Michael Carvin Albums (7)
'Marsalis Music Honors Michael Carvin'
Release Date 1/1/2006
Tracks 8
Label Rounder
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What The Critics Say
Michael Carvin has been instrumental in developing the careers of other percussionists as a coach (his preferred term over teacher), but the veteran drummer has had infrequent opportunities to record as a leader during his long career. This Marsalis Music CD, Carvin's first release in a decade, demonstrates his masterful musicianship, working with a trio of younger musicians who are obvious inspired by his playing. The sizzling introduction to "I'll Remember April" avoids typical approaches, powered by the leader's unusual percussive accents. Carvin revamps "The Lamp Is Low" with a funky swagger, while he also builds the tension playing the famous vamp to "A Night in Tunisia" with bassist Dezron Douglas and pianist Carlton Holmes, before tenor saxophonist Marcus Strickland makes his entrance to state its main theme. This quartet is especially impressive with its moody, somewhat spacy setup of "You Go to My Head," hardly suggesting that the group will segue into a slow, romantic ballad set in waltz time. Producer Branford Marsalis makes a guest appearance on the "Prisoner of Love/Body and Soul" medley, though most of it is devoted to the latter standard. This outstanding date should prompt more frequent recording invitations to Michael Carvin. ~ Ken Dryden, All Music Guide
'Explorations 4: Drum Concerto At Dawn'
Release Date 6/25/1996
Tracks 9
Label Mapleshade
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What The Critics Say
His debut as a leader, with Sonny Fortune (as). Find this one -- it's a keeper. ~ Michael G. Nastos, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Despite the title, this was actually drummer Michael Carvin's second date as a leader. Leading an advanced band that has either John Stubblefield or Ron Bridgewater on tenor, either Claudio Roditi or Cecil Bridgewater on trumpet, trombonist Frank Lacy, pianist Onaje Gumbs and bassist David Williams, Carvin performs two group originals and three familiar standards. The playing is uniformly passionate and Carvin (who had a great deal of experience playing in funky settings) pushes the soloists. This is an obscure date worth picking up. ~ Scott Yanow, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Incredible playing on mostly originals. A solid album. ~ Michael G. Nastos, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
As far as drummers go, Michael Carvin isn't a huge name in hard bop and post-bop -- he isn't as well known as Elvin Jones, Al Foster, Jack DeJohnette, or Max Roach. But many of the musicians Carvin has worked with really swear by the drummer, who is hard-swinging without being flashy and knows how to be sensitive to the needs of a soloist. That sensitivity is impossible to miss on Revelation, a solid post-bop date that Carvin recorded for Muse in 1989. Like so much of Art Blakey's work, Revelation favors a real, honest to God band sound -- "cohesive" is definitely the word that describes the acoustic sextet that Carvin leads on this CD, which employs Claudio Roditi and Cecil Bridgewater on trumpet, Sonny Fortune on alto sax and flute, Cyrus Chestnut on piano, and David Williams on upright bass. In terms of arrangements, you can't miss the strong Jazz Messengers influence on tunes that range from Clare Fischer's Latin-influenced "Morning" and Stanley Cowell's "Effi" to the overdone standard "Body and Soul." But Carvin isn't as consistently aggressive a drummer as Blakey; although Blakey is among Carvin's influences, the Houston native has also been influenced by Max Roach, Billy Higgins, and Elvin Jones. Unfortunately, Revelation went out of print when the Muse catalog was acquired by 32 Jazz, but this CD is well worth searching for if you're a lover of Jazz Messengers-influenced post-bop and hard bop. ~ Alex Henderson, All Music Guide
