Robert Prester: Dogtown

This one’s going to surprise you. Pianist/composer Robert Prester fronts a flexible and Brazilian-influenced bop band with Nicky Orta/b, Ettienne Fuentes/dr, Dave Schanzer perc with cameos by Terezinha Valois/voc and Jonathen Sigel/tp-fh. The music mixes samba and post bop to sublime joy as on “Vincenzo’s Blues,” which also demonstrates some marvelous piano work by the leader. His ectomorphic fingers deliver some exciting sounds as they are driven by Fuentes rockish drums on”Dogtown” while elastic bass work by Orta supplies thoughtful framework for Prester on the more gentel “Realm of Possibility. Festive horns and wordless vocals are in abundance on “Toy Soldiers” and the table dance with castenets on “Noches de Sevilla” while Coltrane’s influence is felt on “Bite Size Steps” and the Tyner styled sounds on “The Prophecy.” This one is a keeper!

www.robertprester.com

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