Here are two albums that are focused on the recent social unrest, with more questions asked than answered.
Composer and bassist Gregg August brings together a large ensemble that includes tenor saxist JD Allen amongst the 4 member reed section, vocals and narration by Wayne Smith, Forest VanDyke, Shelley Washington and Frank Lacy, piano by Luis Perdomo and an occasional string section among the members. There are three versions of the mournful song “Your Only Child” with pleading by LACY, a bowed bass on the second and Washington framed by brooding strings on the last. Melancholy moods prevail with Allen on “Sherbet” and the team sways to he march on the angry “Letter To America” narrated by Wayne Smith. The seriousness of the music includes a reedy “I Rise” some stark support for the soulful VanDyke with trumpeter John Bailey on “I Sang In The Sun” and some bopping on “The Bird Leaps”. A peaceful protest with no broken windows.
Benjamin Boone plays alto and soprano saxes with a core team of Kenny Werner/p, Ari Hoenig/dr and Corcoran Holt/b and a rotating group of guests on instruments and vocals with poems narrated by 11 different guests. The basic theme here is a result of the frustration from COVID-19 and the George Floyd trauma, with a mix of jazz and poetry that has been part of the tradition since “Strange Fruit”. Boone and Werner compose most of the music, with poetry by Patricia Smith including “That’s My Son There” and “Your Man”. Anger and frustration are prevalent throughout, with some material taking a slight side rout as on TR Hummer’s “The Sun One (Homage To Sun Ra”, while “These Current Events” is a climax to the visceral angst of the times.
Both albums are moving, and also reminiscent of the bible verse “The anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God” but at least people are looking for something outside of themselves for answers.