Steve Turre
has made a career out of creating and realizing projects that are firmly grounded in the jazz traditions, even when he's playing his conch shells.
The Bones of Art
may indeed be a first for jazz. Back in 1954, trombonists
J.J. Johnson
(
Turre
's greatest influence on the instrument) and
Kai Winding
recorded the first of five albums with a bone duo in the frontline. Here,
goes one better and features three in the frontline -- with no other horns. His companions are the last three trombonists to play in
Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers
:
Robin Eubanks
(on three tracks)
Frank Lacy
, and
Peter Washington
(who lay out on one cut each). The rhythm section is comprised of drummer
Willie Jones III
, pianist
Xavier Davis
, and bassist
.
wrote just over half of the tunes here, while his bandmates contributed the remainder. The program is mostly straight-ahead, deeply rooted in blues. Opener "Slide's Ride," with its breezy, yet knotty head and hard-grooving accents, is driving hard bop.
Lacy
's "Settegast Strut" features
Davis
' piano prominently; it's a joyful celebration of gospel, bop, and blues. The use of mutes on the funky soul jazz of
's "4 & 9," is contrasted beautifully by Rhodes piano and guest
Kenny Davis
on electric bass. The are tight melodic turns in the bridge and interludes, but it's a stone groover.
Eubanks
' "Shorter Bu" is modern post-bop in the intro, but its swing quotient is indomitable as the head opens up. The shimmering, nocturnal blues balladry in "Fuller Beauty" melds everything from cool jazz to
Miles
' early expressions of modal music in its seductive melody and tapestry of sounds. Closer "Daylight," by
Steve Davis
, is hard-driving Latin jazz, where everyone solos --
takes his on the shells, the only place on the set they appear -- and guest
Pedro Martinez
plays congas bongos and campana; everyone pushes double time to send this one off on a way-up note.
might have been stilted or even gimmicky by a lesser musician, but in
's imagination and discipline, it becomes a welcome extension of the tradition; it's a reminder that there is still so much from the past that can -- and should -- inform the future. Dynamite! ~ Thom Jurek