What's New on WDCB... with Paul Abella
M.T.B. – Solid Jackson (Criss Cross)
MTB (or Brad Mehldau, Mark Turner, Peter Bernstein) is an all-star group by any metric. And, if you, like me, are shocked that a band this stacked with talent (they’re rounded out by Larry Grenadier on the bass and Bill Stewart on the drums) isn’t releasing recordings on a major label, I’m pretty sure you’d be forgiven. The thing is, sometimes, these groups don’t always live up to the hype. Luckily for you and I, in this case, the playing is just as good as I was imagining it might be. The writing is, too. Bernstein and Mehldau each contributed two songs to Solid Jackson, and Mark Turner added another one to the proceedings. The quintet filled out the album with three deep choices: Wayne Shorter’s “Angola,” Hank Mobley’s “Soft Impressions,” and Harold Land’s “Ode to Angela.” These five all bring out the best in each other, and that makes Solid Jackson a solid choice to play for you on WDCB.
Carl Allen – Tippin’ (Cellar Music)
Musically speaking, it bodes pretty well when one of the first new albums that I open in the new year is the latest from drummer Carl Allen, and it’s called Tippin’. Carl’s joined on this one by saxophonist Chris Potter and bassist Christian McBride. If that’s not a super-trio for the ages, I don’t know what else would qualify. The level of telepathy found on Tippin’ is impressive, matched only by the looseness with which these three play. Allen makes a comparison to Sonny Rollins’ A Night at the Village Vanguard records, and he is not wrong in the slightest. Both albums feature impressive trios that are willing to walk the tightrope with a net nowhere in sight. The setlist here is wild, too. From the set opening “Parker’s Mood” through to the closing standard “Put on a Happy Face,” we’re greeted to a jaw dropping batch of tunes. Modern standards like James Williams’ “Alter Ego,” Kenny Barron’s “Song for Abdullah” and Pat Metheny’s “James” sit side by side with hidden chestnuts by Freddie Hubbard like “Happy Times” and a small handful of originals from Allen and McBride (“A Morning Story” from McBride, “Hidden Agenda,” and “Roy’s Joy” from Allen). All in all, this is an exploratory set on a handful of songs so recognizable as to keep Jazz fans intrigued, inspired and engaged.
Alfie Jackson – The Peacocks (self-produced)
One of the many young musicians from Chicago to have gone through the impressive Jazz Links program at the Jazz Institute of Chicago is vocalist Alfie Jackson. Joined by a crack band of young improvisors, Leo Milano (tenor sax), Sam Roberson (guitar), Daniel Ellis-Perez (bass), Wanye Williams (vibes) and Chase Wilkins (drums), Jackson and her cohorts are clearly destined to be going places. Maybe together, maybe on their own. But no matter, here, The Peacocks is a snapshot of a young cohort that had been playing with these songs for quite some time, so I’m told, and the result is that by the time they got to the studio, they made this stuff sound quite effortless. The audaciousness of youth is everywhere on The Peacocks: the boldness to aim straight for Kurt Elling’s raucous arrangement of “Nature Boy.” The choice to play free in the middle of John Coltrane’s “After the Rain.” The completely unique take on Inner Urge that doesn’t just lazily “play it funky,” but rather recalls early Chicago House music with its ostinato groove and just slightly out of phase rimclicks on the snare. The choice to go the wordless vocals route and scat (quite well, I might add) on Cedar Walton’s “Ugetsu.” Audacious choices, one and all. I, for one, am glad she and her band made them. I think you will be, too.
