Lewis Porter, Terri Lyne Carrington, John Patitucci, Tia Fuller - Beauty & Mystery

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 2018
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 70:25
Size: 162,0 MB
Art: Front

( 3:28)  1. Prologue
(10:22)  2. Birthplace (feat. Tia Fuller)
( 8:15)  3. Bye Bye Blackbird
( 7:23)  4. People Get Ready
( 9:43)  5. Blues for Trane and McCoy (feat. Tia Fuller)
( 7:43)  6. 1919
( 7:39)  7. Chasing Lines
( 4:07)  8. Dazzling Raga
( 5:54)  9. From Giovanni to Jimmy
( 5:46) 10. Day Is Done

A somber, modern/Romanticist solo piano "Prologue" beautifully opens jazz scholar, historian, and accomplished pianist Lewis Porter's Beauty & Mystery, his fourth disc as a session leader.  Accompanied throughout this often inspired recording by bassist John Pattitucci, sought after Grammy-winner and frequent trio companion drummer Terri Lyne Carrington and high-flying, rep-rising saxophonist Tia Fuller, Porter unleashes his vast knowledge of John Coltrane, and the multitude of jazz avenues on a frothy mix of original covers and time tested covers. Led by repeated rhythmic motifs, Fuller gives a full blown Trane-like workout on soprano sax on the burbling bitonality of "Birthplace." "People Get Ready" unwinds effortlessly as Porter and Pattitucci immerse themselves in Curtis Mayfield's elegant, secular hymn, taking turns reciting the verses and chorus. Fuller's fiery, the-sky-is-the-limit alto swirls and powers the rolling vamp "Blues for Trane and McCoy" and rewards the listener with a challenging extended duo passage with Porter that recalls many Trane/Tyner glories. 

While we're on the subject of the Classic Quartet, Pattitucci's artistry is on full, glorious display on the robust Porter/Pattitucci composition "From Giovanni to Jimmy," a fitting dedication to Coltrane bassist Jimmy Garrison. Free-wheeling interplay highlights "Chasing Lines" a re-arrangement of British bandleader/composer Ray Noble's "Cherokee." Porter again delves deep into his musical knowledge incorporating raga and jazz on "Dazzling Raga." 

Porter's lyrical waltz, "Day is Done" closes out Beauty & Mystery, a disc of highly expressed individualism.~ Mike Jurkovic https://www.allaboutjazz.com/beauty-and-mystery-lewis-porter-altrisuoni-review-by-mike-jurkovic.php

Personnel: Lewis Porter: piano; John Pattitucci: bass; Terri Lyne Carrington: drums: Tia Fuller: soprano and alto sax.

Beauty & Mystery

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Tia Fuller - Pillar Of Strength

Year: 2005
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:50
Size: 137,6 MB
Art: Front

(4:34) 1. Pillar Of Strength
(6:50) 2. New Life
(6:02) 3. Rain Of Patience
(5:26) 4. Bookie-Head
(2:57) 5. Easy Living
(7:15) 6. Golden Lady
(6:09) 7. Sunday Nostalgia
(5:22) 8. In Her Honor
(5:44) 9. My Secret Love
(8:05) 10. Little Big Sis
(1:22) 11. I Surrender All

Saxophonist and flutist Tia Fuller stakes her claim to being one of the finest new musicians on the scene with her exhilarating debut as a leader, Pillar of Strength. Her top-shelf chops on reed and wind instruments are complemented by her formidable skills as a composer and arranger, and she has an excellent band along for the ride. Things jump off at the top with the burning title cut, a Marion Jones sprint, with Fuller playing an alto solo bursting with passion and dexterity. Kim Thompson thunders behind her on drums, Miriam Sullivan's bass pumps the bloodstream, and Miki Hayama comps nimbly on piano. Fuller displays a light, airy touch on soprano on the Afro-Cuban blend "New Life. Sean Jones' well-spaced, eloquent trumpet solo stokes the fire and is followed by another solid Hayama solo. Fuller and Jones bring the song home with a tight trumpet/soprano tandem.

The virtuosity continues as Fuller picks up the flute on her introspective, sultry original "Rain of Patience, her light, beautiful touch supplemented by Sullivan's strong plucked solo. Fuller returns to alto on the groovin' "Bookie-Head, whose fine horn play recalls the kind of Blue Note riffs that formed the backbone of acid jazz. "Easy Living is a soothing bass/alto duet that Sullivan closes with an arco flourish. Hayama's Wonder-esque chords on the Fender Rhodes are the highlight of "Golden Lady. Fuller plays more richly harmonic soprano on "Sunday Nostalgia," sharing more simpatico with Jones' flugelhorn. "In Her Honor, a tribute to Fuller written by Jones, is a straight-ahead jumper with a Latin twist. After Fuller's strong solo the composer takes his own dynamic turn, blowing the song out. "My Secret Love, a slice of romance nicely rendered by the band all around, more than fulfills the standard requirement.

Fuller commits a glorious act of self-destruction on "Little Big Sis by blowing her own tune to smithereens with an absolutely blistering solo. On-point playing by the rhythm section and another high- act by Jones makes this tune the highlight of the disc. Fuller closes the show with a reverent solo soprano on "I Surrender All. It's unfortunate that, in a diminishing jazz market, artists like Tia Fuller and her bandmates must struggle to be heard. Here's to hoping that this refreshing talent breaks through the wall of silence.~ TERRELL KENT HOLMES https://www.allaboutjazz.com/pillar-of-strength-tia-fuller-wambui-review-by-terrell-kent-holmes
wire Personnel: Tia Fuller: alto and soprano saxophones, flute; Sean Jones: trumpet, flugelhorn; Miki Hayama: piano, Fender Rhodes; Miriam Sullivan: acoustic bass; Kim Thompson: drums; Ashton Fuller: drums (9); cowbell, woodblock (2); Daisy Shumake-Taylor: congas (2).

Pillar Of Strength

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Adonis Rose, Maurice Brown, Tia Fuller - Piece of Mind

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 2020
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 91:35
Size: 210,8 MB
Art: Front

(15:45) 1. Keep Your Soul Together
(12:58) 2. Piece of Mind
( 5:50) 3. Entropy
( 9:12) 4. Nostalgic Impressions
( 9:19) 5. Lovely
( 5:38) 6. Maurice's Rap
( 7:06) 7. Sunny Side of the Street
(13:59) 8. Blue Llama Jam
( 5:16) 9. Here Tonight
( 6:26) 10. Little Liza Jane

Caught in concert at Blue Llama Records, drummer Adonis Rose creates a classic sounding post bop team with a front line of Tia Fuller/ss-as, Maurice Brown/tp, Miki Hayama/p Jasen Weaver/b and guest vocalist Sasha Masakowski for a mix of originals and fun standards. Rose flexes his muscles and lets everyone else join in on the groove of Freddie Hubbard’s “Keep Your Soul Together” with Brown searing on some nice Hub tones and Fuller poignant on the alto sax over Hayama’s electric keys. The dreamy “Piece of Mind” has a Brown in a sweeter tone, and Rose supplying a nifty backbeat, while the team is ethereal on mood for backing Masakowski on a lovely “Entropy”. She gives extra salty caramel’d soul to “Sunny Side of The Street” and goes hip hoppy with the trumpeter on the festive “Maurice’s Rap”. Everyone joins in on the 14 minute party of “Blue Llama Jam” with Rose keeping the stallions reigned in just enough to keep the wagon train from toppling over. Purebreds at play. https://www.jazzweekly.com/2020/10/adonis-rose-piece-of-mind/

Personnel: Adonis Rose – drums; Tia Fuller – alto/soprano sax; Maurice Brown – trumpet; Sasha Masakowski – vocals; Miki Hayama – piano; Jasen Weaver – bass

Piece of Mind

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Ralph Peterson - The Duality Perspective

Styles: Jazz, Post Bop
Year: 2012
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 67:46
Size: 156,7 MB
Art: Front

(6:57)  1. One False Move (Fo'tet)
(7:51)  2. 4 in 1 (Fo'tet)
(5:47)  3. Addison and Anthony (Fo'tet)
(5:42)  4. Bamboo Bends in a Storm (Fo'tet)
(5:53)  5. Princess (Fo'tet)
(6:21)  6. Coming Home (Sextet)
(8:38)  7. Impervious Gems (Sextet)
(5:30)  8. The Duality Perspective (Sextet)
(6:57)  9. You Have Know Idea (Sextet)
(8:06) 10. Pinnacle (Sextet)

Balance is often overlooked in music criticism, yet it's such an important aspect in music-making and life. Light doesn't exist without dark, bold only takes shape when placed next to bland and earthbound realities are only truly understood by those who also know how to take flight. Drummer/educator Ralph Peterson understands this better than most, and The Duality Perspective documents his balanced outlook for all to hear. This album is really two records in one, as Peterson splits the program between the latest incarnation of his two decade-old Fo'tet and his sizzling sextet, but the veteran maintains a sense of presentational continuity across these ten tracks. Part of the reason for this has to do with the bonds formed between the musicians and a shared philosophical outlook on how music should be made. The large majority of the players on this date have come under the expert tutelage of Peterson in some way, shape or form, and their connection and affection shows. The other key to consistency here, which goes beyond the borders of either band, is Peterson himself. His pulse is the real connective tissue between the sounds of both groups. His drumming is always informed by a panoramic understanding of music, as he takes in the big picture and the small details at the same time. Peterson also posits that contrast is key to the realization of possibilities in performance, and understands that music, like life, can be a thing of beauty one minute and a slap in the face the next. He possesses a toolkit full of technique and taste that he uses to put every piece in good working order. The clarinet and vibraphone-focused Fo'tet finds its footing with the swing-funk hybrid feel of "One False Move," takes Thelonious Monk's music to new places with an odd-metered Latin-ized look at "4 in 1," and wears its collective heart on its sleeve during "Addison And Anthony," which Peterson wrote for his twin grandchildren. The sextet is more typical in construction, with bass, drums, piano and occasional percussion in the back lot and saxophone(s) and trumpet out front, but the music still works off of the same sense of organic motion flexible, yet focused that's felt on the Fo'tet material. Saxophonists Tia Fuller and Walter Smith III sound terrific in this setting, but trumpeter Sean Jones is the undisputed star. His work on the final tracks "You Have Know Idea" and "Pinnacle"" takes the music to new heights.  Peterson proudly displays the roots of his artistry on the album cover by name-checking mentors/heroes, but the music isn't about looking back at the past; The Duality Perspective thrives on the here and now. ~ Dan Bilawsky https://www.allaboutjazz.com/the-duality-perspective-ralph-peterson-onyx-music-label-review-by-dan-bilawsky.php

Personnel: Ralph Peterson: drums; Joseph Doubleday: vibraphone; Alexander L.J. Toth: bass; Felix Peiki: clarinet, bass clarinet; Luques Curtis: bass; Zaccai Curtis: piano; Sean Jones: trumpet; Walter Smith III: tenor saxophone; Tia Fuller: alto saxophone, soprano saxophone; Bryan Carrott: marimba (2); Reinaldo Dejesus: percussion (2, 4, 7, 9); Edwin "Eddie" Bayard: percussion (7, 10); Victor Gould: piano (9, 10).

The Duality Perspective

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Sean Jones - Roots

Styles: Trumpet Jazz
Year: 2006
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 73:41
Size: 169,7 MB
Art: Front

(1:34)  1. Children's Hymn
(7:12)  2. Roots
(6:46)  3. Divine Inspiration
(7:03)  4. God's Gift
(7:05)  5. Come Sunday
(8:03)  6. Lift Every Voice
(1:43)  7. Offering Time
(5:11)  8. Conversations
(5:19)  9. El Soul
(5:03) 10. Puddin' Time
(8:00) 11. What We Have
(5:35) 12. John 3:16
(5:01) 13. I Need Thee

With his inspired quintet, trumpeter Sean Jones goes back to his roots on this album, interpreting original music and the standard repertoire, focusing on gospel. His gorgeous trumpet tone and down-home technique are the centerpiece of the album, as they were on his previous two releases. Jones likes to express himself from a traditional point of view, offering vocal-like phrases that meld seamlessly with one another. With alto saxophonist Tia Fuller providing cohesive harmony, the trumpeter emerges as a powerful melodic force. For much of the album, Jones works with his quintet, which also includes pianist Orrin Evans, bassist Luques Curtis and drummer Obed Calvaire. His quartet interpretations of "Come Sunday and "Lift Every Voice provide warm reflections, while his duet with pianist Eddie Howard on "I Need Thee soaks up centuries of emotional spirit. Earlier, Jones' solo interpretation of "Children's Hymn opens the album with a solemn embrace that runs through the session as a guiding theme and provides comfortable solace. At times, he veers from the prayerful medium and allows spurts of meaningful celebration, as on his original "Offering Time and Evans' "Conversations, which comes loaded with rich, satisfying flugelhorn vibrations. Jones "speaks" through his horn to communicate with his audience, adding a tender touch and plenty of expression. He's open-horned for much of the session and more effective on the brighter trumpet celebrations. At the top of his game, Jones lifts tradition into the arms of all believers through a program that explores jazz's gospel roots. ~ Jim Santella https://www.allaboutjazz.com/roots-sean-jones-mack-avenue-records-review-by-jim-santella.php

Personnel: Sean Jones: trumpet, flugelhorn; Tia Fuller: alto saxophone, flute, soprano saxophone; Orrin Evans: piano, electric piano, keyboard; Eddie Howard: organ, piano; Luques Curtis: acoustic bass; Obed Calvaire, Jerome Jennings: drums.

Roots

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Mack Avenue SuperBand - Live from the Detroit Jazz Festival

Styles: Jazz, Big Band
Year: 2015
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 59:16
Size: 136,5 MB
Art: Front

( 0:59)  1. Introduction
( 9:49)  2. Riot
(10:31)  3. The Struggle
( 7:53)  4. A Mother's Cry
(11:25)  5. Santa Maria
( 7:01)  6. For Stephane
( 1:17)  7. Introduction to Bipolar Blues Blues
(10:17)  8. Bipolar Blues Blues

Bands fostered by labels and sourced from their stables are nothing new. The concept itself has always carried great possibility, but many a label has dropped the ball on the artistic responsibility side of the equation. At their worst, these types of get-togethers have come off as incongruous gatherings that are crudely slapped together. The concerts and/or albums that often fall into that category typically have one thing in common: they're there to make a quick buck and nothing else really matters. But not every label gathering is made for that purpose. A label band, when done right, can help to showcase artists while displaying and furthering a sense of community. The Mack Avenue Superband projects prove that point.  So what exactly makes this album and its two antecedents work while other such projects have failed miserably? There's no easy answer, but organization and attention to detail may very well be the keys to success. This gathering may take place on one fine day, but the band's music director bassist Rodney Whitaker starts to formulate a plan several months ahead of time, reaching out to the musicians to put together a program where everybody has input. So while the seven musicians featured on this album may not be the most stylistically well-matched on paper, with relatively straight ahead players, a gypsy jazz guitarist, and a smooth-gospel saxophone star joining forces, they're all on the same page from beginning to end and there's a spirit of togetherness here that's refreshing to encounter on such an offering.  

Everybody involved with this album knows the drill and comes prepared. Whitaker, his longtime drumming partner Carl Allen, Hot Club of Detroit guitarist Evan Perri, and pianist Aaron Diehl have all been on board for both of the previous incarnations of this group; vibraphonist Warren Wolf and saxophonists Tia Fuller and Kirk Whalum have each taken part in one of these gatherings before. Here, they all gel beautifully in various combinations. Whalum and Fuller blow atop the rhythm section with vim and vigor on the former's "Bipolar Blues Blues"; Wolf and Perri prove to be surprisingly well-matched partners, locking in together on Herbie Hancock's "Riot" and pulling from the same stylistic bag on Perri's Spanish-tinged, Chick Corea-esque "For Stephanie"; Wolf's vibes, Fuller's soprano, and Whalum's flute meld and move gently atop the light Latin flow below on Whitaker's "A Mother's Cry"; and Diehl's gifts as a genre-blind player with exquisite taste and an enormous musical vocabulary come to the surface on his own "Santa Maria," a piece which opens on three-and-a-half minutes of expression-rich piano exploration before taking shape as a swinger that vacillates between lightheartedness and resoluteness. This edition of the Mack Avenue Superband has much to offer, proving that the difference between success and failure with label bands rests with the execution and the chemistry. With sound planning and the right participants, a label concoction can be a very good thing. ~ Dan Bilawsky https://www.allaboutjazz.com/live-from-the-detroit-jazz-festival-2014-mack-avenue-superband-mack-avenue-records-review-by-dan-bilawsky.php

Personnel: Rodney Whitaker: music director, acoustic bass; Carl Allen: drums; Aaron Diehl: piano; Tia Fuller: alto saxophone, soprano saxophone; Evan Perri: guitar; Kirk Whalum: tenor saxophone, flute; Warren Wolf: vibraphone.

Live from the Detroit Jazz Festival

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Nancy Wilson - Turned To Blue

Styles: Vocal Jazz
Year: 2006
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 52:09
Size: 120,7 MB
Art: Front

(5:56)  1. This Is All I Ask
(4:30)  2. Take Love Easy
(4:02)  3. Turned To Blue
(3:53)  4. Knitting Class
(3:55)  5. Be My Love
(3:17)  6. Taking A Chance On Love
(4:21)  7. Just Once
(6:10)  8. The Golden Years
(5:17)  9. I Don't Remember Ever Growing Up
(5:24) 10. Old Folks
(5:17) 11. I'll Be Seeing You

This recording is like heirloom silver: finely etched and gleaming with a rich and mellow sheen. Its many delights include top-level players, excellent arrangements and production values, and a variety of configurations from a smoking all-star big band to intimate quartets. There are also great solo turns by the likes of John Clayton, James Moody, Bob Mintzer, Hubert Laws, Tom Scott, Dave Samuels, Andy Narrell and Billy Taylor. Then there's the introduction of splendid new material, including a great breakup song ("Knitting Class") that's sure to be covered more often than cake at a picnic. Maya Angelou's poetry becomes a haunting ballad, "Turned to Blue," while the composer of the profoundly moving "Here's to Life" offers a sequel: "I Don't Remember Ever Growing Up," which could be the next boomer anthem. All of this provides the perfect setting for the center sparkler, Nancy Wilson herself. At age 69, she remains the musical definition of class, using her lovely, flexible, still-powerful voice to caress and swing, whisper and wail. Unlike much of the current crop of female singers, she aims her spotlight on emotional meaning, rather than melismatic tricks; the ever-elegant Wilson, a master of nuanced dynamics, never crosses the line into schmaltz. And when she tells her song-stories, you believe every word she's met love and loss in all their permutations, and her disclosures reach out to touch the listener, heart to heart. Wilson's genuine lyrical connection and deep musicality are evident throughout (catch that involuntary sensuous reaction to uber-bassist Clayton's solo opening on "Just Once"), and her trademark is here her bluesy vocal hitch, that patented uptick that conveys such passion and soul. This release will surely delight the legions of long-term Wilson fans, even as it gains her new ones. Turned to Blue is a worthy followup to Wilson's 2005 Grammy-winner, R.S.V.P. (Rare Songs, Very Personal), adding to the growing reputation of the MCG Jazz label for carefully crafted, reliably excellent music. ~ Dr Judith Schlesinger https://www.allaboutjazz.com/turned-to-blue-nancy-wilson-review-by-dr-judith-schlesinger.php

Personnel: Nancy Wilson: vocal; Alon Yavnai, Llew Matthews, Dr. Billy Taylor: piano; Marty Ashby, acoustic guitar; Nilson Matta, Rufus Reid, Kip Reed, John Clayton: bass; Mike Tomaro, Tia Fuller, alto saxophone; Bob Mintzer, Tom Scott, Andy Snitzer, Eric DeFade, Jimmy Heath, James Moody, tenor saxophone; Jim Hynes, Steve Hawk, Sean Jones, Jack Schantz, trumpet; Ed Kocher, Douglas Purviance, Jay Ashby, trombone; Hubert Laws, Jennifer Conner: flute; Mike Tomaro: clarinet, bass clarinet; Jim German: baritone saxophone; Jeremy Black, Kate Black, Kate Hatmaker, Stephanie Tertick: violin; Mikhail Istomin: cello; Vito DiSalvo: accordian; Andy Narrell: steel pans; Dave Samuels: vibraphone; Winard Harper, Jamey Haddad, Roy McCurdy, Terry Clarke, Portinho, Jay Ashby: drums, percussion.

R.I.P.
Born:  February 20, 1937
Died: December 13, 2018

Turned To Blue

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Kit McClure Band - Just The Thing

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2006
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 51:37
Size: 119,5 MB
Art: Front

(4:57)  1. Diggin Dirt
(4:25)  2. One O'clock Jump
(4:28)  3. Just the Thing
(5:01)  4. I Never Get Tired
(3:51)  5. Honeysuckle Rose
(4:10)  6. Vi Vigor
(4:16)  7. Jump Children
(5:03)  8. She's Crazy With the Heat
(4:32)  9. Don't Get It Twisted
(5:34) 10. Slightly Frantic
(5:15) 11. Nyc Rap

Just the Thing is Part Two of the Kit McClure Band's warmhearted salute to the International Sweethearts of Rhythm, a groundbreaking all-woman ensemble that came out of a school for poor black children in Piney Woods, Mississippi, to become one of the most widely successful and admired big bands of the World War II era. Whereas Part One was devoted for the most part to faithful transcriptions of original charts played by the Sweethearts, this second component consists of updated arrangements of those same charts, flavored with hip-hop, funk and salsa, presumably denoting the way the Sweethearts would be playing them today. As the Sweethearts are no longer with us, no one can reasonably argue the point. The first ten selections on Part 2 are the same as on Part 1 (although not in the same order), with Juan Tizol's "Perdido, the last track on the earlier album, replaced on this one by the clunky "NYC Rap, which, as one would expect, suffers by comparison (in other words, they don't write 'em like they used to). McClure had a hand in arranging and reupholstering every number, helped at times by pianist Cathy Harley, bassists Kim Clarke and Nicki Parrott, drummers Barbara Merjan, Bernice Brooks, Lakecia Benjamin and L. Olivia Sci, trombonist Britta Langsjoen and composer/arranger Maurice King who had written five of the tunes for the Sweethearts themselves. It's a sincere and interesting endeavor but as a rule lacks the vitality and enthusiasm of Part 1, which was a tad more straight-ahead and swinging. Several numbers "Vi Vigor, "Just the Thing, Don't Get It Twisted, "She's Crazy with the Heat, Basie's "One O'Clock Jump, a more laid-back version of Fats Waller's "Honeysuckle Rose  are neat and handsome in their new clothing, while others don't fare quite as well. In that respect it's a split decision, one that rests in part on one's penchant for classic swing vs. cool and modern. 

Two selections "Jump Children and "I Never Get Tired were enhanced on the earlier session by one of the original Sweethearts, guitarist/vocalist Carline Ray, who's absent this time. Part Two's most explicit advantage lies in the playing time, 51:36 as opposed to the first album's meager 34:27. That gives the soloists more room to stretch, and McClure, Harley and the others make the most of it. Trumpeter Tanya Darby contributes a number of animated solos, as do drummer Benjamin (especially on "Vi Vigor ) and saxophonists Tia Fuller and Erica Von Kliest. While I'd give a narrow edge to Part One of The Sweethearts Project for overall charm and pleasure, Part Two has much to offer in its own right and is easily recommended. ~ Jack Bowers https://www.allaboutjazz.com/just-the-thing-kit-mcclure-band-redhot-records-review-by-jack-bowers.php

Personnel: Kit McClure: alto, tenor sax, leader; Liesl Whitaker, Barbara Laronga, Laurie Frink, Tanya Darby: trumpet; Lakecia Benjamin, Lisa Parrott, Tia Fuller, Erica Von Kliest: alto sax; Kristy Norter: tenor sax; Claire Daly: baritone sax; Britta Langsjoen, Jennifer Krupa: trombone; Cathy Harley, Jill McCarron: piano; Nicki Parrott, Kim Clarke: bass; Barbara Merjan, L. Olivia Sci, Bernice Brooks: drums; Sue Hadjopoulos, Karen Jones: percussion.

Just The Thing

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Mack Avenue Superband - Live From The Detroit Jazz Festival 2013

Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 60:43
Size: 139.0 MB
Styles: Mainstream jazz
Year: 2013
Art: Front

[11:07] 1. Liberty Avenue Stroll
[ 7:24] 2. All Blues
[ 6:27] 3. Guantanamera
[11:36] 4. Breakthrough
[ 7:35] 5. Nuages
[ 7:07] 6. Oh Daddy Blues
[ 9:23] 7. Honky Tonk

Mack Avenue SuperBand’s Live From The Detroit Jazz Festival – 2013 documents a concert at the Motor City’s capacious Hart Plaza by an ensemble of leaders culled from Mack Avenue Records’ extraordinary artist roster. It’s the second configuration of the group, which debuted at the 2012 Detroit Jazz Festival, mixing veteran stars with mid-career leaders and up-and-comers. The resulting album, Live From The Detroit Jazz Festival – 2012, received critical kudos for the fiery chemistry and soloistic derring-do contained therein.

For the follow-up, Al Pryor, Mack Avenue’s Executive Vice President for A&R, assembled a slightly pared-down unit. Back for round two are vibraphonist Gary Burton, trumpeter Sean Jones, guitarist Evan Perri, and the rhythm section of pianist Aaron Diehl, bassist (and music director) Rodney Whitaker and drummer Carl Allen. Joining the mix are veteran soul/jazz saxophone giant Kirk Whalum and the sensational vibraphonist-marimbist, Warren Wolf. The results are no less scintillating—a program as cohesive and precise as a studio recording, but infused with energetic vibrations emanating from the several thousand hip, enthusiastic fans who attended the free concert.

Whitaker attributes the bandstand discipline and simpatico in part to his determination to follow collective, inclusive principles in organizing the program. “I solicited everyone’s input,” he says. “With artists at this level, you don’t need to dictate every moment. Sometimes it’s more important to listen and facilitate, and not always try to be the boss. When you have a conversation with everyone about what music we’re playing and the direction we want to go, everybody buys in, and they make it sound like a band. We put together a set list two months before the concert took place.”

Whitaker discerns several common denominators that promoted camaraderie. One is the role of gospel music in the musical development of Whalum, Jones, Wolf, Diehl, Allen and himself during formative years. “Everyone—not just those who grew up in church—tries to tell a story in the way they play, in the way they try to touch an audience and say something to them,” he says. “They put together their solos to get across a message that music is not just about notes, but has some greater meaning, whatever you may translate that to mean.”

(Carl Allen – drums 1, 2, 4, 7; Gary Burton – vibes 2, 7; Aaron Diehl – piano 1, 4-7; Kevin Eubanks – guitar 2, 7; Tia Fuller – alto sax 1, 4, 7; Sean Jones – trumpet 1, 4, 7; Cécile McLorin Salvant – vocals 6; Evan Perri – guitar 5, 7; Diego Rivera – tenor sax 7; Alfredo Rodríguez – piano 3; Rodney Whitaker – bass 1, 2, 4-7)

Live From The Detroit Jazz Festival

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Tia Fuller - Angelic Warrior

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2012
File: MP3@320K/s
Time: 64:46
Size: 148,3 MB
Art: Front

(6:27)  1. Royston Rumble
(6:35)  2. Ralphie's Groove
(5:55)  3. Angelic Warrior
(5:43)  4. Lil Les
(7:00)  5. Body and Soul
(5:01)  6. Descend to Barbados
(1:01)  7. Ode to be (interlude)
(5:48)  8. So in Love w/ All of You
(7:15)  9. Tailor Made
(2:31) 10. Core of Me
(5:59) 11. Simpli-city
(3:47) 12. Cherokee
(1:37) 13. Ode to be (outro)

The title of saxophonist Tia Fuller's third album for the Mack Avenue imprint is a bit of an oxymoron, yet it fits her sound so well. Fuller's saxophone work exhibits a bright tone, but her soloing is often full of dark thoughts and her oft-agreeable and positive musical persona belies the fact that she has razor sharp chops that can dig into the auditory canal in powerful and pleasurable ways. Fuller is constantly at work, but her own music has often been put on the back burner so she can lend her soulful sound to artists like pop star Beyoncé or bassist/vocalist extraordinaire Esperanza Spalding. Thankfully, she took the time to focus on her own music again, fully investing herself in original works on Angelic Warrior. Fuller penned ten of the thirteen tracks for this outing, and each one was built with a solid sense of purpose and passion. The driving "Royston Rumble," which highlights the chemistry between her sister/pianist Shamie Royston and brother-in-law/drummer Rudy Royston starts things off with a bang. Shamie takes a McCoy Tyner-derived, percussive approach to the piano here and Rudy stirs up a storm with his cyclonic drumming. This is the first of five tracks to feature John Patitucci's guitar-like piccolo bass work and his playing is nothing short of remarkable. 

His dexterous skills on this axe make him a fully capable front line partner for Fuller, and he sounds like a new man as he leaves the bottom end of the sound spectrum behind. Light Latin underpinnings ("Ralphie's Groove"), slamming, contemporary soul jazz fusion ("Tailor Made"), a bout of slightly mournful elegance ("Core Of Me"), and swing ("Simpli-City") all surface at one time or another as Fuller fully embraces the concept of stylistic variety. She can exhibit poetic grace, as demonstrated on the two "Ode To Be" vignettes, but she can also get down and dirty, as shown during a saxophone-drums-bass three way on a Cole Porter mash-up entitled "So In Love With All Of You." While this standard(s) rewrite proves to be one of the strongest performances on the album, the other two classics included on the playlist don't work quite as well. The rumbling undercarriage of "Cherokee" proves to be too distracting and "Body and Soul," which features vocalist Dianne Reeves, is a little out of place. This harmonically tweaked, neo-soul take on this oft-performed number feels a bit stiff and uncomfortable compared to the other material on this date; it might have worked better as a bonus track. On the whole, Fuller finds sure-footing and artistic success as she molds all of the elements in the modern jazz melting pot to her liking. She is fierce, friendly, cutting, kind and calculating all at once; Tia Fuller is the angelic warrior of which she speaks.~ Dan Bilawsky   http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=42994#.UWcegjdfaSo

Personnel: Tia Fuller: alto saxophone, soprano saxophone, flute; Shamie Royston: piano, Fender Rhodes; Mimi Jones: acoustic bass; Rudy Royston: drums; Shirazette Tinnin: percussion (2, 6, 9); Terri Lynne Carrington: drums (3, 8, 12); John Patitucci: electric and piccolo bass (1, 2, 4, 6, 9), acoustic bass (8); Dianne Reeves: vocals (5).

Angelic Warrior

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