Album review: the TNEK Jazz Quintet - plays the music of Sam Jones

Kent Miller (bass); Darius Scott (piano); Greg Holloway (drums); Antonio Parker (alto sax); Benny Russell (tenor/soprano sax).

Sam Jones was one of the great jazz bassists. With the trios of Peterson and Evans he stood tall but it was his work with the Cannonball Adderley Quintet that most jazz-heads remember him by. Justifiably so but, as this album proves, as a composer his compositions were equally as good as - if not better - than most of the originals his contemporaries were putting down. 

It's a belter! In fact it's a belter's belter! They hit the deck running and don't let up. Antonio Parker on alto is well named, just as Cannonball did, he's absorbed the teachings of Bird and added some of Cannonball's own thoughts which is quite a combination!

With Russell blowing tenor like as though it was the eve of tenor prohibition the ensemble sounds as hard-hitting as any hard bop quintet ever and with ne'er a trumpet in sight!

The rhythm section drives it along with Miller, bearing in mind his predecessor and inspiration for the album Jones, right on the money - he had no choice, he was in a put up or shut up situation - he didn't shut up.

But, at the end of the day, the star is Sam Jones. He may have died in 1981 at the tender age of 57 but, like Bird, Miles, Trane and many more his music lives on.

Stars? Start with your fingers, your toes and keep counting ...

Lance

Self released on March 1. Samples.

Unit Seven; Bittersuite; Some More of Dat; Lillie; O.P.; Del Sasser; Tragic Magic.