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Recent Recordings by Area Musicians
The raucous, joyous atmosphere is established in a brief overture, Johnny Mercer and Wingy Manone's "Tailgate Ramble," which is recast as a closer at the end of the album. The repertoire consists of standards from the first half of the last century, and the soulful yet smooth singing of Joan Bow and the Armstrong-inflected voice of Belgrave dominate the sound. Gabriel, who sometimes plays the vocal role that Jack Teagarden took with Louis Armstrong, but who also provides lovely solos on saxophone and clarinet, nicely complements this pair. The small group sounds much bigger, sometimes recalling the Ray Charles band from the time when it featured Belgrave in the trumpet section. One of the highlights is Bow's heartfelt version of Cindy Walker's "You Don't Know Me," well known from the Ray Charles recording, which also features lovely compact solos from Belgrave and Gabriel. There is only one instrumental number, Ellington's "The Mooche," which features Gabriel on clarinet and Ranelin on trombone.
Mayberry keeps it simple: he outlines harmony and keeps time in exemplary fashion, always offering support and never getting in the way. Even on his own CD he only comes to the fore sporadically, stressing the supportive ensemble role of his instrument. His eighteen friends come from the top tier of Detroit are jazz players; as a result, this release provides a marvelous introduction to the current Motor City jazz scene.
The music might be defined as modernized hard-bop; from the beginning one is reminded of classic Blue Note albums, beginning with Lee Morgan's "Mt. Kenyatta," followed by Kenny Cox's tribute to Art Blakey, "Buhaina." The aural Blakey association is assured by the three-horn front line, and by drummer Peterson, who often sounds very much like the Jazz Messenger himself. The album is well paced, the arrangements are tight and precisely played, and all the soloists seem to have had a good day, particularly Harrison, who is exquisitely expansive on tenor. The leader well demonstrates, whether in section, playing a head or solo, why she is rightly considered to be one of the top two or three bass players in Detroit. T While the repertoire includes such well known pieces as "Along Came Betty," "What Is This Thing Called Love," and "Dat Dere," as well as more contemporary tunes, the compact arrangements always offer a new take on familiar strains. Cole Porter's "Love" is taken as a mambo, and Benny Golson's "Betty" is given a 5/4 feel; the trio makes this sound perfectly natural and unstrained, giving us a new perspective. Most important, the drive they achieve by working so closely together gives the whole recital a sense of propulsion that unites the various pieces, so that one has the sense of listening to a unified recital, rather than to a collection of unrelated items. Weed seems to have an unlimited repertoire of skills, offering many colors, and Dobbins drives the trio with sensitivity as well as power. Krahnke is outstanding, locking in with the drummer, while providing perfect lines for the pianist. When called upon, he solos with grace, and few jazz bassists can match him when he picks up the bow. I should add that the sound production is first class, and the marvelously written liner notes by Pat Smith provide an exegesis of the album title, taking us from Homer to Joyce to bop.
Electronic keyboards, bass, and percussion dominate the overall sound, and the other instruments are used around this. There are goofy elements — duck and elk calls, and various toys — but underneath it all there is a serious modernist agenda grounded in composition. Sometimes humor serves to undermine standard elements; a rock beat will bend over into marching territory, bend back again, and then move on into other directions. These compositions are demanding, but all three members of the group are highly schooled musicians who can do anything that their fellow travelers demand of them. Yuganaut demonstrates that it is possible to be eclectic and have a strong group identity at the same time. I N - T H I S - I S S U E : |
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