This is an unexpected turn by acclaimed vibraphonist Warren Wolf, acknowledged mostly as a traditionalist and a successor to forbearers Milt Jackson and Bobby Hutcherson. Here the Baltimore-based vibes man returns to the love of R&B and soul that he grew up with during the ‘90s. Reincarnation is also a blissful album of nine Wolf compositions and one cover that celebrates a content life with a new marriage and his five children. Wolf, now 40, had a realization that since age 21 he’s been professionally playing straight-ahead jazz. Yet, his dad, his first teacher, encouraged him to play all kinds of genres and Wolf decided he needed to bring some of them back into his repertoire.
He also knew that he needed a band equally versed in jazz and vintage R&B. These selections are culled from ones that were on the radio during his high school and college years – D’Angelo, Mint Condition, Prince, even 2Pac. Let’s face it, many of the veteran jazz artists that have helped build Wolf’s reputation were not attuned to that music, but Wolf was able to assemble some veterans along with young lions. Drummer Carroll “CV” Dashiell III is, like Wolf, a second-generation musician. Strongly rooted in the church, he’s a rising star on the Washington D.C. jazz scene whose confidence captured Wolf’s attention. Wolf discovered Brett Williams early in the Pittsburgh keyboardist’s career, then followed his progress through his collaboration with bassist Marcus Miller. Richie Goods who bills himself as a “ Jazz, Funk, Rock” bassist apprenticed under piano giant Mulgrew Miller (and has just released his own album honoring Miller, My Left Hand Man). Goods also toured with GRAMMY®-winning trumpeter Chris Botti. In that band he crossed paths with guitarist Mark Whitfield, who graces two tracks on the album.
The final ingredient was a vocalist. Wolf discovered the gifted Imani-Grace Cooper while she was still a student at Howard University, singing with one of the school’s famed choirs. “Even on jazz standards I could truly hear the gospel influence in her singing,” Wolf said. “That’s a perfect blend for me. She’s the most unknown member of the group, but I think after this people will start to take notice.” There are also bookending emcee parts on “Smooth Intro” and “Smooth Outro” as well as other sequences from Marcellus “Bassman” Shepard, aka “The Man with the Voice,” through his role as a DJ on Baltimore’s WEAA 88.9. His voice sets the requisite late-night mood for the listen.
As much as anything else, Wolf is celebrating the many aspects of love. “For Me’ is a heartfelt dedication to his mother, Celeste Wolf, who passed away in 2015. It’s especially meaningful as he and his mom (on piano) with often duet on Motown hits, and he brings those joyous sounds to the tune.”Vahybing” is mostly a groove exercise with opportunities for soloists to stretch out, mostly vibraphone and piano. We hear the vocalists and guitarist Whitlfield first on the wonderfully sultry “In the Heat of the Night” with Bassman’s Barry White-like lines alternating with Cooper’s sensuous vocal as the two approach lovers’ rendezvous. Williams’ Rhodes injections, Whitfield’s use of the wah-wah effect, and Wolf’s sprinkling vibes add to the smooth, lush, atmosphere. Call it the centerpiece of the album.
“The Struggle” is an alternatingly vigorous rhythm/melancholic piece led by acoustic piano and vibes commemorating several tragedies from a horrendous car accident affecting his ex-wife to the gun violence of the Baltimore streets, which has claimed the life of one family member and recreated another as a gang activist. The joy and romantic sides of love return quickly though – first, in the album’s only cover, Wolf’s arrangement of The Isley Brothers “For the Love of You” which finds Cooper in fine form and “Sebastian and Zoë,” a tribute to his two youngest children – or, as Shepard purrs, his “Wolf babies,” as Cooper sings adoringly.
The waltz “Come and Dance With Me” was penned for Wolf’s wife, a ballerina and teacher who he hopes will use the song in her classes – and perhaps join him on stage one day to show off her steps. Cooper sings the bright “Living the Good Life” encapsulating the album’s theme and of Wolf’s current happiness. It also provides the album’s only instance of swing rhythm – just a brief detour for a single minute, to prove to longtime fans that Wolf hasn’t abandoned his straight-ahead chops.
Wolf wanted to prove his versatility. He’s done that in spades. You can’t help but be uplifted with his gorgeous take on R&B.
