Day, the second and deeply satisfying release from drummer/composer Rudy Royston and his sui generis Flatbed Buggy aggregation, features original compositions that are rooted in the demotic music of North America and leafed out in a setting of contemporary jazz.

Rudy Royston/Flatbed Buggy
Day (Greenleaf Music)
A review
On his new Flatbed Buggy release, Day, drummer/composer Rudy Royston has tuned his ears to countrified, folkloric music and thoroughly updated it in a modern chamber jazz dialect. The 10 original compositions sing with deep feeling and are as familiar as they are surprising. To accomplish this musical legerdemain, he has assembled a uniquely qualified crew—John Ellis (bass clarinet), Hank Roberts (cello), Gary Versace (accordion), and Joe Martin (bass)—all of whom are as comfortable in ensemble playing (notated or improvised) as they are in outward-moving solo improvisations.

The opening track, “Morning,” sets the stage, with its bucolic, back-porch feel and square dance rhythm. The cello is just a big fiddle, you know, and Roberts contributes significantly to the feel. It’s not long before the crew jumps into a tight ensemble improv reminiscent of early jazz—but unmistakenly modern.

“Thank You for This Day” reveals Royston’s sensitivity to texture and his melodic gift as a composer—check out Versace’s line. Ellis brings a distinctive, singing voice on the bass clarinet that is tinged with Caribbean spice on this track. As everywhere on this album, Royston propels the music forward with a sensitive dynamism.

Each track tells a story, though it may be different for each listener, and each provides a gem or two—like the delightful conversation between Ellis and Versace in Martin’s “Limeni Village.” “Look to the Hills” finds a reason to persevere in its distilled blues. “The Mokes,” with a Latin feel, offers a fine arrangement of textures and tumbles forward under several fine solos, with Royston delivering a commanding turn at the end. “Five-Thirty Strut” delivers a funky celebration of a job well done and the liberating end-of-day release. “Missing You” offers a lyrical lament that stretches your sense of time. “Keep It Moving” does just that, with Versace burrowing into a playfully manic solo. Royston offers an adult lullaby with “It’s Time to Sleep,” and then, after a cello introduction, Roberts’ “A.M. Hours” wakes up the entire band.

Day finds a wide range of expression in musical forms that were born in the countryside and grew up in the big city. I can testify that it will continue to reveal its pleasures over repeated listenings.

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