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Charles Rumback

Drummer, composer, bandleader, and all around creative musician, Charles Rumback performs in many varied and disparate musical settings from deep inside the jazz tradition to the periphery of its outer rings on his third album Threes. Rumback always maintains his characteristic sound and personal language, from the blurry fringes of rock to backing the most plaintive singer-songwriters, with a musical voice that is instantly recognizable. In 2016, Rumback created an album that made good on its title’s promise of new beginnings with his acclaimed quintet album, In The New Year. The album was well received, earning him a spot on "best of" year-end polls and on the stage of the Von Freeman Pavilion at the 38th Annual Chicago Jazz Festival flanked by trumpet luminary Ron Miles and saxophone greats Tony Malaby and Greg Ward. Now, with his resolutions kept and another Chicago winter in the rearview, Rumback finds himself removing layers, and musicians, to reveal the sparse, yet verdant nature of his working trio with his rhythmic foil John Tate on bass, and the elegant, inquisitive piano of Jim Baker. Captured live from a concert at one of Chicago’s most creative venues for new music, Constellation, Threes is a 21st century update on the classic piano trio. The album comes out swinging with the Rumback’s composition, ”Salt Lines.” An upbeat opening salvo, and the first of three originals on the recording, “Salt Lines” states a hopeful, albeit bittersweet, melody; one that takes its time to resolve, leaving more questions than answers. The push and pull of free gravity is felt strongest on the album’s centerpiece composite of "Three Story Birdhouse / Right Reasons.” There is plenty of room for the trio to kinetically move together and disrupt one another, with Baker and Tate tangling their lines in knots only to untie them, open them up, and reveal a constellation of notes tracing out nameless, mythic figures. “Erato” opens slowly to reveal the trio’s wide open harmonic palette and, in particular, Jim Baker’s dynamic and unique pianism. Rumback’s choice to include an Andrew Hill composition reads like a statement of intent, as if to say, "Here’s where we’re coming from." Although he’s Kansas born and raised, Rumback has long called Chicago home. Covering a Chicago native makes complete sense. But, where is it going? The albums book end, “Too Toney” is where. The song is a fine example of the drummer’s compositional knack towards the patient and reflective with a gravitational pull into the free; a dark, impressionistic waltz that takes form as if it is still in the darkroom, developing before the listener’s ears, just to shape shift again, out of reach.

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7
Album Review

Rami Atassi: Dancing Together

Read "Dancing Together" reviewed by Gareth Thompson


The Chicago-based guitarist Rami Atassi went on a south American journey with his wife to explore Mexico and Colombia. Amid the daily background music, he heard different styles and rhythmic foundations than those he was used to and took percussion lessons locally. All this later began seeping into his solo work. A Syrian-American, Atassi founded the Cosmic Dance Band in 2022, blending sounds of the Middle East with jazz harmony and modern sonics. This group and its combined ...

5
Album Review

Dustin Laurenzi's Natural Language: A Time And A Place

Read "A Time And A Place" reviewed by Mark Corroto


When Chicago tenor saxophonist Dustin Laurenzi dedicates a song “Albert" on A Time And A Place to the the Holy Ghost of the avant- garde, Albert Ayler, he doesn't follow what most impersonators do and scream “ALBERT" at you. He builds upon a simple melody pattern (Ayler-like) patiently magnifying the intensity and fervor. Unlike Ayler, whose music hinted he wouldn't live long (he died at 34), Laurenzi's invocation maintains an equanimity within the eruption. That's just Laurenzi being Laurenzi.

6
Interview

Charles Rumback: Singing Structures of Rhythm

Read "Charles Rumback: Singing Structures of Rhythm" reviewed by Jakob Baekgaard


Versatility, personality and musical empathy are qualities that a modern drummer needs, and Charles Rumback has them in abundance. Based in Chicago, Rumback has accompanied adventurous singer/songwriters like Caleb Willitz, Steve Dawson and Ryley Walker, played jazzy electronica with Colorlist and explored the classic format of the piano trio with bassist John Tate and pianist Jim Baker. The list of projects and jobs as a sideman grows all the time and Rumback's name has shown up on some of the ...

5
Radio & Podcasts

A focus of the ears&eyes record label

Read "A focus of the ears&eyes record label" reviewed by Bob Osborne


This time around we focus on the excellent ears&eyes record label with a selection of brand new releases and music from their wonderful back catalogue Playlist Sebastián Greschuk “Lluvia Eterna" from Paisaje (ears&eyes records) 00:00 Alex Filip “Maebi" from El equilibrio secreto de las cosas (ears&eyes records) 07:19 Matthew Golombisky's Cuentos “Cuento #15" from Volume 3 (ears&eyes records) 11:38 Charles Rumback “In the New Year" from Volume Three Sampler (ears&eyes records) 16:48 Trapper Keaper “Trapper Keaper Meets Tim ...

8
Album Review

Charles Rumback: Cadillac Turns

Read "Cadillac Turns" reviewed by Troy Dostert


Drummer Charles Rumback has cultivated his melodically-informed sensibility on a number of fine records. His 2017 release, Threes (ears&eyes) is a case in point, with plenty of vigor but softened with just the right amount of sentiment. The album at hand, Cadillac Turns, is much the same, although now in a quartet format with James Singleton on bass and Greg Ward on alto saxophone, and with Jim Baker once again featured on piano. The five lengthy cuts, recorded ...

99
Album Review

Charles Rumback: Threes

Read "Threes" reviewed by Glenn Astarita


Reared in Kansas and currently residing in Chicago, Charles Rumback has evolved into a go-to drummer these days, performing with proven progressive jazz and improvising warriors, trumpeter Ron Miles, saxophonist Tony Malaby and here, leading his piano trip captured live at the Windy City venue, Constellation. Rumback's lyrical beats and colorific shadings, along with John Tate's prominent bass lines, supply a broad and nimble foundation for pianist Jim Baker's intricate sound designs and exquisite harmonic output. These four ...

3
Album Review

Charles Rumback: Tag Book

Read "Tag Book" reviewed by Jakob Baekgaard


One of this year's pleasant surprises has been the emergence of drummer Charles Rumback's trio with bassist John Tate and pianist Jim Baker. In fact, their debut, Threes, was so good that it immediately whetted the appetite for more. Who would have thought the wish would be fulfilled so soon? Tag Book is culled from the same live sessions at Constellation in Chicago as Threes and could be seen as the subdued sibling of its predecessor. It ...

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1

Recording

Charles Rumback Releases His Fourth Album As A Leader - "Tag Book"

Charles Rumback Releases His Fourth Album As A Leader - "Tag Book"

Source: Charles Rumback

Summer in jny: Chicago began in 3/4 time. Charles Rumback, alongside comrades Jim Baker and John Tate, waltzed in June with Threes—an effortless debut culled from three nights on the burner at the artist-run venue on the forefront of new music, Constellation. The Chicago Reader took note of the trio’s improvisatory rapport stating “the cross talk is sublime and the refined melodic impulses gently gorgeous.” The rich fecundity of these three nights led to so much new growth that the trio realized there was another album ...

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Recording

Charles Rumback: "Two Kinds of Art Thieves" on Clean Feed Records

Charles Rumback: "Two Kinds of Art Thieves" on Clean Feed Records

Source: Michael Ricci

Charles Rumback, drums Jason Ajemian, bass Joshua Sclar, tenor saxophone Greg Ward, alto saxophone Tracklist:

Ice Factory Three Storey Birdhouse Manifesto Four Ruminations Multiples We Left Green Briar Park All songs by Charles Rumback except Ice Factory and Multiples by Charles Rumback, Joshua Sclar and Greg Ward. All songs published by In the New Year (ASCAP) Recorded at the Ice ...

"Rumback may not enjoy the brand recognition of some of his peers, but he's steadily proving to be a creative force worth following." - John Frederick Moore (JAZZIZ)

"Quietly staggering" - Peter Margasak (Chicago Reader)

Primary Instrument

Drums

Location

Chicago

Willing to teach

Beginner to advanced

Credentials/Background

https://www.oldtownschool.org/teachers/Charles-Rumback/

Photos

Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

Dancing Together

Ropeadope
2023

buy

When I Look to Sky

Ears And Eyes Records
2021

buy

Seven Bridges

Astral Spirits
2021

buy

June Holiday

Astral Spirits
2020

buy

A Time And A Place

Woolgathering Records
2020

buy

Cadillac Turns

Astral Spirits
2019

buy

Three Ruminations

From: Seven Bridges
By Charles Rumback

Fall Dog Bombs the Moon

From: Seven Bridges
By Charles Rumback

Peace

From: When I Look to Sky
By Charles Rumback

Half Joking

From: Little Common Twist
By Charles Rumback

Too Toney

From: Cadillac Turns
By Charles Rumback

Ash Wednesday

From: Tag Book
By Charles Rumback

Salt Lines

From: Threes
By Charles Rumback

Erato

From: Threes
By Charles Rumback

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