One of music’s most gentle souls both musically and spiritually is saxist Jimmy Greene, who’s had a Job’s amount of trials in his life. This latest album with an all star cast of Aaron Goldberg/key, Stefon Harris/vibes, Lage Lund/g, Reuben Rogers/b and Kendrick Scott/dr has the pilgrim using the nadir’s of his life struggles as an opportunity for looking heavenward.
On soprano, he gives a sweet soulful line to “So In Love” while playing a variety of reeds and woodwinds on the ethereal “April 4th with a floating support by Scott and Harris. “Steadfast” is a hopeful prayer while he cries on tenor on a personal aria in trio format with Rogers and Scott on “Good Morning Heartache”. You can feel his personal pleas hear an don his romantic “I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me)” while he gets optimistic on the post bop title track. Rogers sounds like he’s wrestling with The Lord as he pleads on the warm “Simple Prayer” as Green sends messages on high waiting for an answer. The music is so intimate that you almost feel you are interrupting someone’s personal prayer closet.