Jazz, May 2023

hfnalbum.pngJoe Chambers
Dance Kobina
Blue Note 4598364

Though he's heard on many classic Blue Note albums, this is only the veteran drummer's third for the label as leader. Here the pianist is Montreal-based Andrés Vial, whose South American heritage chimes in with Chambers' Afro-Latin inspirations. Bassist is Ira Coleman, who played on Chambers' Mirrors in 1998 and would have joined him on Samba de Maracatu in 2021 but for pandemic travel restrictions. They kick off crisply with Kurt Weill's 'This Is New', followed by the title track featuring Elli Miller Maboungou on a Bantu Ngoma drum. Later there are contributions from two more fine Montreal musicians, Michael Davidson (vibes) and Caoilainn Power (alto sax), completing a CD that's varied and fresh. SH

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Chris Potter
Got The Keys To The Kingdom: Live At The Village Vanguard
Edition Records EDN1214; LP: EDNLP1214

After lockdown, when he recorded all the instruments on his amazing multi-tracked solo album There Is A Tide, the master saxophonist emerged stronger than ever. Here he leads a powerful all-star quartet with pianist Craig Taborn, bassist Scott Colley and drummer Marcus Gilmore, choosing, he says, 'tunes people don't usually play'. They start with an intense and wide-ranging workout based on 'You Gotta Move' (by Fred McDowell, made famous by The Rolling Stones), build to a passionate climax on Billy Strayhorn's 'Blood Count' and expound brilliantly on Charlie Parker's challenging 'Klactoveedsedstene'. SH

523music.jazjas

Tim Garland & Jason Rebello
Life To Life
Whirlwind Recordings WR4799

A duo born of a friendship that started at the Guildhall School 30 years ago. Since then Rebello has worked notably with Sting, Jeff Beck and Phil Collins, while Tim Garland is now a much-awarded composer and arranger whose many small group projects include the still-thriving Acoustic Triangle. Each contributes four originals, Rebello on piano creating varied and propulsive backgrounds, Garland ringing the changes from tenor to soprano and even sopranino sax (for Chick Corea's 'Children's Song No 6'). They also turn brilliantly to bass clarinet on Rebello's fast and furious 'No Hope No Tears' and, finally, on a beautifully evocative 'Black Is The Colour'. SH

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Dave Brubeck Quartet
Debut In The Netherlands 1958
The Lost Recordings TLR2204043

Nearly complete, this is the concert that opened Brubeck's momentous State Department tour of 1958. Of the nine titles here only 'The Wright Groove' and 'Watusi Drums', appeared in the Copenhagen concert album Brubeck In Europe. Others, including 'Two Part Contention', featured on a bootleg of the Berlin concert, but now you also hear 'Someday My Prince Will Come' and 'For All We Know'. Wright's bass sounds soft and woolly while Morello is a little too loud, although this hardly matters as his drumming is so great, especially on the crowd-pleasing 'Take The "A" Train', where he trades fours with Brubeck until the tape runs out. Essential. SH

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