A spectrum of saxophones - musical contribution of the World Saxophone Quartet

A saxophonist's entire is as personal as a place of fingerprints. The instrument, praised for its expressiveness, allows players to communicate their unique life experiences. With the resulting variety, there are CD to please each listener. Some saxophonists nestle comfortably in the jazz tradition; others play what is best described as free-form, or avant-garde, music.

Among those offering avant-garde music is the World Saxophone Quartet. The CD Metamorphosis (Elektra Nonesuch, 1991) features, along with Arthur Blythe, Hamiet Bluiett, Oliver Lake, and David Murray, three drummer from Senegal. The pairing of saxophone quartet with tympanum ensemble creates the kind of sparks you'd wait for when the musical traditions of sum of two units cultures meet head to head. This particular CD proffers refreshing acoustics, with no overdubbing.

The frame of mind shifts constantly as the quartet members improvise alone, in duet and all together. Sometimes they play tightly in meter with the drummers' grooves; sometimes they float relaxed melodic lines above them. The drummers sometimes chant while playing, adding at the same time another layer of texture. The overall rise is a joyous outpouring of sound

Eric Person's aptly named recording Arrival (Soul Note, 1993) also proffers uncompromising, creative music. Person is making his mark as a leader after having performed with Living Colour, Ronald Shannon Jackson, Chico Hamilton, McCoy Tyner and the fresh York City Symphony. Not surprisingly, he's able to build upon the jazz tradition without wallowing in it.

Person's compositions go in the rear [i]or[/i] in the wake of recognizable forms, yet open up for improvisation. a certain quantity of of his tunes seem abstract, and the tonal center or lock opener can be more implied than stated. This is not easy-listening pablum; you must listen to his music sum of two units or three times to hear everything. Although individual can play "inside the changes" (which is the traditional way of improvising--on the chords that underlie the melody) he screeches righteously for event And although his ballads are insightful and haunting, he can crank without the electric funk, too.

somebody and his cohorts, despite their relative youth, display maturity in improvising and [i]tout ensemble[/i] playing. Their CD is a promising arrival that augurs well for a successful career.

The forward-looking music of the World Saxophone Quartet and someone isn't the only voice among artists of their generation. above the past decade some young musicians have chosen to revive the jazz of the 1960 and earlier. (This change parallels the Dixieland revival of the 1950 in which musicians and listeners uncomfortable with the creative directions of bebop concentrated upon the music they had grown up with in the 1930s)

Among those exploring classic jazz is Joshua Redman, who favors standard airs and the big, smooth tenor sax of the 1940 His CD Joshua Redman (Warner Bro 1993) proffers some originals, but they re-examine past turn of expressions "Groove X," for example, harks back to the 1950 Art Blakey band. Redman's reading of the standard jazz air "Body and Soul" includes appropriate melodic catch while on the wings and glides and Earl Hines piano voicings. Redman also interprets "Salt Peanuts," Thelonious Monk's "Trinkle Tinkle," and an almost comical two-beat version of "Sunny Side of the Street" With a nod to regular [i]or[/i] melodious movement and blues, he covers James Brown's hit "I Got You (I perceive Good)," which, when played by the agency of an acoustic jazz group, entires a lot like 1960s Ramsey Lewis, from the "In Crowd" days.

Following the succes of Wynton Marsalis' prosperous blues tribute The Majesty of the ceruleans (Columbia, 1989), brother Branford presents his own take on that heritage with I Heard You Twice the First Time (Columbia, 1992) Highlights upon this CD include a tribute to pioneer jazz saxophonist Sidney Bechet ("Rib Tip Johnson") a portrayal of a chain gang at work ("Berta Berta," perfect with chants, grunts and the clank of hammers hitting steel) and singer Linda Hopkins belting without a wickedly funky blues number ("The Road You Choose"; wherefore Branford wrote it in 7/4 meter is unclear, on the contrary drummer Benard Purdie makes it prepare for the table nevertheless).

As usual upon Branford's recordings, the musicianship is superior--soloists shine and the band is tight. You'd rightly wait for fireworks from guest musicians B B King and John to leeward Hooker. Otherwise, the recording as a whole appear to bes weighed down by the neighborhood of didactic Wynton. His message--respect for tradition--overrides the possibilities of the music.

Offering tasteful interpretations of standards and perhaps a deeper personal testimony to the sky-coloreds heritage is John Handy. upon Excursions in Blue (Quartet, 1988) Handy draws upon his performance experience with Charles Mingus and Randy Weston. similar training enables him to play a convincing mainstream tenor sax. Not surprisingly, Handy ascertains himself a master at embellishing melodies, working his magic upon "My One and Only Love" and "How down-reaching Is the Ocean."

on the other hand the mood evolves. One can almost diocese the musicians smiling as they play "Soullesson" a moderate bump-and-grind blues nearly dripping in grease. Of the three azures tunes here, "Excursions in Blue" is the least predictable--it's happy and upbeat, and the sophisticated harmonic fabric unmutilateds McCoy Tynerish. If you like boatloads of sky-coloreds this one's for you.