Primus inter pares
It’s the vibes connection again. But that’s only part of the story.
A potent force this year. Step forward. Again. Joel Ross. The vibesician is in new Blue Note Records in-house specially put together band Out Of/Into aka the Blue Note Quintet formed to mark Blue Note’s 85th.
An evanescence
All the members are big jazz head names familiar to any self respecting followers of the top players out of the massive US scene whose work we on the blog here have followed for ages.
Pianist Gerald Clayton, pictured – photo: Keith Major/Wikipedia – alto saxophonist Immanuel Wilkins, vibraphonist Joel Ross, drummer Kendrick Scott, and bassist Matt Brewer are the players.
The track, a Clayton original – the pianist has musically directed the quintet as well – that ignites our interest is the pulsating ‘Ofafrii’ from Motion I out in December. Wilkins as ever is extremely persuasive in his blisteringly Kenny Garrett grounded hard hitting delivery of ecstasy and the extraordinary instrumentalism he exhibits. His own new album Blues Blood is picking up – and quite understandably – rave reviews all over the place. Read very fine UK jazz writer Mike Hobart’s recent encomium found in the FT.
Pride of place in today’s playlist
‘Ofafrii,’ the piece grounded and somehow explained by that beautiful first chord of Clayton’s, takes pride of place at the top of today’s marlbank Spotify 10.
