Here’s a trumpeter you’re really going to like: bred and grass fed in Minnesota, John Raymond leads a his John Raymond Project which includes Gilad Hekselman/g, Javier Santiago/p,-key, Raviv Markovitz/b and Cory Cox through a collection of material that mixes the tradition of classic hard bop with melodies and themes that stretch back to the Old Testament. Co-produced by trumpet legend Jon Faddis, with some guest appearances by Gerald Clayton/p (on a cooking “Outward”) and Tim Green/as (on a driving “Motivations of a Pharisee”) the music mixes Raymond’s crystal clear horn with some vibrant and charged piano work by Santiago on tunes like “Already Not Yet” as well as some more funky pieces liked a plugged-in “The Rock” which features some electric picking by Hekselman. A gorgeous take of the hymn “O Come, O Come Emmanuel” makes every day Christmas, while setting music to Psalm 37 might impress even King David. Original, yet timeless.
Strength & Song Records