"TWIN FALLS" CD REVIEW IN TIME OUT NEW YORK
Ambitious statements don't always come in elaborate packages, a point neatly proved by Rodman's latest CD. Best known for her work in the sophisticated pop group the Lascivious Biddies, Rodman also steers a big band that includes a few jazz passengers and other renowned players. But for Twin Falls -- an evocative sonic portrait of her home state of Idaho, including a wistful visit to the town of a birth mother she never knew -- Rodman turned to an intimate duo with electric bass guitarist Steve Swallow.
Swallow is an old hand in this kind of setting, having previously preformed with his wife, pianist-composer Carla Bley. He makes for a sensitive, responsive partner -- and although he offers single-note lines rather than strummed chords, his fleet, trebly interplay with Rodman characterizes this session in the spirit of the great piano-guitar duo releases by Bill Evans and Jim Hall.
Rodman consistently demonstrates a knack for crafting melodies as simple and timeless as gospel hymns or folk songs. Initially hesitant, "Sunday Drive" opens the set with a tone of anticipation. "Going Home" shyly alludes to the well-known spiritual of the same name, while "Lullaby of the Grandmothers" combines a Satie-like simplicity with an arch, Russian tint. Swallow, an accomplished composer himself, lends three tunes and cowrited four more, providing a personable travelling companion for Rodman; all told, these 17 lyrical gems make for a rich, involving journey.
-Steve Smith
PRESS QUOTES
"powerfully distinctive compositions and uncomplicated yet sharply evocative playing" - Terry Teachout, Washington Post
"Rodman plays confidently in every setting, from brisk, atonal swing to Jarrett-like lyricism" - Jazz Times
"Rodman has a case for a place in the vanguard of progressive jazz pianists" - All Music Guide
"Deidre Rodman tells her tales with lush, personal, careful compositions" - All About Jazz NY
"What makes Deidre Rodman’s brand of mellow bebop stand apart/away from the pack is her tunes: they have an uncomplicated, folk-oriented simplicity & directness.." - Jazz Review.com
WHAT THE PRESS SAID ABOUT SIMPLE STORIES:
"Dreaming up picturesque soundscapes and leading a band of top-flight players, Rodman has reached another milestone.." - Jazz Times
"a unique dreamscape" - Village Voice
"as fresh and crisp as a bite out of a Fuji apple" - Washington Post
"A modern listen that combines lively melody with improvisation and a dose of melodica" - The Idaho Statesman
WHAT THE PRESS SAID ABOUT SUN IS US:
"a must-hear.." - All About Jazz.com
"It's impossible not to fall for the pianist-composer's Sun is Us...Basically, something clever takes place every second." - Village Voice
"An optimal business card for a new and intelligent voice" - All About Jazz Italia
"A thoroughly enchanting affair from beginning to end" - Downtown Music Gallery
WHAT THE PRESS SAID ABOUT DEIDRE'S WORK WITH DARIUS de HAAS: DAYDREAM (the songs of Billy Strayhorn):
"The musicians are top-notch, led by musical arranger - director Deidre Rodman." - Backstage
"a sensational recording...a revelation of arrangements...exquisite in every detail" - Show Business Weekly
"Working with a jazz ensemble led by the pianist Deidre Rodman, Mr. de Haas created a show that transformed familiar and obscure tunes alike into something electrically thrilling" - New York Times
"one of the finest Strayhorn salutes ever captured on disc"- Vox
WHAT THE PRESS SAYS ABOUT THE LASCIVIOUS BIDDIES:
"Rodman's Biddy songs are mesmerizing..." - All About Jazz.com
"Manhattan's hippest Girl Group" - The Washington Post
"The Lascivious Biddies push the sexy, both in name and the way that they sell themselves, but what the New York female quartet really has going on is chops and intelligence." - The Providence Journal
"Surprising also might describe the Lascivious Biddies, a charming, musically skilled and stylistically diverse group that reflects the broad range of influences of its members." - The Orlando Sentinel
"Early on, it was difficult to define The Lascivious Biddies' music. But now they have a name for it, and they are making quite a name for themselves, too." - The Philadelphia Intelligencer
"They're witty and wacky and, to judge by their name, maybe a little naughty too." - Sunday Boston Globe