Charles
The Donny McCaslin CD "Perpetual Motion" arrived in the post yesterday and having given it a preliminary spin, I must admit that that on first listen it is a huge let down. Although I haven't yet given it my thorough attention, this is the first time that I have felt that this tenor saxophonist's work seems an almost in thrall of the late Michael Brecker. I have quite a few of his recordings with "In pursuit" and his work with Dave Douglas' quintet "Live at the Jazz Standard" being exceptional but this seems to lack compositions which stand out and performances which lack the kind of bite that I would have anticipated from the musicians featured.
Perhaps the quartet line -up is almost too similar to the kind of group Brecker often fronted? The playing is hugely impresssive, McCaslin's solo's showing just how far technique and musicial understand has taken jazz playing in the last few years. The tenor playing is of a high standard, with McCaslin nicely chopping up his oddly-shaped phrases yet , being familiar with his work, sometimes he definately is playing licks . I keep imagining how Brecker would sound in the same context and seeing that McCaslin is definately MB's heir in the scope of things jazzy, my conclusion wouldn't be favourable to the younger musician. Some posters (Byas?) have expressed comments that they didn't like Brecker and this is definately a disc they will want to avoid. The music seems a bit cold and uninvolved and some vital ingredient is missing which takes this music to another level. Adam Benjamin's fender is nowhere as near as incisive as in the case with his work with "Keystone" and even Antonio Sanchez's drumming seems a tad too comfortable. The whole thing seems a mish-mash of a contemporary spin of 70's jazz rock (without the grit) and Brecker-lite. So far, I have been disappointed with this record.
A proper listen may change my opinion but it definately has not grabbed me the way recent "Keystone" discs have.
The Donny McCaslin CD "Perpetual Motion" arrived in the post yesterday and having given it a preliminary spin, I must admit that that on first listen it is a huge let down. Although I haven't yet given it my thorough attention, this is the first time that I have felt that this tenor saxophonist's work seems an almost in thrall of the late Michael Brecker. I have quite a few of his recordings with "In pursuit" and his work with Dave Douglas' quintet "Live at the Jazz Standard" being exceptional but this seems to lack compositions which stand out and performances which lack the kind of bite that I would have anticipated from the musicians featured.
Perhaps the quartet line -up is almost too similar to the kind of group Brecker often fronted? The playing is hugely impresssive, McCaslin's solo's showing just how far technique and musicial understand has taken jazz playing in the last few years. The tenor playing is of a high standard, with McCaslin nicely chopping up his oddly-shaped phrases yet , being familiar with his work, sometimes he definately is playing licks . I keep imagining how Brecker would sound in the same context and seeing that McCaslin is definately MB's heir in the scope of things jazzy, my conclusion wouldn't be favourable to the younger musician. Some posters (Byas?) have expressed comments that they didn't like Brecker and this is definately a disc they will want to avoid. The music seems a bit cold and uninvolved and some vital ingredient is missing which takes this music to another level. Adam Benjamin's fender is nowhere as near as incisive as in the case with his work with "Keystone" and even Antonio Sanchez's drumming seems a tad too comfortable. The whole thing seems a mish-mash of a contemporary spin of 70's jazz rock (without the grit) and Brecker-lite. So far, I have been disappointed with this record.
A proper listen may change my opinion but it definately has not grabbed me the way recent "Keystone" discs have.
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