After-Work Jazz: Elegant Respite

by David Pambianchi

As Broadway traffic begins to mellow around City Hall, overlooking the Brooklyn Bridge, the once tallest building in New York plays host to some fine dining and music. At the piano, Frank Barbera, and wielding Tenor sax, Steven Golub, regularly redefine Straight-Ahead Jazz at downtown's Woolworth Tower Kitchen.

Woolworth Tower Kitchen

On a sweltering late Thursday afternoon in July, you can cool off in the Lobby of the Woolworth Tower, take in some of the "Cathedral of Commerce's" Gothic design splendor, arches, mosaic tiles and gargoyles, then, relax to some of the finest tunes in town.

Performing a large body of cool, Straight-Ahead mainstream jazz "standards" that includes a variety of swing, blues, bossas, ballads and modal jazz styles, as well as original material inspired and influenced by jazz legends such as John Coltrane, Miles Davis, Sonny Rollins, Charles Mingus, Herbie Hancock and Bill Evans, the duo display exceptional talent.

From the energy and respect they put into each selection they perform, the synergy in their playing purely delights listeners. These two jazz musicians embrace the challenge to spin out improvisations that are progressive and edgy, while still keeping true to the melodic and harmonic integrity of the tunes.

Woolworth Tower Lobby

Some of their featured numbers include hard driving straight ahead classics such as "Moment's Notice" and "Giant Steps"; dark bluesy interpretations of "Stolen Moment's," "Sugar," and "Blue Train"; and steamy ballads like "Angel Eyes, "Goodbye Porkpie Hat" and "Round Midnight". In addition, they also perform funky jazz classics such as "Watermelon Man" and "Mercy, Mercy, Mercy" as well as several ultra-cool modal jazz selections from the great Miles Davis masterpiece, "Kind Of Blue."

Steven Golub patterns his style from many of the great legendary tenor saxophone players such as John Coltrane, Sonny Rollins, Dexter Gordon, Lester Young and Joe Henderson. He plays with a powerful intensity and at times wails melodic improvisations laced with an underlying "down home" bluesiness.

Frank Barbera's style on jazz piano shows a clear influence by the great Bill Evans and Herbie Hancock. His playing features a variety of textures including colorful "pastel-like" chord voicings, streaming melodic improvisational solos, and laying down walking bass lines interwoven with cool jazz harmonies.

But you need not be an aficionado. Simply sit for dinner or stand at the bar, and listen. Let smiles, good company and music help bring you to that pleasant state of mind at long day's end.

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