It's the trombone part (Andy Hunter) we love in this treatment of Richard Rodgers' 'Where or When' and the scurrying alto sax - the work of the Sweden born Johan Hörlén - on Horace Silver's 'Incentive'. But more than even these snapshot positives these six tracks stroked by drummer Hans Dekker offer the chance to delve into the inner workings of a few elements of the WDR's boilerhouse sound. Isolate how a lead soloist (trombone and sax primarily) interact with a nimble rhythm section, anchored by tone don John Goldsby.
Incentive repertoire includes Coltrane, Bird and Sonny Rollins classics. Silver n'Voices piece 'Incentive,' a much less known Horace Silver recording compared with the innovative pianist's earlier landmark recordings, is also a feature. The George Butler produced recording had Tom Harrell, Bob Berg and the great Ron Carter among its personnel and was released by Blue Note in 1976.
As a small unit the players are certainly all magnificent instrumentalists and understand one another's moves more than well.
The second in a series of small-ensemble recordings organised by Goldsby, the soloists, the bassist's website explains ''are presented in intimate, transparent musical vignettes.''
Al Campbell in the notes that accompany the recording's Amazon description says that the Louisville, Kentucky raised Goldbsy is ''steeped in the tradition of Jimmy Blanton and Oscar Pettiford'' and that thought certainly makes sense listening here. Pettiford is also a big influence on Christian McBride. Whereas by contrast, but continuing the theme of deferring to a few of the world's greatest jazz bassists, Dave Holland's main influence early on was the earthier Leroy Vinnegar.
The sound here tilts towards modern jazz (meaning in a 1950s and 1960s sense only) hugely influenced by bebop. Johan Hörlén steals the show on John Coltrane's 'Up 'Gainst the Wall,' a rarely covered piece these days and given a raucously bluesy accent. The tune appeared canonically on Trane classic, Impressions (Impulse! 1963). Another trombone heavy rendering featuring this time Ludwig Nuss, who used to play in Stuttgart's Süddeutscher Rundfunk (SWR) Big Band, figures on a notably fine version of Sonny Rollins' 'Pent Up House.'
Paul Heller's knotty 'You Are All The Things' and the take on 'My Little Suede Shoes' work OK. While the Charlie Parker tune is always appealing it comes over a little too sluggish. But such a quibble is a mere bagatelle. Because altogether this is a half hour well spent and provides a range of insights at almost every turn.
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