Tribute records are all the rage these days, but here is an under-the-radar one that’s well worth your listening time. Normally based out of Italy, pianist and composer Roberto Magris made the trip stateside to lead this salute to trumpeter Lee Morgan with an enthusiastic quintet that includes Morgan’s former bandmate from Philly, the one and only Albert “Tootie” Heath on drums. The quickfire brilliance of Morgan may be lacking a bit, but trumpeter Brandon Lee handles Morgan role with fiery spirit and the band is a tight unit in the Blue Note tradition. All told, it’s a sparkling program of Morgan tunes and Magris originals that really do the great trumpeter justice. Volume 2 is slated to be released later this year. You can purchase it here at JMood Records.
Windy City saxophonist Ernest Dawkins has been leading his excellent New Horizons Ensemble since 1979, which is a massive achievement in the jazz genre to be sure. With this fine new release, the group pays homage to the late, great Chicago saxophonist Fred Anderson with a wide-ranging set of compositions the veer from tuneful freebop to aggressive avant garde. An example of the latter is here, with Jeff Parker providing electric color and Marquis Hill going for broke on trumpet. It’s chance-taking jazz with a purpose and a nice nod to the legacy of Fred Anderson. Hang in there for Junius Paul’s awesome bass solo mid-way through.
Veteran tenor saxophonist Walt Weiskopf is one of those artists who have put Herculean efforts into playing and progressing jazz but who are known mostly within musicians’ circles. An alumni of the Toshiko Akiyoshi Jazz Orchestra and author of several advanced players’ guides, he has been leading excellent quartet sessions for over 20 years. This version of “Some Other Time” might be the best I’ve ever heard. Patient phrasing and light overtones by Weiskopf are complemented by lovely work by his brother Joel on piano, Drew Gress on bass and Steve Davis on drums. The rest of the record is just as good.
This song was part of a quartet session from a band out of Italy. I know nothing about them because all the liner notes are in Italian. The jazz on the disc is excellent, especially the work by the saxophonist Maurizo Carugno, but it was this spoken word piece featuring poet Davide Rondoni that caught my ear. Part beat poetry, part Italian noir movie, there’s something about this that feels very hip. Just listening to it makes me crave a double espresso, a pack of Yesmokes and a streetside cafe in which to wait for word from my operatives.
