DIVINE ORDER

by Raine Jordan

A Review of Peter Baron's Backyard Improv #75

Featuring Paul Branin, Guitar and Tenor Saxophone, Pamela Charlles Arthur (Pamma Jamma) Keys & The Hammond B3, Ranzel Merritt, Tenor Saxophone, Christopher Ruiz, Drums, Stacy Starkweather, Electric Upright Bass & Bass guitar n, Guitar and

The Scene

I took some poetic license, and entitled The Backyard Improv #75, Divine Order,

because that’s what it felt like to me.. The inspiration to review the concert comes solely

from my personal experience of the performance. I had never heard these five

musicians play together before. Although I heard most of them play with other

musicians. But not this configuraton of musicians, not at this time, not in this

way. So, it was new and fresh. And frankly it turned out to be a rather unexpected

phenomenon. The Backyard Yard Improv (BYI) is a live improvisatonal jazz concert

series, that takes place in the backyards of some of the most lovely homes

throughout the bay area, mostly in the east bay. Each show features a select cast

of prolific local musicians from the greater San Francisco Bay area. They don’t just

jam, it’s a carefully curated show that is purely improvisatonal, even the

musicians don’t know who they are playing with, or what songs they will be

prompted to create. It’s totally improvised, immersive and thematic. So, to get the

full experience, you really need to be there in-person. Rightfully so, the show

attracts an appreciatve and generous community of music lovers. It’s a welcoming

and friendly live music scene with an iconic backyard vibe. I’ve had the good

fortune of attending many of The Backyard Improv shows over the last couple

years. If you’ve never been, you can ask for an invite on Peter Baron’s Jazz

Network, Facebook page. If you can’t come to the show in-person, you can now

watch the show live on Ron Garrett.’s Alert the Globe, an internatonal live-

streaming platform for music events. How crazy good is that?

The Show

This is where “Divine Order” happens. The show took place in Walnut Creek, CA.

The backyard was a beautiful fit for live music. The yard had an organic feel and a

creative, expansive, layout. The house-hosts were amazingly thoughtful. The

pavilion in the yard served as a kind of stage for the musicians and offered shade

on what was a sunny, warm, late afternoon. As it got a bit darker the lights on the

roof of the pavilion lit up. One of The Backyard Improv signs was digitally

displayed on a large outdoor tv screen. As the sun went down the sign became

brighter and more visible. The change in the lightng brought new ambiance and

drama to the venue. Not to mention, I love being outdoors when the day turns to

night, especially while listening to live music. More importantly, let me introduce

the stars of the show; the five incredibly talented musicians. The quintet, in

alphabetical order features Paul Branin, electric guitar & tenor saxophone,

Pamela Charlles Arthur (Pamma Jamma), keyboards and the Hammond B3, Ranzel Merritt,

lead tenor saxophone, Christopher Ruiz, drums, Stacy Starkweather, electric upright bass,

and bass guitar. And of course, Peter Baron, the creator of The Backyard Improv

and Master of Ceremony. As mentioned, the songs are created on the spot in real

time, without rehearsal, or any idea of what will transpire. But lo and behold,

there is order. Peter Baron plays his part, by whimsically and often poignantly expressing

whatever spontaneously comes up for him as inspirational material for each song. He often

starts with an impromptu song title. He may call on a musician to start the song or play the

lead.He may describe a sound or genre(s) he’d like to hear, tell a story, express a

sentiment. Whatever comes up are prompts for the musicians to collaboratively

begin improvising a song. I noticed, that during this particular show, Peter’s

prompts seemed extra fluid and clever.. The song titles came easily. His direction and

communication seemed to be understood almost instantaneously by the

musicians. They musicians got into the zone with a level of confidence and

collaboration that usually takes a bit of warmup time. Considering they never

played together before, their connection with one another had an instinctive

sense of ease. Right from the start, the songs were exceptionally nuanced and

resonant. Intuition and timing were perceptible.

There were 12 songs that were created during the show. I kid you not, they were

all incredibly special. I mean it was like a world-class performance, an unexpected

phenomenon (like the rapture). After the show, I asked Peter Baron, with my

nicest voice, if he would make me a CD of the show. I wanted all the songs. I have

a CEC, belt-driven CD player at home in my audio system and I wanted to be able

to listen to them again and hear them as close to live as possible.. They deserved that.

A funny story is that when Peter gave me the CD, I asked him if they were in order. Peter

said, “well, yea, all the songs are there”. “No”, I said, “I mean are they in the order

they were played at the show?” Oh! So, we had a little conversation about how

the order of the songs mattered. In fact, I said, "they are part of the “divine

order” of the show". If you were there you will get what I mean. From the first

song to the last, there was an extraordinary collaboration of individual talent and

styles, a synergy of energies and dynamics. It was pure magic. Hence the title of

this review, and the only Backyard Improv that has a title aside from a number. So

here they are, the divine order of the songs: (1) Dial in the Funk (2) The Song to

Put on (3) He’s Got it (4) A Surprised Life (5) Short Song (6) A OK (7) You & Me (8)

Go At It (9) She Likes That (10) Reasonably Funky (11) 66 Seconds of Cool (12)

Trading. I will discuss 1 or 2 songs, that I feel highlight the genius and the beauty

of the musician’s performance. I’d love to write about them all, but it would be

far better to listen to them.

The Songs

(3) He’s Got it (8.14)

Tenor Saxophonist, Ranzel Merritt, played lead saxophone at the show, but at

Peter Baron’s request, he would wait until the 3rd song to start playing. I’m not

sure of his reason for having him wait, but I can often miss the obvious. My guess

would be, anticipation, impact? Maybe, Peter will let me know in the comments.

Paul Branin played both guitar and saxophone that evening so maybe that was it?

So, there were two songs that played before Ranzel came on (1) Dial in the Funk and

(2) The Song to Put on. They were both phenomenal. So, the bar was set pretty high.

The audience was already in their groove after the first two songs. When Ranzel Merritt

stepped in and began to improvise the start of "He's Got It" on his saxophone, the audience

fell silent. In the first moments that he played, he shifted the energy of the entire crowd,

and the band. Ranzel Merritt has such a uniquely distinctive sound and style of playing

that It required everyone to expand their musical IQ, including me. When Ranzel Merritt

plays his sax, it’s like every jazz-master saxophonist from the past, and the future is

playing through him. I feel a freedom in his playing that transcends norms. His

sound is timeless and original. It is a mix of standard jazz and avant-garde. It is both

melodic and dissonant or more precisely abstract. And even that is an over-simplification.

He’s an incredibly versatile and diverse saxophonist. Yet, he never abandons his signature

sound. I don't think he could. Ranzel’s solo lasted for about 2 mins before Paul Branin

came in with a very fluid melodic guitar improvisation. It was the perfect complement or

response to Ranzel’s slightly dissonant but beautiful solo. Paul Branin’s improvising turned

into an incredible 4 minute solo. It was a piece of heaven. He is a very talented modern jazz

guitarist with a tone and style of his own. But for a reference, Paul can sound a

little like John Scofield, Pat Metheny and a touch of George Benson. Basically,

Paul Branin plays like a genius. Drummer, Christopher Ruiz, bassist, Stacy

Starkweather and keyboardist, Pamma Jamma, were skillfully playing a supporting role for

Paul’s solo. Around the 4-5 minute mark Pamma Jamma comes in on the Hammond

B3 with a with a very expressive funky, jazzy, slightly bluesy improvisation. If you

know the Hammond organ, you know how expressive it is. It can create unusual

weather patterns around the world. You have to know how to play it because it

can be a wild child. And Pamma Jamma knows exactly what she’s doing. Her

playing is powerful and intentional. She added so much richness and emotional

flavor to the song. She was perfect. The song needed a little levity. A little

unbridled joy. Right on the heels of her winding down, the very seasoned and

talented bassist, Stacy Starkweather seamlessly started plucking the strings of his

upright electric bass. He was magically blending all those beautiful deep resonant

low notes into the song. Stacy’s solo was also a perfect complement to everything

that went before him, Ranzel’s saxophone, Paul’s guitar, Pamela’s organ. He

brought balance and grounding to the song. His solo was compositionally and

sonically beautiful. I wanted him to play longer. All along, the very gifted drummer

Christopher Ruiz, held down the beat, the rhythm, the momentum that drove the

song forward. Steadfast and precise, Chris Ruiz can play with the best. His

versatility is his superpower. He knows how to be powerful, raw, energetic but he

is also a master at subtle nuances. I love the way he created a plethora of subtle

nuances throughout the song. I thought he brought exactly what was needed to

bring the song home. The last minutes of the song close with Ranzel

Merritt coming back in and reminding us of the very unmistakable melody he started

us with, and all the other musicans join in for a dynamic triumphant finale. What a song!

(4) A Surprised Life (4:23 )

“A Surprised Life,” is an up-tempo bluesy song with an eclectic and energetic style.

Leading the song, Paul Branin plays his guitar like he was born for the blues. Paul

is a fluid and versatile guitarist. His tone is expressive and melodic, and his twang

is plucky, resonant, and playful. The way he blazes through this song tells me that

he is a curious and inventive musician who can move beyond genres with his eyes

closed. Ranzel Merritt joins Paul Branin toward the start of the song and perfectly

matches his tone and style with his own bluesy, punchy, rhythmic drive. Around

the 2-minute mark in the song, Pamma Jamma comes in like a beautiful blues

queen on her Hammond B3. Oh man, Pamma Jamma plays that organ like it’s

moving and swirling around the room. She adds so much flavor and richness to

this song. Her sound is emotionally powerful and immersive. I admire the way

she collaborates with the other musicians in this song and in every song

throughout the show. Her timing and responses are always right on. She strives to

elevate the song and communicate with her heart. She’s fast and super

responsive on the keys but she’s also not afraid to linger on delicate notes or get

quiet. I love the way she plays back and forth between the Hammond and the

keys. It’s an expressive and musical dynamic. Did I mention her stage presence is

off the charts? Pamma Jamma is a bad mamma jamma! Bassist, Stacy

Starkweather and drummer Christopher Ruiz hold down the rhythm section with the

same energetic, melodic finesse and tempo. Sometimes the rhythm section doesn't get the

same showmanship opportunities that the guitar, and horn does. But both of them did

have the spot light quite a few times throughtout the show. I''ve seen Chris Ruiz, the

drummer play many times. He's a super-talented artist. And surprisingly he has one hand. I

recall the first time I heard him play. I wanted to know who he was. I thought he was such

an energetic and nuanced player. He has this beautiful quiet but powerful energy. I kept

watching him. It was only towards the end of the show that I noticed that a 1/4 of his arm

and hand were missing right below his elbow..But, he had the drum stick strapped on his

arm near his elbow. Amazing grace! Stacy Starkweather, the bassist is new to me. I heard

him play the upright electric bass at another venue and I was impressed as heck. He goes

between the electric upright bass and the bass guitar when plays.. It affords him a great

deal of versatility. The upright electric bass is an amplfied version of the acoustic upright.

But I'd say, it has longer lasting sound because it's amplified which is preferable to me. I

can hear it better, and I love to hear those low tones and notes extended like that. And Stacy

plays so beautifully. The upright was perfect for this show, with these particular musicians.

This was a darling song! It felt charming and wonderful. A beautiful tune.

(7) You and Me (6:40)

I will only briefly comment on (7) "You and Me", because I'm clealry overdoing it.

This song starts with a long, heart-felt, passionate, abstract solo by saxophonist Ranzel

Merritt, and it ends with the sweetest corresponding melodic guitar solo by Paul Branin.

It’s another favorite of mine. It’s wildly romantic. And has amazing yet subtle inner

dynamics which include Pamma Jamma on keys, and Stacy Starkweather on upright bass

and Christopher Ruiz on drums. This song will melt you heart. It's Yang (sax) and Yin

(guitar). Take a listen with some decent headphones on.

All 12 of the songs in this performance are truly special. I only scratch the surface of the

talent and musicianship that every musician brought to this show. It takes a

tremendous love for music and its craft to create songs of this caliber, especially

improvisationally. So barvo to the musicians, the artists, the ones who choose what they

love to do, or even what they must do, despite the hardship. And thanks to Peter Baron who makes these beautiful Backyard Improv performances possible.

You can find the songs and videos on Peter Baron's All Improv Channel on YouTube