Dave Douglas - Dave Douglas GIFTS

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2024
Time: 53:20
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Size: 122,1 MB
Art: Front

(10:54) 1. Gifts
( 7:26) 2. Kind of Teal
( 4:31) 3. Take The A Train
( 3:16) 4. Rain Check
( 8:14) 5. Blood Count
( 4:40) 6. Day Dream
( 7:10) 7. Seven Years Ago
( 7:06) 8. Small Bar

Dave Douglas' Gifts emerges not merely as a collection of tracks but as an opulent gala in honor of the eternal essence of music, welcoming audiences across the spectrum of generations to partake in its celebration. This project is akin to a masterfully blended concoction of shared human emotions and experiences, articulated through the universal dialect of melodies that defy time constraints. It is a sonic tour de force, intricately weaving together the threads of history, the present and what lies ahead, serving as a reminder that music is both a cherished inheritance and a precious legacy.

The assembly of musicians Douglas congregates for this endeavor resembles a league of extraordinary musical virtuosos, each contributing their unique prowess to forge a soundscape as diverse as it is dynamic. Their collective expertise and ingenuity promise a journey of auditory exploration, akin to navigating the vast expanse of the jazz universe aboard a vessel propelled by boundless creativity.

At the commencement of the album is the eponymous track "Gifts," where Douglas' trumpet heralds a jubilee, complemented by Rafiq Bhatia's use of ethereal guitar effects, crafting an ambiance that oscillates between festive and solemn. Following suit, James Brandon Lewis' saxophone elevates the piece into a vivacious escapade. Here, the ensemble acts less as a mere group of musicians and more like conjurers of musical enchantment.

The reinterpretation of "Take the 'A' Train," Billy Strayhorn's piece, which was immortalized by Duke Ellington, receives a contemporary transformation under Douglas' direction. Envision jazz and rock convening in a lively celebration aboard a metro train this track encapsulates that essence. Ian Chang's relaxed drumming provides the cadence of this locomotive celebration, with Bhatia's guitar lines weaving through the composition like fleeting city lights. This time-honored melody is rejuvenated with a fresh modern twist, dancing in novel exhilarating ways.

"Small Bar" introduces itself like a shadowy figure in a film noir, with guitar and drums engaging in a cryptic dialogue before Douglas' trumpet intercedes, smoothing over the underlying tension with a tone that is simultaneously sharp and melodically rich. Yet "Third Dream" decelerates the session's tempo, presenting a ballad that offers a contemplative counterpoint to the presentation's overall exuberance. It highlights Douglas's breadth as a trumpeter, composer and band leader, adept at evoking deep emotional resonances and underscoring his position as a luminary of jazz innovation.
By Glenn Astarita https://www.allaboutjazz.com/gifts-dave-douglas-greenleaf-music

Personnel: Dave Douglas: trumpet; James Brandon Lewis: tenor saxophone; Rafiq Bhatia: guitar; Ian Chang: drums.

Dave Douglas GIFTS

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James Brandon Lewis/Red Lily Quintet - For Mahalia, With Love

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2023
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 71:36
Size: 165,7 MB
Art: Front

(4:00) 1. Sparrow
(9:21) 2. Swing Low
(9:52) 3. Go Down Moses
(8:17) 4. Wade In The Water
(8:52) 5. Calvary
(9:20) 6. Deep River
(9:02) 7. Elijah Rock
(8:35) 8. Were You There
(4:12) 9. Precious Lord

Tenor saxophonist James Brandon Lewis has been establishing himself in various contexts for the last few years, but his main focus lately has been on his Red Lily Quintet. Their first album, Jesup Wagon, (TAO Forms, 2021), was dedicated to African-American scientist, George Washington Carver. On their 2023 release, the group's music focuses on the work of the legendary gospel singer, Mahalia Jackson.

This tribute takes the form of interpretations of familiar spirituals Jackson often sang. The gospel-derived power of Albert Ayler also hovers over this music, most strongly on the opening track, "Sparrow," where Lewis' tenor and Kirk Knuffke's cornet plow into the melody with graceful, unhurried power, responding to each other as Ayler and his trumpeter brother Donald Ayler did in their time.

Other tracks have more involved structures. On "Swing Low," Lewis plays melodies and counter-melodies solo, before giving way to a growling undercurrent laid down by the rhythm section, cellist Chris Hoffman, bassist William Parker, and drummer Chad Taylor. This in turn leads to the horns returning with fiery intensity. "Go Down Moses" has Lewis and Knuffke swirling around each other in soulful dialogue over Parker's relentless walking bass while on "Deep River" the horns sway in jubilant harmonies over cello and bass plucks and thumping drums. Lewis and Knuffke answer each other like exuberant choir soloists in their call-and-response on "Elijah Rock" as the drums explode under them like a congregation shouting "Amen" to a preacher's fiery sermon.

This gorgeous music reaches back to the spiritual jazz legacy of Ayler, John Coltrane, and Pharoah Sanders and reconnects it beautifully to the passion and joy of gospel music as Mahalia Jackson and others performed it. It is a major triumph for James Brandon Lewis and his group.

The first edition of this album contains a bonus example of Lewis' many talents, a second CD presenting his composition for tenor sax and string quartet, "These Are Soulful Days," performed live by Lewis and the Lutoslawski Quartet. This extended piece weaves a blend of folk, spiritual and blues ideas into a rich fabric where Lewis' tenor can either sing placidly or lean in hard as the strings bend and breathe around him. The work reaches a high point in "Movement III" where Lewis wails the spiritual "Wade In The Water" as the quartet backs him with a choppy tango rhythm. It is all further proof of Lewis' marvelous versatility. By Jerome Wilson https://www.allaboutjazz.com/for-mahalia-with-love-james-brandon-lewis-tao-form

Personnel: James Brandon Lewis - Saxophone; Red Lily Quintet (cornetist Kirk Knuffke, cellist Chris Hoffman, bassist William Parker and drummer Chad Taylor)

For Mahalia, With Love

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