Unlike in politics, it is possible to musically lead from “behind,” as these two albums lead by drummers aptly demonstrate.
Drummer and composer Gustavo Cortinas takes you on a musical journey through various philosophers and philosophies ranging from Descartes to Hegel and Aristotle. You don’t have to be a master of dialecticism or existentialism to appreciate the songs, however, as there are no lyrics or lectures during the 11 pieces. Instead, Cortinas along with Justin Copelandt/tp, Roy McGrath-Artie Black/ts, Adam Thornburg/tb, Hans Luchs/g, Joaquin Garcia/p and Kitt Lyles/b take you on various post bop moods and melodies. The Mediterranean “Arete” includes a 5/4 Ionian pulse for Copeland’s horn and the leader’s drum solo, while “Cogio ergo Sum” has the horns and guitar soaring over Lyles’ longing bass line. The grooves mix and match like a thesis and anti-thesis during the Latin pattern for Thornburg and Garcia on the straight-ahead “Dialectics of Freedom” while some free form blowing teams with interaction from drums and guitar for the order out of chaos laden title track. Warm harmonies from the horns mix with “The Man of Flesh and Bone” and the team gets its hard bopping-est for the leader to drive the master race forward on “Ubermensch.” Wonderful and stimulating musically, but it would have been nice to have a Biblically based philosopher acknowledged in the process, from which all reason is born.
Jeff “Siege” Siegel uses his drums and percussion to team up with Erica Lindsay/ts, Francesca Tanksley/p, Rich Syracuse/b, Feya Faku/fh and Fred Berryhill/pec for a collection of originals that mix African exoticism and folk sounds with vintage modal jazz. Clicking tongues and tribal percussion bookend the remaining 11 songs, which include a vintage Coltaneish piece like “Prayer” for Siegel to pulse forward with his ride cymbal while the caravan like grooves create fluid foundations for Faku and Lindsay on the stampeding “Call to Spirits.” The team can boogaloo with the best on “Get Real” and sizzle on a Latin lilt on ”Erica’s Bag.” Galloping like it’s a Serengeti migration dives along with Tanksley’s piano on “Unsung” and gallop on the thrilling title track. This one’s a keeper for fans of classic Impulse! albums.
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