musicians draw color and shape from the existing contours. After the horns play the head, saxophone, trombone and trumpet solos follow, each amping up the tension, egged on by Rick Germanson's terrific comping at the piano. Particularly effective is trumpeter Ryan Kisor, especially when the rhythm section temporarily changes up, dropping in a nice blues-walk segment. As Kisor's last notes fall away, Montez Coleman's drum break forces extra momentum onto the head's eventual restatement. Simple, but effective.

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Axiom
Bill Cantrall | Up Swing Records
By Christian Carey, sequenza21.com

The old saw that music should constantly strive to sound "new" has been pretty well debunked in the postmodern era. Musicians crossing a wide swath of genres have proven that one can channel a style from a past era and find new things to say in its context without merely troping (not that aren’t a lot of those out there who merely trope!). Still, the concept of novelty as an inherent virtue persists in some areas of criticism. This is particularly true in conversations about jazz, where many wounds from the mod/trad schism of decades past have yet to heal. But among up-andcoming jazzers, a catholicity of styles and flexibility of approaches indicates that an increasing rapprochement.

A case in point is trombonist Bill Cantrall. A New Jerseyan who’s played on both the Chicago and New York scenes, he’s played salsa, avant-jazz, and collaborated with post-rockers such as Rob Mazurek and Jeff Parker; but he’s also worked in traditional contexts. His own CD, Axiom, reflects interest in the latter. It is an excellent septet outing that combines the trombonist’s originals with examples from the American songbook. Joined by an crackerjack horn section - Ryan Kisor, Sherman Irby, and Stacy Dillard - as well as pianist Rick Germanson, bassist Gerald Cannon, and drummer Montez Coleman, Cantrall presents material that hearkens back to hard bop, all the while sounding freshly conceived.

There are a number elements to savor. Germanson’s harmonic choices on the title tune are exquisite. The original "Like I Said" has a sassy refrain with cooking charts that is guaranteed to relieve nearly anyone’s doldrums. Another standout is a lovely rendition of Cole Porter’s "After You;" a solo by Cantrall displays a supple, round tone while Germanson executes delicate filigrees during his too-brief turn. But once again, it is the tutti ensemble that wows, performing as a tight unit in this live-to-disc context. Hopefully, Cantrall can keep the charts flowing and this band together for a long while.

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Axiom
Bill Cantrall | Up Swing Records
By Jakob Baekgaard, All About Jazz

Among the brass family, the trombone hasn't won as prominent a position in jazz as has the trumpet. The stereotypical image of a jazz musician could, until very recently, be said to have been that of a trumpeter in a dim-lit bar shrouded in smoke--a signature of film noir. The trombone isn't steeped in the same kind of mythology as the trumpet, but it's nonetheless an instrument which--with its fat, mellow sound--lends itself well to jazz. Evidence of the instrument's qualities is given by excellent releases from trombonists/bandleaders Bill Cantrall, Marshall Gilkes and Steve Wiest. What these three leaders have in a common is a talent for combining the raw, swinging aspect of the instrument with a touch of lyrical sensibility--there's a sense of trombone tradition at work that goes from Kid Ory through Jimmy Knepper, Grachan Moncur and Bob Brookmeyer.

Bill Cantrall cut his teeth on the Chicago scene playing with such diverse musicians as saxophonist Von Freeman and guitarist Jeff Parker. Besides playing bop and experimental music, Cantrall has also delved deep into salsa; he clearly knows his way around a diversity of genres. On Axiom, he explores a program of self-penned tunes and two standards ("After You" by Cole Porter and "Tangerine" by Victor Shertzinger and Johnny Mercer). To help him fulfil the vision of a perfect hard bop-ensemble, Cantrall has enlisted the talents of trumpeter Ryan Kisor, saxophonists Sherman Irby and Steve Dillard and the rhythm section of pianist Rick Germanson, bassist Gerald Cannon and drummer Montez Coleman. The music is packed with melodic punch and tight interplay. The ensemble takes twist and turns on bop classics like the title track and "Torrent," but there's also room for introspection, as evidenced by the gently moaning "Halfway House" and the romantic "Shanice," where the different textures of sax, trombone and trumpet makes for a rich mosaic of musical colours. As a composer, Cantrall avoids ornamental flash. Instead, he concentrates on making memorable melodies where the trombone takes the lead in wonderful sheets of sound.

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Axiom
Bill Cantrall | Up Swing Records
By Ron Netsky, Rochester City Newspaper

Even if Bill Cantrall were not a top-flight trombonist, his CD, "Axiom," would be among the most stellar debuts of the year. I don't know what it is about trombonists, but in the tradition of Slide Hampton and Bob Brookmeyer, Cantrall is an excellent composer and arranger. The tunes (all but one by Cantrall) are instant classics. In the tradition of Art Blakey's

Jazz Messengers, "Axiom," "Minor Transgression," "Like I Said" and others have catchy heads and chord structures ripe for improvisation. And he has a way with a ballad, as evidenced by "Shanice" and the gorgeous "After You." The comparison to Blakey does not end there; Cantrall has assembled an superb group of side-men. In addition to his own fine solos, there are outstanding excursions by Ryan Kisor on trumpet, Sherman Irby, and Stacy Dillard on sax and Rick Germanson on piano, while Gerald Cannon (bass) and Montez Coleman (drums) provide solid support.

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Axiom
Bill Cantrall | Up Swing Records
By Peter Hum, Ottawa Citizen, Canada

Axiom, from Bill Cantrall, is a septet outing that harkens to the Blue Note sounds of the 1960s. Cantrall's compositions and arrangements are crisply rendered, hard-bopping vehicles that set up sturdy, spirited blowing. The title track is heavily indebted to McCoy Tyner (it's an exercise in side-slipping over a single dominant chord, a la Passion Dance). Pianist Rick Germanson sticks most closely to the template,

coming straight out of Tyner. Other tracks (the fatback shuffle Like I Said, the modal thrasher Torrent, the slickly swinging Tangerine) evoke the feeling and details of music by Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers (which, I suppose, made Curtis Fuller a hero for younger musicians such as Cantrall and Keberle). Cantrall is a solid, fluid soloist, but it's trumpeter Ryan Kisor and especially alto saxophonist Sherman Irby, both Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra heavyweights, who deliver the CD's most impressive moments. Tenor saxophonist Stacy Dillard is a Coltrane-inspired player whose lines strike me as more pattern-based than melodic. Pianist Germanson is a heavy hitter.

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Axiom
Bill Cantrall | Up Swing Records
By George Harris, jazzweekly.com

All you need to know about trombonist/composer Bill Cantrall is the fact that for the opening Blue Note driving title track, he doesn't even take the first solo. Cantrall, coming in third with a big toned, unrushed sound, doesn't want to show off his own wares; he wants you to hear THE BAND, and it's a cooker. Drinking from the Silver/Messenger style of running a small band, Cantrall comes up with 8 originals and two standards that snap, crack and spark with energy.

"Minor Transgressin" has a bluesy strut, with Ryan Kisor's splashy trumpet and Sherman Irby's wailing alto gobbling up anything in front of it like a Pac Man. Irby's alto can also get as sweet as a honeydew, as on Cole Porter's sensually latinized "After You." The two takes of "Maker's" has a Jazz At The Philharmonic feel to it, with everyone stretching out, and Stacy Dillard letting out a particularly wicked tenor solo, along with Rick Germanson's Wynton Kelly-blue piano playing. Cantrall's warm tenor is spotlighted with Germanson's elegant piano on "Shanice", while the supporting rhythm of Gerald Cannon/b and Montez Coleman/dr, are eloquent in support. A must have for hard bop fans.

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Axiom
Swing Streets
By Paul Blair

By the way, Castaneda’s wondrously facile trombonist partner, Marshall Gilkes, also shines on Lost Words, a new CD under his own name on the Alternate Side Records label. Suddenly, it seems, there are lots of young trombone improvisors worthy of attention. Among those most pleasing me lately are Bill Cantrall (Axiom for Upswing), Jonathan Voltzok (More To Come, under the Kol Yo imprint), Matt Haviland (Beyond Good And Evil for Connotation Records) and longtime Sonny Rollins bandmember Clifton Anderson (Decade, issued on his Uncle Sonny’s new Doxy label). What’s more, in each case, deft ensemble writing is reminiscent of J. J. Johnson’s best albums. In an era where pace-setting saxophonists seem to get most critical praise, I’m pleased that trombonists are beginning to assert themselves.