SONG PREMIERE: Leo P Serves Up Enlightened and Funky Take on Eddie Harris’ Jazz Classic “Cold Duck Time”

Imagine the scene: A full orchestra graces the stage on the elegant set of the prestigious classically-oriented BBC Proms. The orchestra’s drummer hits a dance beat and out strides a pink-haired baritone sax player honking in rhythm, executing James-Brown style wiggles as he plays, dancing, gesturing, mugging. The orchestra conductor and audience are at first startled, then amazed and finally delighted as Leo P tears the house down, interpolating a hot version of the Charles Mingus classic “Moanin’” along the way. Flash back to the year before. The Dixie Chicks and Beyoncé are backed by the house band performing their version of Beyoncé’s “Daddy Lessons,” when out steps a platinum-blond baritone sax player, wiggling and honking toward Beyoncé who wiggles her hips back in return. Who was that masked man and where did he come from? Only a couple years before you would have found him in the New York City subways backed by a drummer or sometimes a couple horn players, gob-smacking and delighting the most jaded New Yorkers with his manic dancing and playing.

Leo P, whose Too Many Zooz band has been touring the world, now steps forward with his debut solo album Comin’ Up Aces, due out November 4th on Shanachie Entertainment. Comin’ Up Aces presents Leo P as an artist who takes the baritone saxophone where no baritone sax player has gone before on a set of rich jazz-funk that aims to make jazz danceable again.

Comin’ Up Aces is a compelling showcase for Leo P’s exceptional blowing as well as a fulfillment of his goal to deliver high-quality musicianship in an earthy, accessible package that is very different from his work with his band Too Many Zooz. “Too Many Zooz is very aggressive and high energy,” Leo notes.” As I got older I wanted to play a little more melodically and build my solos more deliberately and not play everything I know in a solo but take my time and be more emotional. For this album I wanted a few different types of grooves: funky, bluesy, salsa…different feels.”

Today Glide is excited to premiere Leo’s creative take on Eddie Harris’ “Cold Duck Time.” Compared to the classic jazz tune, Leo lays down a viciously cool funk groove that presents it in a whole new light. While Leo and his band maintain the song’s smoothness, they also take things in a decidedly different direction as he takes off on a lively sax solo that is brimming with swagger and energy. Though the song feels like a work of modern funk, one listen proves that Leo and his band keep their jazz roots firmly in-tact.

Leo describes the decision to cut the tune:

“I did ‘Cold Duck Time’ because I love Eddie Harris; he’s one of my favorites. There are many great players who influenced me and Edie Harris is one of those people. He showed me that there doesn’t need to be many changes; I love to groove! I’m glad I studied bebop and harmony because it is a great foundation but it’s okay to play over two chords.”

LISTEN:

Related Content

One Response

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recent Posts

New to Glide

Keep up-to-date with Glide

Twitter