CD Review: Jason Anick & Jason Yeager - United

Jason Anick (violin/mandolin); Jason Yeager (piano) + (on various tracks) - Greg Loughman (bass); Mike Connors (drums); John Lockwood (bass); Jerry Leake (perc.); Jason Palmer (trumpet); Clay Lyons (alto); George Garzone (tenor). 

(Review by Lance).

Anick and Yeager, now fellow Berklee instructors, have collaborated musically since their teenage years. That they have a natural empathy shows here - the chemistry is there. Anick can certainly swing on those occasions where it's demanded as well doing a little contemporary probing. Yeager is the ideal sparring partner/confidante in the manner of Brubeck and Desmond all those years ago. Feeding each other lines, drawing mutual inspiration musical soulmates.

For me, the icing on the cake is the tracks augmented by one or other of the horn players. The third Jason (Palmer) is particularly impressive on Harlem Hoedown, Clay Lyons shines on the appropriately named Bird's Eye View and Garzone flies on Turbulent Power. Most of the compositions are by either of the co-leaders with the exceptions being George Harrison's Something where Anick manages to coax some appealing sounds from his mandolin, so much so, it sounds more like a guitar - I wonder, did he do away with the double strings? The album concludes with the ubiquitous All Blues.

Special mention of Yeager's homage to Billy Strayhorn in the lyrical Sweet Pea I doubt if even Duke could have done it better! Joshua Redman is also honoured with Anick's Well Red.

All in all, an enjoyable album .it won't make the car stereo but neither will it be dispatched to the Oxfam Shop.

Lance.

Available on Greg Cosby's Inner Circle Music label.