1. Rainbow People
2. Forward Vision
3. Brother Ray
4. Groove Blues
5. Midnight In Madrid
6. Cleopatra's Needle
7. Search For Peace
8. Segment
9. Para el Comandante
Steve Turre - Trombone, shells
Kenny Garrett - Alto sax (tracks 1, 4, 8,
9)
Sean Jones - Trumpet, flugelhorn (tracks 2,
5, 9)
Mulgrew Miller - Piano, keyboards
Peter Washington - Bass
Ignacio Berroa - Drums
Pedro Martinez - Percussion (track 9)
Bebop caused problems for
some trombonists in the 1940s, bdecause they
found the fast-paced new music difficult to
get around on the trombone. Players like J.
J. Johnson and Kay Winding often sounded rather
awkward to me: trying to play speedily on
an instrument that appeared reluctant to do
anything quickly.
Modern trombonists like Steve
Turre and Wycliffe Gordon seem to have overcome
these difficulties: being capable of playing
swiftly when required but maintaining the
classic traditions of trombone playing that
go back to such greats as Jack Teagarden and
Lawrence Brown. On this album, Steve Turre
seems capable of playing anything - as the
opening title-track exhibits, mixing fast
runs with passages that have more room to
breathe. He is joined in the front line for
this tune by the ever-expressive altoist Kenny
Garrett.
The CD displays Turre's capabilities
as a composer as well as a trombonist, since
Steve wrote six of the nine tracks - the first
five and the last of all. On Forward Vision,
Steve is joined by up-and-coming trumpeter
Sean Jones, and they certainly blend well
together. But perhaps the outstanding soloist
here is pianist Mulgrew Miller, whose playing
is impeccably sensitive throughout the album.
Note his filigree decorations behind other
people's solos.
Brother Ray evokes
the funky soul of Ray Charles: a slow-burning
blues which includes a fine (and audible)
bass solo from Peter Washington. Turre plays
open trombone as well as with a plunger mute
and, as Steve observes in his sleeve-notes,
Mulgrew Miller "takes us to church on this"
with a convincing gospel feel. Groove Blues
is even funkier.
Midnight in Madrid
has a distinct Spanish tinge, although the
combination of trombone and trumpet reminds
me of a mariachi band. Cleopatra's Needle
refers to a jazz club in Manhattan. This and
the following ballad Search for Peace
(a McCoy Tyner composition) let us enjoy Steve
Turre backed simply by the rhythm section.
Mulgrew Miller switches to electric keyboards
for the former tune and he is just as lyrical
on them as he is on the acoustic piano.
The mood changes completely
with Segment, a Charlie Parker tune
which shows how Steve can cope with the demands
of bebop. The album ends with Para el Comandante,
a Latin-American piece which is dedicated
to Steve's late friend and teacher Mario Rivera.
Sean Jones's flugelhorn is particularly impressive
here.
As you may gather from these
notes on the various tracks, the music on
this album is varied as well as adventurous.
If you want to start discovering Steve Turre,
this is an excellent place to start. And if
you already know about him, this CD is worth
getting as one of his finest works.
Tony Augarde
CD Reviews
HighNote
HCD 7161 
