Steve Heckman (ten/sop); Grant Levin (pno); Eric Markovitz (bs); Smith Dobson V (dms).
(Review by Lance).
Steve Heckman says, in the album notes, In 2016 there seems to be an obsession with 'innovation'. I don't know that there is room for everyone to be an 'innovator'. In this regard, I hear a lot of new, very angular music that has the veneer of being 'current' and 'hip', though often not very melodic. Heckman elaborated further but I didn't need to read more, this man echoed my inner thoughts and I knew I'd love this CD before the needle hit the groove as we used to say back in the days when Benny was a Goodboy and Duke hadn't even been knighted!
I'm not disappointed. A tribute to Coltrane's middle period - before he became involved in that other stuff!.
Heckman is a beautiful, lyrical player. It's Easy to Remember makes it easy to remember that 'Trane could blow a ballad better than most - a quality Steve has inherited in spades. He swings and who couldn't with Grant Levin on piano, Markovitz on bass and Dobson V behind the kit.
The Legacy is aptly named - Giant Steps revisited or should that be updated? Whatever, it is one solo that could be my solo of the year - or at least tonight!
With Dear Lord, we delve into John Coltrane's spirituality. If these guys were playing in a church near me - I'd be having a Damascus moment!
The Promise has our man on soprano and, dare I say it without the threat of a thunderbolt from the heavens? but I like Heckman's soprano sound better than that of the great man himself!
Reverand King: Fifth House; Wise One; Resolution complete the album. You won't hear many better discs this year.
If you're voting in Down Beat then Steve Heckman's a good each way bet in both tenor and soprano categories - I wonder, do Ladbrokes give odds?
Lance.
Available October 7 on Jazzed Media.
1 comment :
One thunderbolt on its way.
Post a Comment