The overall style of jazz on this album is indicative of what’s happening on the European circuit and a nod to the great jazz ‘standard’ artists of the past and present.
Drummer Rudy Royston has put together a talented trio that includes Yasushi Nakamura on bass, who recently released his own album A Lifetime Treasure, and 2008 Thelonious Monk International Sax Competition winner Jon Irabagon.
Royston’s style is turbulent and forever engaging and I'm not talking about a gust of wind that would blow a few leafs off the trees. When you hear the first track, Rise Of Orion, you will need to secure all valuables and batten down the hatches. This track makes a personal statement, "Yeah, take that and there's more where that came from!". The drumming skills are sharp, fresh and I have not heard this clean a style since the era of Art Blakey. This is hard bop on a turbulent scale.
The sweet shuffling intro for Nautical is smooth, changing to a brief samba style which creates the flow for the hypnotic jazz saxophone played by Jon Irabagon. Picture a leaf dancing in the small eddy-current created by a storm that rises, falls, spirals randomly and unpredictably to the saxophone solo and crashing cymbals. The upright bass played by Yasushi Nakamura is funky, which calms things down before finishing with a long, enjoyable drum solo.
Jon Irabagon plays a fantastic solo in Alnitak which is reminiscent of Ornette Coleman. I wish this track would last longer. This is a taste of the good things to come on this album.
I am not sure of the inspiration for Sister Mother Clara although this wonderful light bossa-style track with its sharp and crisp bass solos tells an interesting different story. On the European jazz circuit this track has a similar flavour to that of Emile Parisien; demonstrating how spiritually linked we are on this small planet.
Man O To is seven minutes of funky jazz with a splash of the Arabian desert vibe. This track is simple, yet fulfilling. I was asking “Please Sir, can I have more?” And the answer was yes. Just three minutes in and this tracks accelerates into a hypnotic baritone swing.
More hard-bop with Yasushi Nakamura playing all that is cool in this short interlude. Anilam is all about the bass solo.
Changing pace, Make A Smile For Me slows things down. In this track you hear every moment of silence as the trio skilfully feather their tools of the trade. A nice cover of the Bill Withers 1974 soul classic. This is one of two covers on this album.
If you have read my previous reviews I have often mentioned the famous Jazzcotech dancers from London. Kolbe War would give them a run for their money with its Sun-Ra type fusion. Some may say this track is greater than the whole as Jon Irabagon’s circular breathing skills are demonstrated with same the skills of the indigenous Aboriginal didgeridoo master.
Keeping the theme with this short interlude River Stix is a tom drum solo akin to the calm after the storm.
Originally scored by Henry Purcell in 1688, Dido’s Lament is a sad tale is beautifully recreated as a modern rendition, even down to the blazing pyre.
Rudy shows his amazing talent in another interlude Mintaka. Do not be mistaken, this is not Art Blakey.
Changing to a blues feel, there is a nice funk beat as the accents are played ‘on-the-one’. I am not sure if lyrics exist for the track We Had It All; however, I certainly heard the potential in saxophone verses.
The final showcase of the album is Belt as Jon Irabagon skilfully blows and flutters on the saxophone bringing the storm to a close.
If there were two negative comments it would be - I was sad that this journey had come to end so soon; and there should be vinyl release of the album or at least the title track. Too many vinyl junkies will miss out on this amazing album.
More info: https://www.greenleafmusic.com/
Review: Fernando Rose