The Cookers Time and Time Again

Of course it is simplistic to describe The Cookers as an band of Hard Bop All Stars, but certainly the music here has its roots in the over 250 years of aggregate experience its members have. With one exception, Donald Harrison replacing Craig Handy on alto sax, the group’s line-up remains the same with Billy Harper on tenor sax, Dr. Eddie Henderson and David Weiss on trumpet; George Cables on piano, Cecil McBee on bass and Billy Hart on drums. The members of The Cookers have experience playing with some of the greatest jazz artists of the past half century including Art Pepper, Dexter Gordon, Lee Morgan, Herbie Hancock, Charles Lloyd, Max Roach, and Art Blakey. Additionally, every member is a leader of their own right as well as being notable composers and players.

Motema Music has issued their fourth CD, Time and Time Again and the album brings forth some vintage compositions such as Billy Harper’s Sir Galahad which was from his 1973 debut album Capra Black, while Cecil McBee contributes two new compositions. Other compositions are from the pens of Cables, Weiss and Hart for a program of music whose vitality is convincing proof that band’s name is deserved on the nine performances heard here

The tone is set with the opening Sir Galahad which opens with some very robust playing from Hart, followed by Weiss, Harrison and Cables. McBee’s original blues Slippin’ and Slidin’ provides a chance for the members to show the continual relevance of the blues with Harper, Weiss and McBee showcased with fine work. Cables Double Or Nothing is another burner with Harrison and Weiss shining before Hart explodes in his solo. It is followed by Cables tribute to the late Mulgrew Miller, Farewell Mulgrew with Weiss’ providing the horns arrangement whose ensemble playing sets the atmosphere for Cables playing being stately and moving. Harper again displays just how riveting a tenor saxophonist he is on Weiss Three Fall followed by the composer’s hot trumpet and terrific support from the rhythm section.

The title track, a Harper original is built upon a bass ostinato from McBee and includes more stirring playing from Harper, Henderson and Cables along with the superb rhythm section. The mix of strong compositions, solid ensemble playing with the superb rhythm section and the mix of technical mastery, passion, imagination and inventiveness make Time and Time Again another outstanding recording by The Cookers.

I received my review copy from a publicist.  Here is a video related to Sir Galahad and the album.

David Weiss Sextet - When Words Fail

Regarding the motivation for When Words Fail, the new Motema Music CD by David Weiss and his Sextet, Weiss explains that: “[T]he last year or so has been a time of profound loss for me and a lot of my close friends and acquaintances. Some of these losses have been very public and horrific. These were the themes that were swimming through my head as I put the final touches on the music for this CD and began to rehearse it. But, ideally, it’s also about lifting one out of that world, so it should also be about rebirth, hope and finding your way back. The music on When Words Fail is about acknowledging your pain but also about finding a way out, or at the very least, providing a temporary escape. I don’t want to say that this is what I strive for or set out to do when composing, but I do hope that this is what the end result of my endeavors will encompass.” 

For this album, Weiss reassembled his “original band,” The David Weiss Sextet, featuring his original band-mates (once fledgling artists themselves and now proven jazz stalwarts), Saxophonists Marcus Strickland (tenor sax) and Myron Walden (alto sax), pianist Xavier Davis, bassist Dwayne Burno, and drummer E.J. Strickland (plus guitarist Ben Eunsen making his recording debut on two tracks). Tragically these were Burno’s final recordings, as he passed away at the early age of 43, a week after these recordings were made. This album is dedicated to him. 
 

The music here will not sound unfamiliar for those who have enjoyed Weiss' work with The Cookers or his other efforts. It suggests some of the classic Shorter and Hancock sessions for Blue Note. The compositions are fresh and interesting and the performances are terrific, starting with the sparkling The Intrepid Hub, that was written for Freddie Hubbard. Burno was impressed by the title track when they first rehearsed it and the rendition here, Weiss states, is for him with a slower tempo. Weiss takes notable solos on both. MJ evokes the classic second Miles Davis Quintet renditions of Wayne Shorter’s compositions. Marcus Strickland standing out on tenor while the leader’s tone is a bit more extroverted than Davis while guitarist Eunsen is heard adding fiery playing. 

Wayward, part of an extended suite, is a feature for Walden’s fervent alto sax with E.J. Strickland energetic playing driving things along, while Davis also takes a solo. Karl Jenkins’ “Lullaby For a Lonely Child” is another sober composition that showcases Walden. The closing number, Passage Into Eternity, is dedicated to Jimmy, Nelba and Isaiah Greene whose daughter (and sister) was one of the victims of the Newtown massacre. Marcus Strickland and Weiss both stand out here, with more kudos to the terrific rhythm section. Burno was an anchor, Davis’ comping was precise and Strickland is among today’s most compelling drummers. This track concludes a terrific recording that is full of heart as well as exquisite playing. 

I received my review copy from Motema Music. This review appeared in slightly different form in the July-August 2014 Jazz & Blues Report (I made some corrections). You can download the issue as a pdf file at www.jazz-blues.com by clicking on that issue (355).  Here is a video of the making of When Words Fail.

David Weiss' Endangered Species: The Music of Wayne Shorter

Wayne Shorter's 80th Birthday (which was two days prior to this review being posted) has led to  world-wide celebrations of Shorter's music. For example, in Washington DC, there have been several groups leading retrospectives of Shorter's compositions from different stages of his career. In a similar vein, trumpeter David Weiss arranged and orchestrated several Shorter compositions and then assembled an All-Star, twelve member big band. This band performed at Jazz at Lincoln Center where they were recorded. Endangered Species: The Music of Wayne Shorter (Motéma Music) is collected from those performances.

Its quite a band that Weiss assembled. The saxophone section included Tim Green on alto sax; Marcus Strickland on tenor and soprano sax; Ravi Coltrane on tenor saxophone and Norbert Stachel on baritone sax and bass clarinet. Diego Urcola and Jeremy Pelt along with Weiss are the trumpet section while Joe Fiedler and Steve Davis are on trombone. The rhythm section has Geri Allen on piano, Dwayne Burno on bass and E.J. Strickland on drums. This large group provides for a different take on these compositions than generally were initially heard when first recorded with smaller groups. Also, it does result with a certain similarity between the performances whereas Shorter's performance of a composition such as Nellie Bly with Art Blakey would have a different flavor than Fall with Miles Davis.

With that in mind, there are plenty of pleasures. Weiss' arrangements provided a rich backdrop along with the marvelous full ensemble playing to set the mood and frame the solos. The rhythm section sparkles with Geri Allen stunning both as part of the rhythm and as soloist . Throughout there are plenty of brilliant playing including trombonist Davis at the beginning of Nellie Bly; trumpeter Pelt and saxophonist Coltrane on Fall; Tim Green on "Mr. Jin"; Marcus Strickland on soprano sax on Weiss' The Turning Gate (the one non-Shorter composition but based on one of Shorter's works); Pelt and Allen on the lovely ballad Eva; and Pelt and Strickland on the closing Prometheus Unbound.

Whether one agrees with annotator Bill Milkowski that Wayne Shorter is jazz's greatest living composer, there is little question that he is amongst the greatest and has produced one of the most significant body of compositions over six decades. By investing the compositions with his own musical vision and assembling a terrific band, David Weiss has produced this substantial salute to Wayne Shorter that shows how fresh and contemporary the music of Wayne Shorter remains as it continues to inspire so many musicians and listeners.

I received my review copy from a publicist for this release.