Not too tight fitting, and it doesn’t make your butt look too big…
The team of thick toned tenorist Derrick Michaels, double bassist Zachary Swanson and drummer Dalius Naujo get together for 9 intuitive originals. The ideas range from a laconic “Gravesend” to a screechingly aggressive “Vantablac”” while the team stopping and starting, pushing and pulling on “Obsidian Eucalyptus”. Swanson picks and intro to the dots and dashes of the clip clopping “Anchored In Peach” and bows to the edgy and loopy “In Ruins” with the team scattering like loose marbles on “Ritualistic”. Anyone find a transcription?
The double horn trio of Roger Lewis/sax and Kirk Joseph/sousaphone teams with Herlin Riley/dr and guests Michael Torregano/key, Mario Abney/tp and vocalists Erica Falls-Don Paul on a mix of soul, funk, gospel and Afro funk. Most of the tunes come with instrumental and vocal tracks, so the loose reed gurgles on “Maybe You See Horses” is supplemented by a poem by Paul, and the rich with wails churchified “Glory Glory” can include some peaching by Falls. There’s a soul funk fest on “Get Your JAM On” and the horns dig in for a palpably thick “Bobe (What A Spirit Walks That Way)”. Bright colors and sounds.