Tom Teasley (All Drums and Percussion)
Dave Ballou (Trumpet)

 "To improvise is to enter the unknown, and you never know what the outcome will be. In this case, it’s an album where spontaneity and creativity have combined to produce a collection of mesmerizing and energizing musical performances."
— George Cole, Jazz Views

“The adventurous and ultimately satisfying performances on Lunch Break will keep one guessing while displaying their own logic. It rewards several listens and features Tom Teasley and Dave Ballou in prime form.”
— Scott Yanow, Jazz Historian

“You all have a distinct sense of your direction and are creating at a high level of artistry. Your drumming references—from Max to Indian—catch my ear! And you take them to other places, right on! And Dave is great, of course, and you all have some chemistry. Beautiful!”
— Adam Rudolph

“The spark of creativity shines brightly throughout this first meeting of the daring duo of Teasley and Ballou. Energy and freedom abound throughout these 11 tracks.”
— Bill Milkowski

“This is spontaneous improvisation with form and substance, and the duo of drummer Tom Teasley and trumpeter Dave Ballou establish here a vibrational connection that brings this work to life in an exciting and very musical way.”
— Ken Field, The New Edge, WMBR & WOMR

"This exceptionally pleasant fusion album showcases Teasley and Ballou's deep musical connection, as their sophisticated interplay transports listeners to distant, intriguing places."
— Filipe Freitas, Jazz Trail

“The musical interplay of Teasley and Ballou is brilliant, and they have the same intensity and adventurous exploration as those great Don Cherry/Ed Blackwell recordings.”
— Will Vizuete (aka DJ Jazz Incognito), WXYC

“Tom Teasley gave an excellent performance and interpretation, and it was just so good and adventurous, a brilliant piece of work.”
— Moorefejazz Podcast

The two potent musical forces heard on this copasetic collaboration literally came together during a Lunch Break at Tom Teasley's house. While the renowned world music percussionist and educator had previously met trumpeter Dave Ballou while playing together in a band led by drummer Jeff Cosgrove, they didn't get to fully explore their chemistry until playing in an impromptu fashion in the confines of Teasley's home studio. 

The session yields daring improvisational flights, following in the adventurous footsteps of drummer Ed Blackwell and trumpeter Don Cherry (members of the classic Ornette Coleman group of the '60s and Old and New Dreams during the '70s) on their free-spirited and highly conversational 1982 duet album, El Corazón. Along the way, Teasley tips his hat to iconic drummers Max Roach, Paul Motian, and Jack DeJohnette while revealing his love of West African bembe rhythm, Carnatic konnokol singing, American funk, and swing. The atmospheric vibe they create together on rubato pieces like "Prayer for the Ancestors" and "Gratitude" adds a meditative flavor to this open-ended encounter. 

Groove is ever-present in the opener, where Teasley layers frame drum drumset, cixixi, and Aztec death whistle. Ballou takes his time on "Tips in Baghdad," playing long tones before developing his motifs and letting a melody evolve organically. Dave is very compositional in his lines," said Teasley, who blends the frame drum from ancient Mesopotamia with a New Orleans funk groove on the kit. Ballou has appeared on recordings by the Either/Orchestra and Dave Liebman Big Band, and others in addition to his recordings. But his encounter with Teasley on Lunch Break is something special.

Teasley continues to expand on his rich palette. Note a previously untapped swing factor on pieces like "Four on Six" and "Rush Hour," as well as on two tributes to iconic jazz drummer Max Roach on "For Max" and "Mop Shake and Roll." His swing penchant for those tunes heightened exchanges with the trumpeter throughout this Lunch Break.

"Four on Six" morphs from an entrancing 6/8 bembe pattern to a scintillating 4/4 swing groove, with Ballou layering some high-note fusillades on top. It shifts time perspectives from three to four and back, creating a trance-like element similar to Afro-Cuban and Gnawan music.    

The rubato "When the Wind Cries" features Teasley's sublime touch on the RAV Vast drum, underscoring Ballou's searching trumpet work. 

"For Max" is a nod to Max Roach, with a direct quote from the bebop pioneer's "Big Sid" (his own "mop mop" beat tribute to drummer Big Sid Catlett). While countless others have interpreted this monumental piece over the years, this is the first time anyone has ever interpreted it on a hybrid percussion kit.

"Rush Hour" is an aggressive romp with some frantic call-and-response play in the avant-garde spirit of the Ed Blackwell-Don Cherry hookup. "Lullaby" is a simple melody with Ballou on a muted trumpet as Teasley plays gently with mallets on floor toms, exploiting the drum's melodic potential. 

"Jongo" opens with Teasley using frame drum techniques on a Korean temple gong and Ballou on trumpet. Later, it settles into a funk groove that Ballou uses as a launching pad for some extroverted high-note soloing. 

"Mop Shake and Roll" is another nod to Max Roach, with Teasley playing drums and maracas simultaneously while engaging in some heated call-and-response with a braying Ballou on trumpet. Teasley switches to Turkish darbuka near the end of the piece as Ballou resorts to muted trumpet over the top.

"Prayer for the Ancestors" is a zen-like, atmospheric piece that finds Ballou channeling his inner Miles Davis while Teasley maintains a fluid, coloristic time feel on the kit in addition to his hand pan. 

The percussionist combines Carnatic konnokol singing and beatbox with his mastery of the Egyptian riqq (tambourine) on the aptly named "Riqq Talk." Teasley and Ballou engage in fiery call-and-response exchanges at the end of this lively number.

The collection closes on a calming note with "Gratitude," a solo piece that Teasley played on RAV Vast drum and Cajon simultaneously. Regarding the name of this gentle number, he said, "With some friends passing away, I am grateful I was for having them in my life."

The spark of creativity shines brightly throughout this first meeting of the daring duo of Teasley and Ballou. Energy and freedom abound throughout these 11 tracks.

— Bill Milkowski

Bill Milkowski is a longtime contributor to Downbeat and the author of biographies on Jaco Pastorius, Pat Martino, and Michael Brecker. billmilkowski.com