Review: The New York City Jazz Record on Dave Frank’s CD ‘Portrait of New York’
Offering an equally enjoyable, unaccompanied ode to the Big Apple is pianist Dave Frank. A co-author of two academic textbooks on instrumental improvisation - and former Berklee faculty member - pianist Frank runs the New York School of Jazz above a Midtown piano dealership. His website even offers private piano lessons that Frank conducts with his students via Skype. Upon listening to his album Portrait of New York, there’s no doubt that it definitely belongs at the top of this semester’s jazz syllabus.
Professor Frank begins with a technically impressive, stride-infused burner entitled “Full Force NYC” that lets the listener know that class is officially in session. Like Asherie’s Welcome to New York, Frank’s date combines his own New York-themed compositions with a handful of trusty standards. 8 of the 12 cuts are Frank originals. He uses each song as a sonic canvas, on which he portrays a specific aspect of NYC. The blues drive a number of the Frank-penned tunes, such as “Broadway Boogie Woogie”, “Lower East Side Shuffle” and “Bowery Blues”.
The New York City Jazz Record - April, 2011 - p.23
