Sounds incredible on paper, look at the names who make up Artemis, an all female jazz supergroup featuring pianist and musical director Renee Rosnes, clarinettist Anat Cohen, tenor saxophonist Melissa Aldana, trumpeter Ingrid Jensen, bassist Noriko Ueda, drummer Allison Miller, and vocalist Cécile McLorin Salvant.
And yet there is a difference between sounding great on paper and being a little lacklustre in reality. Oh, and just one of my gripes, what have they done to 'The Sidewinder' making this great burner so snoozy?
It's not even that the album seems so unedgy although it certainly isn't a challenging listen. Perhaps Anat Cohen's clarinet in the ensemble mix makes the band sound a little too traddy and even Cécile McLorin Salvant isn't quite as compelling as usual although she does her best on covering a Stevie Wonder classic. Disappointing! Out now.
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