Trumpeter/composer/bandleader/educator Terell Stafford named his album with Victor Lewis’ “Between Two Worlds” but if we were to examine that notion Stafford lives in at least in four different “worlds.” He leads the jazz program at Temple University, is a valued sideman with Charles McPherson as well as his many years with Bobby Watson, he’s a terrific bandleader as attested to by this vibrant album, Between Two Worlds; and a dedicated husband and family man. Long a key individual in the Philadelphia jazz scene, Stafford has tapped several of his longtime Philly colleagues for this session – saxophonist Tim Warfield, pianist Bruce Barth, and drummer Johnathan Blake. Rounding out the sextet is New York-based bassist David Wong and Le Coq label stalwart, percussionist Alex Acuna who take us through a diverse set that encompasses bebop, hard bop, Latin, and swing.
“Between Two Worlds,” the opening track is a sweeping, uplifting tune that features a soaring trumpet solo from the leader over kinetic rhythms as well as a feisty tenor turn from Warfield, and a tornado-like drum solo from Blake. The sparks are flying from the outset. The gospel hymn “Great Is Thy Faithfulness” brings in Acuna’s percolating beats punctuating and instilling a Latin flavor behind Stafford’s melodic and bristling trumpet in an effort to honor those we’ve lost in recent years. “Mi a Mia” continues in the percussive Latin vein as the first of three originals, this one dedicated to his six-year-old daughter, featuring Barth’s bright, athletic pianism, Warfield’s liquid soprano, as well as the steaming interplay of Blake and Acuna. Tempo recedes for the leader’s gorgeous ballad in homage to his wife, “Two Hearts As One,” delivered so achingly expressive on his muted trumpet.
The band motors through an exhilarating take of Horace Silver’s bop tune “Room 608” in 7/4 time with Blake again setting a furious pace on the kit. Bassist Wong playing both in arco and pizzicato style, gets his due on Strayhorn’s classic ballad, “Blood Count,” with the full band rendering it elegantly in Barth’s arrangement. The pianist contributes his own “Manaus at Dusk,” distinctly different than Stafford’s compositions, as it bears a cinematic, spy thriller quality, infused with bubbling rhythms. Stafford, as usual, plays with focused verve and conviction as Warfield mirrors the same in his soprano turn. Stafford’s crystalline flugelhorn in a tour-de-force leads the heartfelt tribute to McCoy Tyner in the late pianist’s ballad “You Taught My Heart to Sing” before delving deeper into the blues in another tribute, Stafford’s rousing “Wruth’s Blues,” which nods to his mom. Wong’s emphatic bass intro sets the mood for this gutsy, gritty tune, which proves a showcase for Warfield’s tenor and Stafford’s soaring, growling trumpet, serving as a wonderful close to a well-crafted, sharply rendered set.
“Between Two Worlds” is an worthy addition to Stafford’s strong catalog as a leader, now nearing its third decade, and shining as brightly as ever.
