Tardo Hammer is one of many veteran jazz musicians based in New York who deserve wider acclaim. The pianist's third CD for Sharp Nine, with bassist Dennis Irwin and drummer Jimmy Wormworth, salutes a number of jazz greats. "The Last Time I Saw Paris" is a song that fell out of favor toward the end of the 20th century, but Hammer's interpretation acknowledges the influence of both Thelonious Monk and Bud Powell in a jaunty performance. Kenny Dorham's hard bop gem {&"Philly   [ read more ]

CD $16.13

This is Tardo Hammer's debut recording as a leader, and the pianist's solid, if mundane, technique shows why he is in demand as a supporting player. His strong command of the bebop vocabulary and sensitive touch lend themselves to performing standards, which comprise most of the album. Along with the very fine Dennis Irwin on bass and Leroy Williams on drums, the trio is a finely tuned unit that rarely ignites, but never misses a beat. The results are satisfactory, though hardly innovative. The gro   [ read more ]

CD $16.13

On his second release as a leader, pianist Tardo Hammer displays a sophisticated, old-school bebop touch in a trio setting with bassist Dennis Irwin and drummer Leroy Williams. While many modern pianists opt for close-voiced, impressionistic left-hand clusters as popularized by Bill Evans, Hammer harks back to the wide-interval, low-register comping style of Bud Powell, throwing elements of Monk into the mix as well. No surprise, then, that he kicks this record off with a blistering    [ read more ]

CD $16.13

While the music of Tadd Dameron is familiar to dedicated jazz fans, pianist Tardo Hammer is one of just a few musicians who have dedicated themselves to exploring Dameron's music in depth. Well accompanied by bassist John Webber and drummer Joe Farnsworth, Hammer explores obvious numbers, including a jaunty take of "Hot House" (which is based upon Cole Porter's "What Is This Thing Called Love"), a dreamy but never syrupy interpretation of the lovely ballad {&"If You Could See M   [ read more ]

CD $16.13