For his second WJ3 launch and sixteenth as a frontrunner, veteran tenor saxophonist/composer/educator Gregory Tardy went into the studio with trumpeter Marcus Printup, pianist Keith Brown, bassist Sean Conly, and label proprietor/drummer Willie Jones III to carry out eight Tardy originals. Tardy, who carried out within the teams of jazz greats Elvin Jones and Andrew Hill within the early 90s, writes compositions that transfer in shocking instructions, however they at all times preserve their sense of swing. The up-tempo opener, “The Omnipresent Cardiologist,” begins with a trumpet and tenor collective improvisation; then, after the melody is acknowledged and a piano solo is performed, the trumpet and tenor commerce choruses. “For Deacon Rocky” and “A Tree and Its Fruit” are each medium tempo, however with totally different distinctive melodies. Primarily a tenor saxophonist, Tardy options his first instrument, the clarinet, on the medium waltz “The Intelligent Design” and doubles the bass line with bass clarinet on the funk-oriented title observe. The nearer, “Janel’s Love Song,” is a stunning ballad tribute to Tardy’s spouse. All of the musicians have been up for the date, and it’s good to listen to Printup, a Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra member, on a small group recording. This is one other high quality recording of contemporary acoustic jazz on the WJ3 label.
The put up Gregory Tardy: Sufficient Grace appeared first on The Absolute Sound.