Charlie Dennard Press Room
Reviews of New Release “Deep Blue”
WRTI FM
By Matt Silver • Jan 21, 2019
Charlie Dennard doesn’t waste much time on his new album, Deep Blue, before paying homage to his adopted home. The longtime New Orleans keyboardist immediately announces a Crescent City connection, opening the album with “St. Charles Strut,” with an unmistakably New Orleanian second-line drum beat.
But Deep Blue is much more than Dixieland influence. It reflects the eclectic sensibilities of the type of musician who runs off and joins the circus. Literally. Dennard spent years traveling the world as the music director for Cirque du Soleil. And nowhere on the album is this global influence more apparent than on the second track, “Mojave,” where he’s enlisted the help of Cirque du Soleil compatriots, John Geisler (bansuri flute), Marc Solis (winds), and Carlos Lopez (percussion), who imbue the proceedings with the feel of a noir-ish thriller set amidst rolling dunes and desert oases.
Still, though Dennard nods to his own unyielding sense of wanderlust and influences both local and global (see track three titled, appropriately, “Wanderlust,” and keep an ear out to really hear the existential searching in the guitar playing), his playing is melodic and evenhanded, elegant in an understated and introspective way. This stylistic temperament he attributes to Ellis Marsalis, under whom Dennard studied as a graduate student at the University of New Orleans.
The album concludes with its most soulful offering, the bluesy “Father,” named for Dennard’s dad, who passed shortly after Deep Blue was recorded. Punctuated by smoky contributions on electric guitar, tenor sax and trumpet, Dennard moves to the organ on this one, undergirding the track with a spirituality that emanates gratitude, as it lovingly says goodbye.
Making A Scene (Issue 198)
JANUARY 30, 2019 by Jim Hynes
Pianist/composer Charlie Dennard weaves together music from his native New Orleans with strains from the iconic jazz label ECM on Deep Blue, featuring seven original compositions. Dennard credits his subtle, relaxed style to his teacher, the legendary pianist Ellis Marsalis, with whom Dennard studied for a Master’s Degree in Music at the University of New Orleans. This mix of earthly NOLA rhythms and ethereal world sounds is special, owing to Dennard’s exposure to many world cultures. All tunes are performed by Dennard on an array of keyboards with a core trio of Max Moran (acoustic/electric bass) and Doug Belote (drums) with additional musicians on select tracks that we’ll mention later.
For the past two decades Dennard has performed with the top musicians in New Orleans across an array of genres. He is currently on a year-long European tour as the musical director for Cirque du Soleil’s production “Totem.” Over the past 15 years, he has performed over 4,000 shows in 14 countries with Cirque, including appearances on The Tonight Show and at London’s Royal Albert Hall. Given his busy schedule, this project took a long time to complete. Yet, he recorded it on his recently rebuilt 1927 Steinway Model L grand piano, which is the primary keyboard heard throughout. Listen closely to hear Dennard’s blues and gospel influences amidst this deeply soulful, world-imbued collection of tunes.
He opens with the trio on “St. Charles Strut,” adding the requisite funk along with Latin flair and second line rhythms as his piano floats rather than pounds away. The sound quickly shifts on “Mojave,” an award-winning tune that was written when he was graduate student and has since been covered by several artists. Musicians from the Cirque show join – Josh Geisler (bansuri flute), Marc Solis (flute, alto & tenor sax, bass clarinet), Carlos Lopez (percussion), Andrew McClean (table, sarod) and Eric Lucero (trumpet). Dennard has a relaxed bluesy solo amidst the desert imagery delivered by the woodwinds and percussion. For some, the tune may call to mind the late Randy Weston, who was heavily influenced by African music.
“Wanderlust” is somewhat similar in tone as it was influenced by Ralph Towner and the band Oregon. Although Dennard co-wrote the tune with guitarist Brian Seeger (who later appears on their collaboration “Father”), this one features renowned New Orleans guitarist Steve Masakowski on the acoustic, who trades melodic verses with Dennard’s glorious grand piano. The ECM-like vibe continues into the title track where Dennard’s meditative style of playing is enriched by Lucero on trumpet and Brad Walker on tenor sax.
The next two are done are done in trio format. “Trois Fois” means “three times” in French. The tune modulates between three key centers. He then turns to the electric piano in tribute to one of the instruments true pioneers, Joe Sample, on “Joe’s Crusade.” Interestingly, drummer Belote played with Joe Sample and his Creole Joe Band from New Orleans. “Father” closes, featuring another horn arrangement. Musicians here include: Ray Moore (flute, alto & tenor sax), Jason Mingledorf (tenor sax, bass clarinet), Rick Trolsen (trombone, Eric Lucero (trumpet) and Seeger on guitar. It has a gospel/spiritual feel as it’s dedicated to the passing of Dennard’s dad, just after the final mix and mastering of the song.
Contemporary Fusion Reviews
JANUARY 29th, 2019 by Dick Metcalf
Delightfully inspired jazz piano Charlie Dennard
What an enjoyable jazz piano pleasure… seven original soulful jazz tunes that lovers of “true jazz” will be spinning over & over again. Before I get started on this review, though, I’d strongly recommend that you check out an earlier solo piano performance from Charlie (not from this album), so you can see his full-bodied keyboard style…
The straight-ahead jazz licks on the 5:57 “Mojave” make it a very “radio-able” tune, and I’ve no doubt that this will be hitting DJ playlists on jazz stations across the nation… Charlie’s keyboard pacing on this piece is just stellar!
If you’re lookin’ for something with solid blues leanings, you’re going to fall in love with the moving title track, “Deep Blue“, just as quickly as I did… some splendid horn work on this one, too, melded very nicely in with the bass and drums… high-talent, to be sure.
After my second listen through the album, there was absolutely no doubt in my mind what my pick for personal favorite would be… “Joe’s Crusade” features some of the most intimate electronic keyboard work I have ever heard, & is modeled after one of Charlie’s heroes, the great Joe Sample.
I give Charlie & his fantastic players a MOST HIGHLY RECOMMENDED, with an “EQ” (energy quotient) rating of 4.98 for this delightfully inspired jazz experience.
Five O’Clock Charlie
AUGUST 11, 2015 by: Dee Dee McNeil
Charlie Dennard, Hammond B3 organ/Rhodes; Todd Duke, guiar; Doug Belote & Geoff Clapp, drums.
Obviously, these New Orleans musicians have gotten together to fuel a party based in funk, Rhythm and blues. Dennard has penned or co-penned most of these ebullient songs. The tempos and production reflect the bands of the 1980’s with their driving, funky rhythms and repetitious hooks. All we need is Kool and the Gang or the Zapp Band dancing and singing out front in their bell-bottom pants to make this picture complete. It’s another guitar and organ match-up, but not necessarily in a jazzy way. This is a funk trio and I bet they perform constantly all over town. I thought the cover artwork and layout by Scott Williams was eye-catching and creative, with a big, bold Model-T-looking Ford, exhibiting a keyboard on the front grate and a guitar wrapped around the front wheel like a fender. The CD mix is good. I don’t know why they have their title tune stuck in the middle of this album because, for me, it’s one of the strongest songs on this disc and the closest thing to straight ahead jazz. It would have been a good opener. I also enjoyed “Blues by Five” and their take on the M.A.S.H. Theme, “Suicide is Painless” featuring Todd Duke prominently on guitar and Dennard pulling at Jimmy Smith influences from the past.
JULY 29, 2015 by: GERALDINE WYCKOFF
Organist Charlie Dennard was a regular on the New Orleans jazz scene beginning around the mid-1990s. He took an unusual detour when he signed on to become the musical director of the renowned theatrical/circus troupe Cirque du Soleil.
Dennard is back in our midst, and in 2014 released From Brazil to New Orleans. This time out, he’s solidly on American soil with a program that includes funk, groove, jazz, swing and blues. It even includes the theme song from the popular movie and television series “M*A*S*H,” “Suicide Is Painless.”
The CD kicks off with one of several collaborated compositions by Dennard and friend, guitarist Brian Seeger. It’s Todd Duke, not Seeger, who’s working the fretboard here, on the soul/funk number, “Grant’s Pants” and throughout the CD.
It’s great to hear Duke, who remains best known at the side of vocalist John Boutte, apply his talents in an organ trio setting. Dennard gives Duke plenty of room to stretch out while he provides essential support with some big fat chords. Manning the drums is alternatively Doug Belote or Geoff Clapp.
Clapp is behind the drum for one of the album’s non-originals, Larry Goldings’ “Back in the Day,” a tasty jazz groove on which Dennard shows his cool approach to the Hammond B-3. Things start swinging on Dennard’s “5 O’Clock Blues” with Belote laying it down on drums. It holds that classic organ trio sound that really took over the jazz scene in the mid-1970s.
Clapp’s work on Peter Bernstein’s “Carrot Cake” echos the edginess and staccato flavor of the tune, which is reinforced by Dennard’s organ.
Fans of the organ trio format should enjoy 5 O’Clock Charlie. They may wish, however, there was more of the very generous Dennard’s big B-3.
Read the article on Offbeat’s website
TVD Recommends: Charlie Dennard at Chickie Wah Wah, 7/3
By Jay Mazza | July 2, 2015
Read the full article
Keyboardist Charlie Dennard will be celebrating the release of his latest project Friday night at Chickie Wah Wah.
Regular readers of TVD will recognize Dennard’s name from my coverage of his first solo release, last year’s From Brazil To New Orleans. The new record is also a return to his roots playing Hammond B-3 in the organ trio setting. After fifteen years touring the globe with the Cirque Du Soleil, Dennard is back in New Orleans. 5 O’clock Charlie was also the name of a band he led in the 1990s.
This new recording, 5 O’clock Charlie, demonstrates the depth of his musical talent since it is so different from his first effort, which mined connections between two of the musical capitals of the world.
The band performing Friday night, and the core musicians on the record, features two stalwarts of the local scene—guitarist Todd Duke and drummer Doug Belote. The show will also feature special guests Eric Lucero on trumpet and Ray Moore on saxophone and flute.
Showtime is 9 PM
CD Release Party at Chickie Wah Wah – Friday, June 3rd 9PM
5 O’Clock Charlie – Doug Belote, Charlie Dennard, Todd Duke
From the New Orleans Times-Picayune
Charlie Dennard & 5 O’Clock Charlie
Keyboardist Charlie Dennard studied under Ellis Marsalis while earning a master’s degree in music from the University of New Orleans in the 1990s. For the next six years, he was a fixture in the city’s nightclubs. He performed with Jason and Delfeayo Marsalis, Nicholas Payton, Kermit Ruffins, Johnny Vidacovich, George Porter Jr., Galactic, the New World Funk Ensemble, Quintology, Michael Ray & the Cosmic Krewe, Stanton Moore and Theresa Andersson, among others, and led his own ensemble, 5 O’Clock Charlie. He went on to spend five years as the keyboardist and assistant bandleader for the Cirque du Soleil production “Alegria”; he logged 1,700 shows in 12 countries. He then became musical director of Cirque du Soleil’s “Totem” show.
On his recent “From Brazil to New Orleans” CD, he arranges Brazilian folk and contemporary songs for a band of New Orleans musicians. Thus, second-line and boogaloo rhythms share space with ambient electronica, Latin percussion, brass band horns and jazz piano. The version of 5 O’Clock Charlie that will perform at Chickie Wah Wah on Monday includes guitarist Brian Seeger and drummer Doug Belote.
From Brazil to New Orleans
CD Release Party in Portland, Oregon 
Over the last 20 years Charlie Dennard has performed and recorded internationally with a variety of jazz, blues and world music ensembles as well as theatrical productions. From 2002 to 2007 Charlie was the assistant bandleader and keyboardist for the Grammy nominated Cirque du Soleil show “Alegria” and with them successfully performed over 1,700 shows in 12 different countries. Before joining Cirque du Soleil, Charlie received his Masters Degree in Music from the University of New Orleans in 1998 where he was a jazz piano student of the legendary Ellis Marsalis and in 1992 Charlie earned his Bachelors Degree in Music Media and Industry from the esteemed University of Miami.Some of Charlie’s compositions can be heard on Stanton Moore’s instructional DVD entitled “Take it to the Street” (’05) as well as Moore’s CD entitled “Flyin’ the Koop” (‘02). Dennard also composed the music for the Brazilian acrobatic circus “Universo Casuo” produced and directed by his former Cirque du Soleil colleague Marcos Casuo (’08). Other recording credits include the Birmingham Metropolitan Orchestra, Charles and Ian Neville (Neville Brothers), Mike Keneally (Frank Zappa), Cleve Eaton (Count Basie, Ramsey Lewis), Oteil Burbridge (Allman Brothers) and Steve Masakowski.While living in New Orleans (’96-’02) Charlie had the distinct honor of performing with jazz masters Jason and Delfeayo Marsalis, Nicolas Payton, Kermit Ruffins, Nancy King, Johnny Vidacovich and Ed Peterson as well as the more funk influenced musicians such as George Porter, G Love and Special Sauce, Galactic, Skerik and Charlie Hunter. During this time Charlie was also an integral member of several prominent award-winning ensembles such as the New World Funk Ensemble, Quintology, Michael Ray and the Cosmic Krewe, Stanton Moore and Theresa Andersson.Known for his diversity of music and passion for performing, Charlie Dennard continues to be involved with creative projects that highlight his immaculate sense of time, sensual harmony and flowing improvisation.