Branford Marsalis Quartet/Metamorphosen (Marsalis Music) ****: While perhaps not so innovative as Miles’ quartets and quintets and Coltrane’s trios and duos, Marsalis and his group conjure up the synergy of the great small combos in jazz history. The leader’s exquisite playing sets the tone in its insinuating yet bracing approach to improvisation, while the rest of the band never succumbs to just supporting him. Rather they play vigorously all the while, ready to assume prominence when it’s their turn to make a statement.
Sonny Rollins/Road Shows Vol. 1 (Doxy) ***1/2: Guitarist Bobby Broom and the redoubtable bassist Christian McBride shine on this live compilation introducing ‘Newk’s’ archive concert series, but it’s trombonist/producer Clifton Anderson who, in providing cool contrast to the heated playing of Rollins himself, deserves deepest kudos. Unless they go to mastering engineer Mark Wilder for keeping the sound clean and uncluttered on these recordings spanning twenty years from mid-eighties: hearing this disc is like sitting on the stage in the middle of the band as they play.
Ravi Coltrane/Blending Times (Savoy) ****: Coltrane really begins to add cache to his famous surname himself with this bracing excursion. And, not to detract fro the purposeful playing of the leader, but it’s the rhythm section that makes it all work: bassist Drew Gress (Charlie Haden is on “For Turiya”) and drummer Ed Strickland don’t just supply stable support, but drive Coltrane as he employs sax and flute in the open-ended arrangements,
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Steve Bernstein’s Millennial Territory Orchestra/ We Are MTO (MOWO): ***1/2: The cover graphics may look generic but the music most definitely is not. But then no matter the project Bernstein’s involved in, the creative standards are high enough to stretch all involved and We Are MTO is no exception. Bluesy electric guitar plays in tandem with violin and horns on the first cut and a selection of equally idiosyncratic arrangements ensues including one of the Beatles’ “All You Need is Love” that brings to mind the ‘if only’ cliché…
The Bill Evans Trio: Turn Out the Lights: The Final Village Vanguard Recordings June 1980 (Nonesuch ****): This six CD set is further evidence of the devout respect the late jazz piano icon Bill Evans has been accorded and most definitely deserves. Far more lavish (and sturdy) than the accompanying box, the essays written by Bob Blumenthal and Harold Danko are extensive in detail and focused passion, which happens to be as good a means as any in describing The Evans trio’s own playing. Captured in recording quality as impeccable as the musicianship, this is music that compels preservation for posterity,
