It’s a pretty good bet that somewhere you’ve got an album with bassist Rufus Reid on it. Not only has he done tons of sessions and gigs for artists such as Freddie Hubbard and Dexter Gordon and has been the go-to guy for a gazillion Play-Along discs for Jamey Aebersold, so one way or another, he’s gonna get ya!
But still, nothing he’s done before is going to prepare you for this large ensemble tribute to sculptor Elizabeth Catlett. It’s a six piece suite (originally it was an award winning four piecer) with a core rhythm team of Steve ALlee/p, Herlin Riley/dr and Vic Juris, while the orchestra is conducted by Dennis Mackrel and includes reeds, brass and the ethereal voice of Charence Wade. The music itself is both ambitious and in the pocket, melding together the ethnicity of Coltrane’s Africa, the harmonies of Ellingtonia and the post bop sensibilities of The Akiyoshi-Tabackin Big Band.
The rumbling and exciting “Recognition” sets the tone with Wade’s wordless vocal melding with the horns, segueing into solos by Juris, Allee and trumpeter Freddie Hendrix. The songs range from 7-16 minutes with moments of free improvisation, as in the duet between Allee and trumpeter Ingrid Jensen on “Tapestry in the Sky” , while Scott Robinson’s clarinet sets the stage for some lava thick reed ensemble work. A kaleidoscopic “Mother and Child” spotlights the leader along with rich trombone work by “Michael Dease” and Wade once again leading the reed section with a clarion voice. By the time the album ends with a bebopping “Glory” your hears have been exposed to a fascinating mix of free form improvisation, carefully crafted ensemble sections and volcanic rich harmonies. Something for everyone here!!
Motema Records