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The Offering
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The Offering
Current price: $17.99
Barnes and Noble
The Offering
Current price: $17.99
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On his third date for
, pianist
makes only one personnel change, replacing
's alto with
's tenor, leaving the rhythm section of
and
intact. As is his wont,
explores a program of unusual tunes, both covers and originals that offer a wonderfully idiosyncratic view of both jazz and pop music. For starters, there's the title cut by bassist
(who recorded it on his own
album on
in 1987). The knotty Afro-Cuban pulse and melodic line are opened up toward the modal from the inside by
with his wonderful two-chord attack, and the pianist's solo is followed directly by a tight drum solo from
. This is followed by
' own
with a slightly angular dissonance that becomes a romantic ballad tinged with Spanish flamenco modalities before transforming itself into a killer midtempo noir-ish groover.
' fills and trills around
's head before
solos in the first minute and a half are remarkable. His
is sparse and haunting, with its spacious, hovering lyric line played arco by
as he paints the frame with dark and somber colors. It is immediately followed by the knotty post-bop of
another original that showcases
coming right out of the head into a taut yet loping solo.
' own playing behind
is equal parts harmonic counterpart and rhythmic counterpoint, as he moves against the rest of the rhythm section. It's a breathtakingly complex and hard swinging tune. Perhaps the biggest surprise is the finger-popping version of
with
adding all sorts of harmonic extensions onto the familiar lines as
plays it somewhat straight before they turn the thing inside out without losing any of its swing. Once more
proves that he is not only a truly gifted pianist of complexity and depth, but one with a startling array of tools at his disposal as an arranger and bandleader. While jazz fans may know his work well, he should be recognized as one of the consistently great soloists of our time. Among musicians,
is considered a true master, and it's time the general jazz populace discovered that as well.
is another high-class, musically arresting date by an innovator. ~ Thom Jurek