Bands that are not too big, not too small…
Brian McCarthy plays alto and soprano saxes while leading a team of Bill Mobley/tp-fh, Daniel Ian Smith-Stantawn Kendrick/ts, Cameron Macmanus/tb, Andrew Gutauskas/bs, Matt Aronoff/b, Justin Kauflin/p and Jared Schonig/dr through a collections of space age originals. There is a three movement “After/Life Suite” that has some slinky and blue work by bass and piano as the Gutauskas slithers through the first part, while the leader and Mobley get spacious on the galactic second movement, leading to a funky and bright climax urged on by Schonig’s drums. Kauflin is elegant on the gentle “ Lucy” , and the horns are velvety around Mobley’s horn on “Kepler’s Law”. A musical trek through the stars.
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Mostly known for his post bop work, the late tenor saxist Clifford Jordan at times dabbled in various far-reaching and ambitious ventures. This recently unearthed 1974 recordings has him with some heavy company in Dick Griffin/b, Bill Hardman/tp, Charlie Rouse/bcl, Bernard Fennell/cel, Stanley Cowell/p, Sam Jones/-Bill Lee/b and Billy Higgins/dr. What sets this apart is Lee’s arrangements, most notably with vocalists David Smyrl and Donna Jordan Harris in the lead with backing by Kathy O’Boyle, Denise Williams and Muriel Winston. While there is one instrumental in the mix, the 9 minute “Talkin Blues”, the rest is a kind of vocal choir ensemble in the realm of Lambert, Hendricks and Ross, as on the jivey vocal take of “Talking Blues”, the bopping “My Papa’s Coming Home” and “The Highest Mountain”. The band sounds a bit like The Jordanaires as Jordan pleads on “Witch Doctor’s Chant” and there’s’ a gospel feel to “I’ve Got A Feeling For You” with a story being told on “Drink Plenty Water and Walk Slow”. An interesting side route.
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