''Blue Wail'' is an album by pianist

Uri Caine Uri Caine (born June 8, 1956, Philadelphia, United States) is an American classical and jazz pianist and composer. Biography Early years The son of Burton Caine, a professor at Temple Law School, and poet Shulamith Wechter Caine, Caine began p ...

which was released on the

Winter & Winter Winter & Winter is a record label in Munich, Germany that specializes in jazz, classical and improvised music. It was founded by Stefan Winter following the demise of his JMT Records label. Since 1997 Winter & Winter has released records by Da ...

label in 1999.

Reception

In his review for

Allmusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...

, David R. Adler notes that "Caine and company imbue every tune with an extraordinary blues feeling and a fat swing groove. But this is not just another straight-ahead piano trio outing. Caine gives the form a shot in the arm with these sophisticated compositions, all of which contain a bevy of surprises. ''Blue Wail'' is on the whole an aggressive, burning album". On

All About Jazz ''All About Jazz'' is a website established by Michael Ricci in 1995. A volunteer staff publishes news, album reviews, articles, videos, and listings of concerts and other events having to do with jazz. Ricci maintains a related site, ''Jazz Near ...

C. Michael Bailey said "''Blue Wail'' might, at first listen, be just a pedestrian Post Bop piano trio gig. Maybe that, if it was not for Uri Caine's enormous talent and musicality... Uri Caine is the type of musician who is going to produce a body of significant music that for a time will lie just beyond the mainstream, pulling the mainstream with it".

JazzTimes ''JazzTimes'' is an American magazine devoted to jazz. Published 10 times a year, it was founded in Washington, D.C. in 1970 by Ira Sabin as the newsletter ''Radio Free Jazz'' to complement his record store. Coverage After a decade of growth ...

reviewer,

Harvey Pekar Harvey Lawrence Pekar (; October 8, 1939 – July 12, 2010) was an American underground comic book writer, music critic, and media personality, best known for his autobiographical ''American Splendor'' comic series. In 2003, the series inspired a ...

was less enthusiastic, observing "Caine swings easily and has a nice, light touch here, drawing his style from many sources, including

McCoy Tyner Alfred McCoy Tyner (December 11, 1938March 6, 2020) was an American jazz piano, jazz pianist and composer known for his work with the John Coltrane Quartet (from 1960 to 1965) and his long solo career afterwards. He was an NEA Jazz Masters, NEA ...

Wynton Kelly Wynton Charles Kelly (December 2, 1931 – April 12, 1971) was an American jazz pianist and composer. He is known for his lively, blues-based playing and as one of the finest accompanists in jazz. He began playing professionally at the age of ...

and several classical composers. He blends these influences skillfully, but doesn't cover new ground; in fact his playing wouldn't have been considered particularly modern fifteen years ago. Most jazz pianists don't come close to accomplishing what Caine's been able to do, and I enjoy listening to his work on this CD".Pekar, H.
Uri Caine Truio: ''Blue Wail'' Review
JazzTimes, October 1999

Track listing

''All compositions by Uri Caine except as indicated'' # " Honeysuckle Rose" (

Fats Waller Thomas Wright "Fats" Waller (May 21, 1904 – December 15, 1943) was an American jazz pianist, organist, composer, violinist, singer, and comedic entertainer. His innovations in the Harlem stride style laid much of the basis for modern jazz pi ...

) - 4:03 # "Loose Trade" - 5:33 # "The Face of Space" - 6:21 # "Digature of the Line" - 4:55 # "Blue Wail" - 8:35 # "Stain" - 5:48 # "Sweet Potato" - 9:19 # "Bones Don't Cry" - 5:15 # "Poem for Shulamit" - 4:45 # "Fireball" - 3:37 # "Honeysuckle Rose" (Waller) - 4:14

Personnel

piano The piano is a stringed keyboard instrument in which the strings are struck by wooden hammers that are coated with a softer material (modern hammers are covered with dense wool felt; some early pianos used leather). It is played using a keyboa ...

James Genus James Genus (January 20, 1966) is an American jazz bassist. He plays both electric bass guitar and upright bass and currently plays in the Saturday Night Live Band. Genus has performed as a session musician and sideman throughout his career, havin ...

- bass *

Ralph Peterson, Jr. Ralph Peterson Jr. (May 20, 1962 – March 1, 2021) was an American jazz drummer and bandleader. Early life Four of Peterson's uncles and his grandfather were drummers. Peterson himself began on percussion at age three. He was raised in Pleasan ...

drums A drum kit (also called a drum set, trap set, or simply drums) is a collection of drums, cymbals, and other Percussion instrument, auxiliary percussion instruments set up to be played by one person. The player (drummer) typically holds a pair o ...

References

{{Authority control Winter & Winter Records albums Uri Caine albums 1999 albums