Jeremy Pelt • Soul

 

Review by Thom Jurek
On Soul, trumpeter and composer Jeremy Pelt's third offering for High Note, his stellar quintet with saxophonist J.D. Allen, pianist Danny Grissett, bassist Dwayne Burno, and drummer Gerald Cleaver is intact, having been together for nearly six years. That said, where his first two offerings for the label were exceptional exercises in on-the-edge post-bop and modal jazz, Soul looks all the way back to 2003's Close to My Heart for comparison -- one that reveals just how far Pelt has come as a composer, a soloist, and an arranger. Soul is a collection of (mostly) blues and ballads. He wrote all but two of the album's eight tunes: the Sammy Cahn standard "Moondrift" (on which the band is fronted by vocalist Joanna Pascale) and a lively reading of George Cables' "Sweet Rita Suite, Pt. 2: Her Soul." Pelt and his band recorded this set in a single day, and had nuanced it all live before hitting the studio. On display here are intimacy, nuance, elegance, and an adventurous communication that is nearly symbiotic -- traits not normally associated with ballads or blues (these days, anyway). The frontline of Pelt and Allen is in perfect sync throughout, whether the two are playing counterpoint ("The Ballad of Ichabod Crane") or in unison ("The Story"). The exchange between ballads and blues is fluid. The former is an example of both existing side by side because of Pelt's structural harmonic development and Grissett's confident pianism. On "The Tempest," Burno and Cleaver push Grissett, who responds with flurries of notes and then the horns. The rhythm section's freedom is balanced by the horn solos and brief, contrapuntal head. On "Moondrift," Pascale is able to extract from her delivery every unnecessary utterance; Pelt is known for his sharp sense of economy, and Pascale rises to the challenge with a lovely, disciplined vibrato that allows the band to create shades of meaning behind her. The set's longest tune, "What's Wrong Is Right," commences with a slightly dissonant, Monk-esque harmonic statement and features excellent solos from Pelt, Grissett, and Allen; Burno and Cleaver drive them relentlessly, all the while swinging like mad. Soul is another high-water mark for Pelt and company, and an exercise in taking the tradition and giving it a thoroughly modern twist without sacrificing its heart.
https://www.allmusic.com/album/soul-mw0002280210

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Reseña de Thom Jurek
En Soul, el tercer trabajo del trompetista y compositor Jeremy Pelt para High Note, su quinteto estelar con el saxofonista J.D. Allen, el pianista Danny Grissett, el bajista Dwayne Burno y el batería Gerald Cleaver está intacto, ya que llevan juntos casi seis años. Dicho esto, mientras que sus dos primeros trabajos para el sello fueron excepcionales ejercicios de post-bop de vanguardia y jazz modal, Soul se remonta a Close to My Heart, de 2003, para establecer una comparación que revela lo lejos que ha llegado Pelt como compositor, solista y arreglista. Soul es una colección de blues y baladas (en su mayoría). Pelt compuso todas menos dos de las ocho canciones del álbum: el estándar de Sammy Cahn "Moondrift" (en el que la banda está liderada por la vocalista Joanna Pascale) y una animada lectura de "Sweet Rita Suite, Pt. 2: Her Soul" de George Cables. Pelt y su banda grabaron este conjunto en un solo día, y lo matizaron todo en directo antes de entrar en el estudio. Aquí se muestra intimidad, matices, elegancia y una comunicación aventurera casi simbiótica, rasgos que normalmente no se asocian con las baladas o el blues (al menos hoy en día). La primera línea de Pelt y Allen está en perfecta sincronía en todo momento, tanto si los dos tocan en contrapunto ("The Ballad of Ichabod Crane") como al unísono ("The Story"). El intercambio entre baladas y blues es fluido. La primera es un ejemplo de la coexistencia de ambas gracias al desarrollo armónico estructural de Pelt y al pianismo seguro de Grissett. En "The Tempest", Burno y Cleaver presionan a Grissett, que responde con ráfagas de notas y luego con las trompas. La libertad de la sección rítmica se equilibra con los solos de trompa y la breve cabeza contrapuntística. En "Moondrift", Pascale es capaz de extraer de su discurso toda expresión innecesaria; Pelt es conocido por su agudo sentido de la economía, y Pascale supera el reto con un vibrato encantador y disciplinado que permite a la banda crear matices de significado tras ella. El tema más largo del conjunto, "What's Wrong Is Right", comienza con una declaración armónica ligeramente disonante, al estilo de Monk, y cuenta con excelentes solos de Pelt, Grissett y Allen; Burno y Cleaver los conducen sin descanso, al tiempo que se balancean como locos. Soul es otra marca de agua alta para Pelt y compañía, y un ejercicio de tomar la tradición y darle un giro completamente moderno sin sacrificar su corazón.
https://www.allmusic.com/album/soul-mw0002280210

http://jeremypelt.net/

Tracks:
01. Second Love
02. The Ballad Of Ichabod Crane
03. Sweet Rita Suite Pt. 2 - Her Soul
04. The Tempest
05. The Story
06. Moondrift
07. What's Wrong Is Right
08. Tonight...


Credits:
Jeremy Pelt (Trumpet, Flugelhorn);
Dwayne Burno (Bass);
Gerald Cleaver (Drums);
Danny Grissett (Piano);
J.D. Allen (Tenor Saxophone # 1 to 7).

Label:    HighNote Records, Inc. – HCD 7233
Country:    US
Released:    2012
Genre:    Jazz
Style:    Contemporary Jazz
https://www.discogs.com/release/4378683-Jeremy-Pelt-Soul

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