Meet Jason Davis...Again

Latest Project: GREEN

Just before I took a trip to the Dominican Republic, Jason Davis released is latest record, GREEN. On my 5 am flight, I played the record for the first time. No sleep for me. The record kept me relaxed, interested and entertained from beginning to end.

This record is a trio setting which is Davis on Tenor, Lamont Taylor on Drums and Mike League on Bass. The trio setting sans piano is and always has been tough for me to digest. I am harmonically challenged sometimes and when I don’t hear the colors from the chords, I get lost. My first experience with this type trio was Branford Marsalis, Jeff Watts and Robert Hurst – The Beautyful Ones Are Not Yet Born…I still haven’t digested that record. So I won’t waste keystrokes trying to explain how I feel about this record, except to say, I really like it. I will say that this record was a lot easier for me to follow. I don’t know if my ears have grown up or Jason’s record is just that good. Jason’s driving style is reminiscent of the Texas Tenor tradition. His love for the tradition is guaranteed to keep it alive.

If I have one complaint, sometimes during Davis’ improvisation efforts he disappears. I believe it is the gorilla recording coupled with his physical style when he gets into the music.

I had chance to interview Jason.

What’s your main instrument? Tenor Saxophone
What other instruments do you play? Clarinet, Flute, Piano, Baritone Horn, Organ, Harmonica, Vibraphone, Drums, Bass Guitar
When did you know music would be your life? September 1984 @ Pearl C. Anderson Elementary School.
What song do you remember most as a child? Ava Maria
How do you describe the music you play? Husic; it is Healing Music that presents Hues, Shapes, Textures and Spiritual Intentions
What is the name of latest project? Green
Describe that project? When I recorded Green I wrote down a list of the 25 things that I do on sax better than anyone else. Then I called up Mike League and Lamont Taylor and asked them to come record some originals with me. I told them that this session would be very loose and have lots of time a directional changes. Green is an improvised recording that is the way I sound when no one is watching.
If you could pick one song that describes music for you, what would that song be? To God Be the Glory.
What is your favorite moment in your own personal music history? Standing on stage this year in front of my new Jazz Big Band called "Stage Band South" for our first gig.
What do you think about when you are improvising? Nothing
What is your biggest career challenge right now? I need my own music venue (Concert Hall) so that my audiences can see me without reserve.
What are your biggest creative influences?The Texas Music Tradition that comes out of South Dallas and Lincoln High School.
Who is your biggest fan? My dad - James Davis Sr.
Who are you trying to reach with your music? Im trying to reach everyone that dares to listen.
What is your approach to live performances? I want to be vernacular and take an Illinois Jacquet (Texas Tenor) approach.
If it is true that you write what you like to perform over and over, what song(s) have you written that you love to perform? #1 song is called "Put That Meat on The Grill" #2 song is called "Cozumel"
If you only had one song to play before you left the earth, what song would that be? Hymn #162 "Pass Me Not"
What are you doing now? Viral Marketing all over the web with videos, CD releases and blogs. Looking for funding for my Big Band Concept.

Without music, I would be I would be searching for my purpose in life.

Music is a gently twisted tool that can get you through anything

Video links: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gt3khwNPEDY
Social Media Links: http://www.facebook.com/wellingtonhancock
Music Links: http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/green/id42723220

Jason Davis' Equipment:
Reeds: Benz-Reeds #3 or Vandoren Java #3
Mouthpiece: Claude Lakey 6*
Ligature: Rovner
Horn: Band Now
Mics: AKG C419
Effects: Presonus Audio Box with Mac Book

Sean Jones is searching...

So my bias toward the trumpet playing of Roy Hargrove is documented. I have unapologetically been biased toward his music for the last 20 years. On an earlier blog, I didn’t hold back proclaiming my affection for his last offering “Earfood”. But I grew up playing with him and his sound is stuck in my head. It’s like being able to distinguish a sibling’s voice in a crowd because you’ve heard it for years.

But I have been a quest to find artists that I’m not familiar with and find new voices to enjoy. I haven’t done a good job because some of my favorites have released incredible records. Most notably this year was B. Marsalis’ latest, Metamorphosen.
Enter Sean Jones. His new record is titled, THE SEARCH WITHIN. The title alone strikes me because it is a true jazzman’s eternal quest. Maybe it is a bit narcissistic for any artist to believe that they have something “within” that they haven’t already offered. Or maybe it is a directive for the listener to “search within” while listening. I took it as personal challenge to find another trumpet player that I would give more than a cursory listening. But this is my blog so I don’t necessarily have to be objective.

This record I like! I won’t search for eloquent language about how this recording is far reaching into jazz’s future because it’s just not that record. But THE SEARCH WITHIN is a solid outing by this artist. It reminds me of some very competent cats getting together to teach a master’s class at a college competition and at the end showing the kids how to do “it”. This may be because Sean Jones is a professor of music as well as a recording artist. The old saying goes, “Those who can do and those who can’t teach”. Let me be clear, Jones can and he does and he teaches.

I got a glimpse of his work from a suggested clip, SEAN’S JONES COMES DOWN. From the downbeat, he comes right at you. He’s studied his bebop well and interprets it with veracity. Also, throughout the recording, Jones’ approach to Flugelhorn leads you to the pure beauty of sound. His compositions and arrangements will immediately put you in the mind of a Terrance Blanchard scored movie. Sometimes is improv feels a bit tedious, but it’s never drawn out and inappropriate. But I’m not sure that’s just not my bias.

After this, his fifth studio record, I believe that Sean Jones’ search within will yield great music. This document is proof that he just might be on his way. I encourage you to listen.

Brandford Marsalis - Genius

I can’t deny it. I love the music of Branford Marsalis. His music moves me to no end. Because I was a saxophone player, I much more familiar with the intracacies of the horn and how difficult it can be to make it sing like Marsalis does. And Marsalis is one of the great ones in the lineage of great tenor players. He was born of the same tribe of the most proficient soloist with Coltrane and Rollins. Even with his avant-garde improvisations, arrangements and compositions he can still swing as hard as any reedman from the golden era.

I don’t own Marsalis’ entire catalog, but I will suggest that I own the best of what he has offered over the years. And this new record, Metamorphosen, will stand up next to anything else he as recorded.

Metamorphosen finds Marsalis in unusual surroundings. Meaning that for the last few years he’s been basically recording in the trio format sans piano. With this recording he’s added the piano back and is no less adventurous and astute in his improvisations as he would be in the more free jazz format. Tapped to join him on this date is Joey Calderazzo on piano, Eric Revis on Bass and longtime collaborator and time keeper, drummer Jeff “Tain” Watts.

As an arranger, Marsalis always has a fresh new take on classic music. One of the stand out pieces is Thelonius Monk’s “Rhythm-a-ning”. I can’t tell you how exciting it is to hear the newness of this music.

Calderazzo’s piano is soothing and exciting. Revis’ bass playing is steady and Tain’s drumming and symbol work is as perfect and as interesting as it ever was. The playing on this record just seems to be personal. And to hear Brandford’s soprano, which to me is the hardest saxophone to play well, is just beautiful. All the tunes just turn into playful dialogue between the players.

From Marsalis’ work with Sting to his classical foray, Romances for Saxophone, he always puts in a better than average perfomance. I believe Metomorphosen will go down as one of the best records of this gifted reedman’s career.

Frederick Dewayne Hubbard – April 7, 1938 – December 29, 2008

Because of the holidays, I found myself a bit busy and not having enough time to write. On December 29, 2008 we lost a legendary Jazz Trumpeter, Freddie Hubbard. He was seventy years old. And the Innovation Era of jazz has a lost another one of its stewards.

Though Hubbard’s music didn’t catch my ear as much as some others, I always respected his virtuosity. It’s impossible not to. I mean, who hasn’t listened to Red Clay until the needle wore down or the tape popped? I will admit that my interest piqued in this tune but the album included one of two of my favorite tenor players, Joe Henderson.

Of all the offspring that Jazz has spawn, the Hard Bop/Free Form movement is one that is the most difficult for most enthusiasts to grasp. I consider myself more a patron who’s enthusiastic about jazz than a true enthusiast, so over the years I have cherry picked music I liked from the era. And Freddie Hubbard tended to be involved in a couple of those tunes that I liked. As I sit here listening to Branford Marsalis’ The Beautyful Ones Are Not Yet Born, I’m reminded of Hubbard’s trumpet playing idealism where he would play long phrases like saxophone players. He changed the way trumpet players approached improvisation.

Rest In Peace Freddie Hubbard…Your contribution makes Jazz what it is!!!