Curt Ramm, Dan Moretti, Bill Cunliffe with Marty Ballou & Marty Richards - Foundations (2009)

The record that ushered in a record company of the same name, Foundations is the result of three, like-minded veterans of nearly every style of music imaginable getting together to make music that’s fun for them to make. For these three, “fun” is a contemporary minded rendering of the soul-jazz and hard bop found on so many classic Blue Note records. It reminds me a bit of two other artists who are taking similar routes with their music that we’ve covered here recently: Derrick Gardner and Dave Siebels.
It isn’t just these three playing; the rhythm section is handled by acoustic and electric bassist Marty Ballou and drummer Marty Richards. Both of these guys’ résumés are nothing to sneeze at, either. All eleven tunes are originals: six are Cunliffe/Ramm collaborations and the remaining five are written by Moretti.
I was surprised to learn that this album marks the first time Ramm’s name has appeared on a record’s headliner, even as a co-leader. Ramm, like so many of the better trumpters of today, shows the precise, post-bop influence of Freddie Hubbard, but also displays the lyricism of Art Farmer. This guy is more than good enough to helm some good records of his own.
The songs all pack punch of varying intensity with logically constructed melodies, ranging from the no-nonsense post-bop swing of “Little Bit” to the bouncy boogaloo of “Get In Line.” Cunliffe is found playing piano, organ or electric piano, whichever is right for the setting. Moretti favors his tenor, but switches over to soprano sax for “MM&D,” while Ramm mutes his horn for this cool shuffling blues-based tune. Even the slower tunes burn, like the dark soul of
“Tired Corn” .
Well-performed with songs that have too much depth to be called smooth jazz but without any rough edges either, this Ramm/Moretti/Cunliffe collaboration strikes the right balance that’s bound to appeal to a wide cross-section of jazz listeners.