{"id":11207,"date":"2025-08-31T21:11:19","date_gmt":"2025-09-01T02:11:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/?p=11207"},"modified":"2025-08-31T21:11:19","modified_gmt":"2025-09-01T02:11:19","slug":"review-chapter-one-caelan-cardello","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/review-chapter-one-caelan-cardello\/","title":{"rendered":"Review: Caelan Cardello\u2019s \u2018Chapter One\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Caelan Cardello is breaking out. As part of vocalist Tyreek McDole&#8217;s backing quartet at this summer\u2019s Newport Jazz Festival, the pianist-composer impressed the audience with his comfort with hard swinging numbers and his duetting with McDole on the standard \u201cLush Life.\u201d&nbsp; Few in attendance knew Cardello&#8217;s forthcoming debut, <em>Chapter One<\/em> (Jazz Bird, 2025), would arrive later the same month. Looking closely at the album&#8217;s credits and jacket, one finds that the co-producer is fellow pianist, Isaiah J. Thompson, a name worth noticing. Not only that, but as Bill Charlap says of the music, \u201cCaelan Cardello\u2019s &#8216;got it.&#8217;&#8230; all of it: heart, brains, dimension, drama, imagination, taste, time, spirit, blues, nuance, virtuosity, variety, and personality.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Even the most talented musicians need a first break. After one performance in New York, Geoffrey Hoefer, head of Jazz Bird Records, was so moved by Cardello&#8217;s skills that he knew the pianist needed to be recorded and made him a record deal. Cardello subsequently began compiling pieces &#8211; eight originals and three arrangements &#8211; that best positioned him while paying homage to his major influences. Cardello is an \u2018in\u2019 player, leaning into swing and melody. His harmonic structuring is mature and historically rich, drawing on iconic bebop formations from Thelonious Monk and modern stylings from Brad Mehldau. As Cardello describes his own sound, it is \u201c&#8230;swing; well, trying to preserve swing, with newer melodies &#8211; modern melodies &#8211; and thinking of different ways to present swing with [his] own touch.\u201d It is this preservation and expansion of swing that dominates Chapter One, a trio effort with Jonathon Muir-Cotton on bass and Domo Branch on drums. Guest Chris Lewis also provides tenor saxophone for three tracks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed-youtube wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-embed-aspect-4-3 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"lyte-wrapper fourthree\" style=\"width:420px;max-width:100%;margin:5px;\"><div class=\"lyMe\" id=\"WYL_3983Ke77pX0\"><div id=\"lyte_3983Ke77pX0\" data-src=\"\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/3983Ke77pX0\/hqdefault.jpg\" class=\"pL\"><div class=\"tC\"><div class=\"tT\"><\/div><\/div><div class=\"play\"><\/div><div class=\"ctrl\"><div class=\"Lctrl\"><\/div><div class=\"Rctrl\"><\/div><\/div><\/div><noscript><a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/3983Ke77pX0\" rel=\"nofollow\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/3983Ke77pX0\/0.jpg?resize=420%2C295&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"YouTube video thumbnail\" width=\"420\" height=\"295\" \/><br \/>Watch this video on YouTube<\/a><\/noscript><\/div><\/div><div class=\"lL\" style=\"max-width:100%;width:420px;margin:5px;\"><\/div><figcaption><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Opener \u201cGone Fishin\u2019\u201d swings mightily, influenced partly by both Cardello\u2019s mentor, Harold Mabern, and his dad\u2019s love of fishing. \u201cSteppin\u2019 Up\u201d rollicks to a blistering tempo with its share of tricky changes, steered nicely by Branch. \u201cMotherhood\u201d reveals the leader&#8217;s tender, sensitive side, similar to what audiences heard at Newport for \u201cLush Life.\u201d Cardello&#8217;s nimble touch speaks volumes in his judicious choice of notes and chords. \u201cDon\u2019t Look Back\u201d is another swinger with an \u2018old school\u2019 flavor attributable mostly to Lewis\u2019s low register tenor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Rather surprisingly, the trio piece, \u201cA Night in New York,\u201d swings more gently than hard, a fine example of Cardello\u2019s melodic sense. Lewis returns for the ebullient swinger \u201cSolidarity.\u201d Listen carefully for the subtle Latin strains. \u201cWhere Do We Go Now\u201d is Cardello\u2019s reflective musical response to a common question, whether vocalized or internalized.&nbsp; He wrote the melody at the end of a deeply emotional day. Bassist Muir-Cotton shines in his support. Cardello closes the album with an upbeat, rambunctious blues, \u201cMusic for the People.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed-youtube wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-embed-aspect-4-3 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"lyte-wrapper fourthree\" style=\"width:420px;max-width:100%;margin:5px;\"><div class=\"lyMe\" id=\"WYL_gPEH1K-CZds\"><div id=\"lyte_gPEH1K-CZds\" data-src=\"\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/gPEH1K-CZds\/hqdefault.jpg\" class=\"pL\"><div class=\"tC\"><div class=\"tT\"><\/div><\/div><div class=\"play\"><\/div><div class=\"ctrl\"><div class=\"Lctrl\"><\/div><div class=\"Rctrl\"><\/div><\/div><\/div><noscript><a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/gPEH1K-CZds\" rel=\"nofollow\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/gPEH1K-CZds\/0.jpg?resize=420%2C295&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"YouTube video thumbnail\" width=\"420\" height=\"295\" \/><br \/>Watch this video on YouTube<\/a><\/noscript><\/div><\/div><div class=\"lL\" style=\"max-width:100%;width:420px;margin:5px;\"><\/div><figcaption><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The covers include an inventive, fast-tempo take on Cole Porter\u2019s \u201cAll of You,\u201d Harold Mabern\u2019s swinging \u201cJohn Neely&#8221; &#8211; the first of Lewis\u2019s appearances- and the standout, Cedar Walton\u2019s \u201cGroundwork,\u201d long a staple in the trio\u2019s live shows and as emblematic of the trio\u2019s sound as any track.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>While it\u2019s tempting to compare Cardello to the burgeoning list of young pianists, let\u2019s just say he\u2019s arrived. To suggest that this is an auspicious debut is an understatement. As Charlap pointed out, the \u2018it\u2019 factor is here in spades. We have several more chapters to look forward to.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><em>\u2018Chapter One\u2019 is out now on Bird Jazz <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Photo credit:  Charles Sammann<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Caelan Cardello is breaking out. As part of vocalist Tyreek McDole&#8217;s backing quartet at this summer\u2019s Newport Jazz Festival, the pianist-composer impressed the audience with his comfort with hard swinging numbers and his duetting with McDole on the standard \u201cLush Life.\u201d&nbsp; Few in attendance knew Cardello&#8217;s forthcoming debut, Chapter One (Jazz Bird, 2025), would arrive [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":59,"featured_media":11206,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"iawp_total_views":99,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[2],"tags":[1312,1311,1313,1316,1315,1314],"class_list":["post-11207","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-reviews","tag-bird-jazz","tag-caelan-cardello","tag-chapter-one","tag-chris-lewis","tag-domo-bran","tag-jonathon-muir-cotton"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/img_1257.jpg?fit=750%2C500&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/peRkRR-2UL","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":1252,"url":"https:\/\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/newport-jazz-part-ii\/","url_meta":{"origin":11207,"position":0},"title":"A History of the Newport Jazz Festival \u2013 Chapter II: Diminuendo and Crescendo, 1956","author":"Rob Shepherd","date":"July 24, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"The 1956 Newport Jazz Festival\u2019s schedule was adjusted slightly compared to the prior two outings. While still a three-day event with a focus on nighttime performances, it was moved up a day to begin on Thursday and end on Saturday while also having an earlier start time. Much of the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Newport Jazz Festival History&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Newport Jazz Festival History","link":"https:\/\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/category\/special-series\/newport-jazz-history\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/1956-19604.jpg?fit=750%2C500&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/1956-19604.jpg?fit=750%2C500&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/1956-19604.jpg?fit=750%2C500&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/1956-19604.jpg?fit=750%2C500&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1210,"url":"https:\/\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/newport-jazz-history-chapter-i\/","url_meta":{"origin":11207,"position":1},"title":"A History of the Newport Jazz Festival &#8211; Chapter I: A New Tradition, 1954-1955","author":"Rob Shepherd","date":"July 23, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"By 9:18 PM on the evening of July 17, 1954, Eddie Condon\u2019s tribute to Dixieland finally began its delayed performance. Next was vocalist Lee Wiley, a jam session, and then a series of musicians who in hindsight left an indelible mark of music: the Modern Jazz Quartet with Horace Silver\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Newport Jazz Festival History&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Newport Jazz Festival History","link":"https:\/\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/category\/special-series\/newport-jazz-history\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/pasted-image-02-1.png?fit=711%2C500&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/pasted-image-02-1.png?fit=711%2C500&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/pasted-image-02-1.png?fit=711%2C500&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/pasted-image-02-1.png?fit=711%2C500&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2746,"url":"https:\/\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/newport-jazz-part-xi\/","url_meta":{"origin":11207,"position":2},"title":"A History of the Newport Jazz Festival \u2013 Chapter XI: Futures, 1990-1994","author":"Rob Shepherd","date":"May 9, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"The 1990s was a period of change. The geopolitical order in place for nearly half a century ended with the collapse of the Soviet Union. The first American president to be born after the Second World War took office, bringing different attitudes and policies to the office. Rapid technological development\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Newport Jazz Festival History&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Newport Jazz Festival History","link":"https:\/\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/category\/special-series\/newport-jazz-history\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/Jazz-Futures.jpg?fit=750%2C500&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/Jazz-Futures.jpg?fit=750%2C500&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/Jazz-Futures.jpg?fit=750%2C500&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/Jazz-Futures.jpg?fit=750%2C500&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2029,"url":"https:\/\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/kiwanuka-2019-list\/","url_meta":{"origin":11207,"position":3},"title":"Brian Kiwanuka\u2019s Favorite Jazz Albums of 2019","author":"Brian Kiwanuka","date":"November 27, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"As the PostGenre Team is working on their list(s) of Favorites from 2020, here is a flashback to Brian Kiwanuka\u2019s 2019 list. This list originally appeared at Nextbop. 10. Brandee Younger \u2013 Soul Awakening (Self Release) The harp is a spellbinding instrument and throughout Soul Awakening Brandee Younger is a\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Lists&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Lists","link":"https:\/\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/category\/lists\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/BeFunky-collage4.jpg?fit=750%2C500&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/BeFunky-collage4.jpg?fit=750%2C500&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/BeFunky-collage4.jpg?fit=750%2C500&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/BeFunky-collage4.jpg?fit=750%2C500&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":561,"url":"https:\/\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/rob-shepherds-favorite-jazz-albums-of-the-2010s\/","url_meta":{"origin":11207,"position":4},"title":"Rob Shepherd&#8217;s Favorite Jazz Albums: 2009-2019","author":"Rob Shepherd","date":"December 24, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"Editorial Note: Although PostGenre is the home of more than just \"jazz\" music, much of \"jazz\" consists of an amalgamation of various styles and approaches to music. This list, a republication of one that appeared on Nextbop on December 24, 2019, particularly shows the eclecticism of much of today's \"jazz.\"\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Lists&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Lists","link":"https:\/\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/category\/lists\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"best of 2010s","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/Rob-Shepherd-Favorite-Jazz-Albums-Decade.jpg?fit=1024%2C475&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/Rob-Shepherd-Favorite-Jazz-Albums-Decade.jpg?fit=1024%2C475&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/Rob-Shepherd-Favorite-Jazz-Albums-Decade.jpg?fit=1024%2C475&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/Rob-Shepherd-Favorite-Jazz-Albums-Decade.jpg?fit=1024%2C475&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1998,"url":"https:\/\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/shepherd-2019-list\/","url_meta":{"origin":11207,"position":5},"title":"Rob Shepherd\u2019s Favorite Jazz Albums of 2019","author":"Rob Shepherd","date":"November 25, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"As the PostGenre Team is working on their list(s) of Favorites from 2020, here is a flashback to Rob Shepherd's 2019 list. This list originally appeared at Nextbop. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Perhaps the most interesting takeaway from 2019 is the number of artists adapting music from the past into something new. Many of\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Lists&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Lists","link":"https:\/\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/category\/lists\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/BeFunky-collage-4.jpg?fit=750%2C500&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/BeFunky-collage-4.jpg?fit=750%2C500&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/BeFunky-collage-4.jpg?fit=750%2C500&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/BeFunky-collage-4.jpg?fit=750%2C500&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11207","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/59"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=11207"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11207\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":11208,"href":"https:\/\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11207\/revisions\/11208"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/11206"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=11207"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=11207"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=11207"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}