New track of the week: For vibes under tenor saxophone, if you want to know how that should sound, like textbook but not-in-a-textbook instead in performance on a record then, Crisis track 'Roses Poses' is a first port of call. It even may be your final destination.
It's the arrangement, the atmosphere and the when it's-Hayes-it-slays feel that counts all delivered in a bustling hard bop style within a quintet.
Led by Louis Hayes, click above and below for classic albums that he is on with Cannonball Adderley and Dexter Gordon, 'Roses Poses' is a Bobby Hutcherson composition that appeared on 1976 Blue Note album Waiting and on which Eddie Marshall, the drummer on the date, approached the piece very differently.
And as for the vibes player we are talking about it is none other than Steve Nelson who to marlbank having heard him on numerous records and live with a number of leaders over the years including Dave Holland and Oran Etkin we regard as the world's greatest living jazz vibes player. And this is just the latest example acting to confirm this not very daring statement if you are on the same wavelength. Abraham Burton is on tenor saxophone by the way and if you loved The Return of the Communicators that Burton on with Nelson, Hayes and Douglas you will probably love this track even more.
Savant are putting Crisis out on 12 November. Hayes, who is now 84, is one of the greatest living jazz drummers (eg tops: Jack DeJohnette, Roy Haynes, Tain Watts, Eric Harland, Vinnie Colaiuta, Steve Gadd, Jeff Ballard, Tank Gully, Terri Lyne Carrington, Dennis Chambers, Tootie Heath, Herlin Riley, Daddy Dave, Gerald Cleaver, Karriem Riggins etc) and is a weighty presence in this fine band one that also includes David Hazeltine comping ruggedly on piano and the masterly Dezron Douglas on bass whose part on this piece, listen carefully, is significant. Dream jazz. Live the dream by listening today as a taster for the album. Louis Hayes, photo: louishayes.net