It’s been years since David Murray moved to France and essentially abandoned the US jazz scene. At one time he was the poster child for all that was good and right with the experimental side of jazz, being one of the stalwarts of the World Saxophone Quartet and on a gazillion sessions by Black Saint. I’m sure he’s released material in the past decade, but I sure haven’t heard it. This trio session with compatriot of the left side from the 80s Geri Allen/p and Terri Lyne Carrington/dr more than makes up for lost time. It’s a delight!
Who needs a bass when you got Allen and Carrington able to create exotic and swinging grooves of their own for Murray’s rich, warm and raspy tone on pieces like “Mirror of Youth” the bluesy and hip “The David, Geri & Terri Show”? Carrington crispyly drives the team on”Geri-Rigged” and does some nice brush work for Murray’s cool Mulligan-toned bass clarinet on “For Fr. Peter O’Brien.” Allen is delightfully thoughtful on a traditional piece “Barbarea Allen” while Murray taps into his inner Ben Webster and Paul Gonsalves here with a glowing vibrato.
besides the trio, a sestet with Charnett Moffett/b, Craig Harris/tb and Wallace Roney Jr/tp expand and contract during an interpretation of an Ornette Coleman sax phrase on a jazzed and driving “Perfection.” The whole session overflows with a perfect mix of swing and freedom. Could today’s generation of posers take a few lessons here!
Motema Records