Jerome Jennings Solidarity

Jerome Jennings
Solidarity
Iola Records

 Drummer Jerome Jennings may be best known as a member of Christian McBride's band. He has quite a resume. This includes playing on many recordings that I have heard by such artists as Christian Sands, Jazzmeia Horn, Hillary Gardner, Ernestine Anderson, and Houston Person. As a leader, this is his second album showcases his writing. He has assembled for this recording its core unit of trumpeter Josh Evans, tenor and soprano saxophonist Stacy Dillard, trombonist Andrae Murchison, pianist Zaccai Curtis, and Jennings's friend and mentor, legendary bassist Christian McBride. There are also special guests, including saxophonist-flutist Tia Fuller, tenor saxophonist-vocalist Camille Thurman, bassist Endea Owens, and percussionist Carlos Maldonado. The eleven tunes performed include seven originals and four covers that are imaginatively arranged. In his liner notes, he provides comments on each of the selections, including how he was inspired by various subjects. He observes, "This album documents my journey in educating myself and trying to understand the struggles of the most vulnerable people in our society."

Dizzy Gillespie's "Bebop" opens with a hip-hop flavor and provides a showcase for the three horns as well as Jennings' crisp, economical, and energetic playing. The first of his originals, "Recy's Lament," is a sober, blues-infused composition inspired by the case of the rape of a Black woman by six white men on her way home from church. The women would later press charges with help from Rosa Parks. While Jennings provides a loping groove, Curtis, Murchison, Dillard, and McBride provide solos to match the gravity conveyed by this composition. Then there is "Marielle (For Marielle Franco)," A Brazilian Black activist against injustice who was assassinated in 2018. There is plenty of fire in this performance with a heated groove, and spirited solos from Evans, Curtis, Fuller, and percussion from Jennings and Maldonado.

The title track opens with the leader's volcanic playing on "a statement of allyship with those most vulnerable in our society." It is followed by McBride developing the four-bar ostinato at its heart before the full band joins in on a highly charged performance with Murchison and Curtis outstanding. One also notes Jennings' excellent scoring of the ensemble horn parts here, which is a backdrop for Jennings volcanic playing for the last several measures of this superb performance. Camille Thurman sings on Jennings' arrangement of "I Love Your Smile," a hit for Shanice in 1991. After Jennings' remarkable solo performance "Heart," is a superb rendition of Woody Shaw's "Three Muses," that captures the feel of Shaw's own groups. Dillard, Evans, and Curtis are quite inspired here. Of the remaining selections, one moving selection is "Convo With Senator Flowers." It is set against his drum accompaniment presents her passionate speech against a proposed "Stand Your Ground" law in Arkansas.

The album closes with a beautiful rendition of Perry Como's theme, "You Are Never Far Away From Me." Both Christian McBride (who I believe is playing arco) and Endea Owens are on bass, and Curtis takes a lovely solo. Jennings is a superb leader drummer and composer who has produced this outstanding recording.

I received my review copy from a publicist. Here is a rendition of "Bebop," with Jerome Jennings on drums.

Jazzmeia Horn Social Call

Jazzmeia Horn
Social Call
Prestige

The first time I saw the remarkable vocalist, Jazzmeia Horn, was as a member of drummer Winard Harper's group at the Mid-Atlantic Jazz Festival. I have had the pleasure of seeing her several times subsequent to that time and have been impressed everytime. She was the winner of the 2015 Thelonious Monk Institute International Jazz Competition that was devoted to jazz vocals. One of the prizes was a recording contract with Concord Records which is issuing her debut album on the reactivated Prestige label. On this recording she is supported by Victor Gould on piano, Stacy Dillard on saxophone, trumpeter Josh Evans, trombonist Frank Lacy, bassist Ben Williams (himself a previous Monk Competition winner); and drummer Jerome Jennings.

Originally inspired by Sarah Vaughan, and mentored by Rachelle Farrell, she also was guided by Bobby McFerrin, Abby Lincoln and Betty Carter. She posseses a remarkable vocal range, and with her perfect pitch and her horn-like scatting and phrasing, one is struck by the clarity, vitality and expressiveness of Jazzmeia's sining. She has an exceptional vocal instrument that is displayed on the performances with a terrific backing band and a well-conceived program of standards, hard bop classics and adaptations of contemporary material. This opens with a compelling rendition of Betty Carter's "Tight," with terrific backing. Dillard takes a terrific short solo, before she scats and trade fours with him. Her rendition of the standard "East of the Sun (and West of the Moon)," has a wonderful solo from Gould along with more scatting. It is followed by the full band lending a little big band feel for the Sister Rosetta Tharpe classic, "Up Above My Head," with a lovely delivery of the lyric with light scatting before Frank Lacy takes a gruff solo.

Gigi Gryce's "Social Call," opens with her singing Jon Hendricks' lyrics only accompanied by Williams' bass before the full rhythm enters with wonderful playing from Gould and Jennings' light touch driving this gem. Her spoken social commentary set against Williams' bass and Jennings cymbal work begins a stunning reworking of The Stylistics "People Make The World Go Round." This is taken at a brisker tempo than the original. In addition to the precise enunciation, she adds emphasis by speeding up and then extending her phrasing as the horns adding to the atmosphere with quasi-frenzied interplay.

When I first saw her with Winard Harper, I recall her performing the classic "Lift Every Voice and Sing." Here she sings it accompanied with Gould's accompaniment which segues into a full band rendition of Bobby Timmons' "Moanin'," with her scatting followed by a brief segment from Lacy and a blistering chorus from Evans, a walking bass solo, before she closes this taking her voice to the stratosphere. The lovely rendition of "The Peacocks," has a fine accompaniment from Young to which Evans adds some nice brass, and followed by a whirlwind paced "I Remember You,"with a brief drum break.

On this superb recording, a highlight might be the medley of "Medley: Afro Blues/ Eye See You / Wade in the Water." It begins with an imaginative, tour de force reworking of the Mongo Santamaria classic, initially performed as a duet with Jennings before the rhythm enters and has some operatic vocalizing at the upper reaches of her extensive range. This segues into a spoken social commentary rap before transitioning into the spiritual with gutbucket trombone also heard. The album closes with a lively and uplifting cover of Mary J. Blige's "I'm Going Down." Again, she her vocal soars while she delivers a message for brothers and sisters to hold on and stay strong in trying times

Jazzmeia Horn is a most gifted singer whose originality, horn-like phrasing, timbre and timing will enthrall listeners on this auspicious debut.

I received a review copy from Concord Records. Here she performs Thelonious Monk's "Evidence," at the Mink vocal competition semi-finals.

Valery Ponomarev Big Band Our Father Who Art Blakey

Shortly after his arrival in the US in 1973 after leaving the Soviet Union, trumpeter Valery Ponomarev met Art Blakey, who would become his mentor and "jazz father." The years he spent as one of Blakey's Jazz Messengers left a firm imprint on him and now four decades later, with the Valery Ponomarev Big Band, recorded a tribute to Blakey, "Our Father Who Art Blakey" (Zoho), transforming a number of songs associated with the legendary drummer and his most famous ensemble into big band charts which were recorded at Dizzy's Coca Cola Club at Jazz at Lincoln Center and at the Zinc Bar. The booklet accompanying this CD did not include the members of the big band who are: Saxophones –Todd Bashore, Chris Hemingway, Peter Brainin, Steve Carrington, Anthony Nelson; Trombones – , Stafford Hunter, Alvin Walker, David Wight, Jack Jeffers; Trumpets – Rick Henly, Miki Hirose, Josh Evans, Waldron Ricks; Piano – Mamiko Watanabe; Bass – Ruslan Khain and Drums – Victor Jones. For the Zinc Bar, Andrew Gould replaced Brainin; Corey Wallace replaced White; Danny Hall replaced Walker and Ricks replaced Allen with Benny Golson appearing on the two numbers from this performance.

Ponomarev, discussing transforming Blakey's small group charts for a big band, suggests that it was not the challenge it might seem. He observes that if one listens to Blakey's music, it is already big band already and notes Blakey's own background in big bands. Ponomarev also states in his arrangements that he quotes some of the solos from the originals. Listening to this recording, one is impressed by how he has maintained so much of the feel of Blakey's music.

After a brief overture from the leader, the band launches into Bobby Timmons' classic "Moanin'" which features strong solos from Ponomarev and Golson and some nice scoring. The rhythm section of Watanabe, Khain and Jones is superb  in capturing the snap, crackle and pop of the original recording, and Watanabe's own solo is punctuated by riffs of the brass and reeds and Khain solos as well. Freddie Hubbard's "Crisis" features Josh Evans' trumpet which is thoughtful, imaginative and capable of considerable heat followed by a strong tenor solo from Carrington and fervent trombone from Hunter.

Ponomarev's rationale for including Duke Jordan's "Jordu" is based on Clifford Brown's association with Blakey as well as Brown being his main trumpet hero. The band arrangement is based on Brown's solo from the classic Clifford Brown & Max Roach recording, and provides the foundation for  solos from Rogers on trumpet and Brainin on tenor sax for this fresh interpretation of a jazz classic. Victor Jones helps lay the Latin rhythmic foundation for another Duke Jordan composition, "No Hay Problema," that Blakey performed for the film "Les Liaisons Dangereuses." Evans and Carrington both are afforded considerable solo space by the 56-bar form of the composition, and Evans (who I have seen with the Evans-Lacy Legacy Band) impresses with his mix of mellowness and fire. The leader's scoring of his horns is splendid.

Ponomarev's original "Gina's Cooking" post-dates his time with Blakey and the composition has a Mingus-like flavor with tempo changes. It showcases Anthony Nelson's take no prisoner's baritone and alto sax from Bashore before Jones takes a short solo as well as pushes the performance on.
The album concludes with Golson's classic "Blues March," which Golson recalled writing after Blakey mentioned he had never played a march. Jones sets the tone and groove before Ponomarev and Golson, the two Blakey alumni, each solo at length. Trombonist Wallace, alto saxophonist Bashore and pianist Watanabe also stretch out on the recording's longest performance.

"Our Father Who Art Blakey" is a real gem of a big band recording with classic compositions, superb arrangements and terrific ensemble playing in support of the marvelous solos that were enthusiastically received.

I received my review copy from a publicist. Here is the Band in performance.

Frank Lacy & The Smalls Legacy Band

 

Trombonist Frank Lacy has a weekly gig at Smalls, the Greenwich Village jazz club with his Legacy Band. Spike Wilmer got Frank Lacy & The Smalls Legacy Band a weekend to record them for the club’s SmallsLive label resulting in a new Live at Smalls recording. Joining Lacy that weekend is trumpeter Josh Evans, tenor saxophonist Stacy Dillard, pianist Theo Hill, bassist Rashaan Carter and drummer Kush Abadey.

Live at 2014 Mid-Atlantic Jazz Festival

This is one superb band on a recording the evokes Blakey’s great bands with Wayne Shorter, Curtis Fuller and either Lee Morgan or Freddie Hubbard; Charles Tolliver’s ensembles; the great Woody Shaw groups (with Louis Hayes and after). The mood is set with Lacy’s  Stranded, and concludes with Freddie Hubbard’s The Intrepid Fox. The whole band is outstanding with trumpeter Evans playing with the fire and imagination that Hubbard and Shaw brought thirty-five years ago. Drummer Abadey stands out playiung with the explosiveness and nuance of Elvin Jones and Tony Williams.

Lacy is an unsung trombonist who can get gut-bucket with some tailgating on the trombone as well as navigate the more intricate changes in the compositions (including George Cables’ wonderful Think of Me that was on Woody Shaw's Blackstone Legacy LP). Lacy even sings on Carolyn’s Dance in a fashion not that far removed from Archie Shepp’s vocals on Shepp's recent Attica Blues Orchestra recording. His vocal may jar some, but is only a small part of one selection here.

This writer recently saw Lacy as part of a trombone summit with Delfaeyo Marsalis and Steve Turre. He impressed in that company and plays with so much of the personality he displays on this live recording. I would love to see him playing with this outstanding group.

I purchased this CD. Here is a small clip of him performing at Smalls.