When last heard from, guitarist Joshua Breakstone was exploring the music of legendary jazz pianists with his Cello Quartet on 88 (Capri Records, 2016). On this album he is joined by double bassist Martin Wind (whose credits include several recordings with drummer Matt Wilson as well as dates as leader) and drummer Eliot Zigmund (who is known for his tenure with pianist Bill Evans, among others, plus his own albums) for a conventional guitar trio. But the repertoire is anything but conventional; in celebration of drummer Art Blakey's 100th birthday, most of the tracks are tunes composed (although not necessarily written while in the band) by veterans of his long-running band the The Jazz Messengers, one of hard bop's premier ensembles.
Blakey was a legendary talent scout—recruiting musicians gifted as both players and composers—and the selections here bear that out. There are a couple of obvious choices that were overlooked—pianist Bobby Timmons' "Moanin'" was arguably the band's greatest hit, and Dizzy Gillespie's "A Night in Tunisia" was a touchstone in the early years. But saxophonist Benny Golson's swinging "Stablemates" (one of his best-known tunes, but never actually recorded by the Jazz Messengers) and pianist Horace Silver's lyrical ballad "Lonely Woman" (also never recorded while Silver was in the band, and featuring a lovely arco bass solo) are nearly as iconic.
Trumpeter Lee Morgan's "The Witch Doctor"—from The Witch Doctor (Blue Note Records, 1968)—leads off the set with a classic hard bop line, including dramatic stops. Wind and Zigmond trade eights during the solo section. Pianist Cedar Walton's "Holy Land" is a lyrical tune featuring unaccompanied guitar during the head, joined by the rhythm section for a low-key exposition. Saxophonist Wayne Shorter's "El Toro"—from The Freedom Rider (Blue Note Records, 1964)—is a Latin tune which is more straight-ahead than his later music, but still shows a distinctive compositional voice. Saxophonist Hank Mobley's "Breakthrough" demonstrates his compositional skill (underrated at least as much as his playing).
Breakstone's original title tune is a ballad employing the hard bop harmonic language of the Jazz Messengers selections. It ends the album in a reflective mood. Appropriate for a tribute, as well as a reminder that Blakey's music was not all up-tempo flag-wavers.
BY MARK SULLIVAN
December 21, 2019
https://www.allaboutjazz.com/children-of-art-a-tribute-to-art-blakeys-jazz-messengers-joshua-breakstone-capri-records
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La última vez que se supo de él, el guitarrista Joshua Breakstone estaba explorando la música de pianistas de jazz legendarios con su Cello Quartet en 88 (Capri Records, 2016). En este álbum se le une el contrabajista Martin Wind (cuyos créditos incluyen varias grabaciones con el baterista Matt Wilson, así como fechas como líder) y el baterista Eliot Zigmund (que es conocido por su permanencia con el pianista Bill Evans, entre otros, además de sus propios álbumes) para un trío de guitarra convencional. Pero el repertorio es cualquier cosa menos convencional; para celebrar el centenario del baterista Art Blakey, la mayoría de los temas son melodías compuestas (aunque no necesariamente escritas mientras estaba en la banda) por veteranos de su larga banda The Jazz Messengers, uno de los principales conjuntos de hard bop.
Blakey era un legendario cazador de talentos -reclutaba músicos dotados tanto como intérpretes como compositores- y las selecciones aquí lo confirman. Hay un par de opciones obvias que se pasaron por alto: "Moanin'" del pianista Bobby Timmons fue posiblemente el mayor éxito de la banda, y "A Night in Tunisia" de Dizzy Gillespie fue una piedra de toque en los primeros años. Pero el swing "Stablemates" del saxofonista Benny Golson (uno de sus temas más conocidos, pero que nunca fue grabado por los Jazz Messengers) y la balada lírica "Lonely Woman" del pianista Horace Silver (que tampoco se grabó mientras Silver estaba en la banda, y que cuenta con un encantador solo de arco.
The Witch Doctor" del trompetista Lee Morgan -de The Witch Doctor (Blue Note Records, 1968)- encabeza el conjunto con una línea clásica de hard bop, incluyendo paradas dramáticas. Wind y Zigmond intercambian ochos durante la sección de solos. Holy Land", del pianista Cedar Walton, es un tema lírico con guitarra sin acompañamiento durante la cabeza, a la que se une la sección rítmica para una exposición de bajo perfil. El Toro" del saxofonista Wayne Shorter -de The Freedom Rider (Blue Note Records, 1964)- es una melodía latina que es más directa que su música posterior, pero todavía muestra una voz compositiva distintiva. Breakthrough", del saxofonista Hank Mobley, demuestra su habilidad compositiva (infravalorada al menos tanto como su forma de tocar).
El tema original de Breakstone es una balada que emplea el lenguaje armónico del hard bop de las selecciones de los Jazz Messengers. Termina el álbum en un estado de ánimo reflexivo. Apropiado para un tributo, así como para recordar que la música de Blakey no era sólo un himno al ritmo de la bandera.
POR MARK SULLIVAN
21 de diciembre de 2019
https://www.allaboutjazz.com/children-of-art-a-tribute-to-art-blakeys-jazz-messengers-joshua-breakstone-capri-records
www.joshuabreakstone.com ...
Track Listing:
The Witch Doctor; Splendid; Holy Land; El Toro; Lonely Woman; Stablemates; Breakthrough; Children of Art.
Personnel:
Joshua Breakstone: guitar; Eliot Zigmund: drums; Martin Wind: bass.
Year Released: 2019 | Record Label: Capri Records
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