Another nice retro-mod album that slots into that triangular area lying in between bop, hard bop and West Coast. All of the soloists sit comfortably into that, the most fertile of pastures that modern, as opposed to contemporary, jazz has ever known. I find it nothing less than wonderful that musicians of this calibre are still breathing new life into such a tried and tested format - it is a credit to both themselves and their predecessors.
Moffit could be described as the greatest modern jazz trumpet player you never heard - until now that is. Keep him in mind when the DownBeat Polls come around. The reason for his undeserved anonymity isn't because he's been incarcerated in a 'rehabilitation centre' serving 10 to 15 but because he's been doing time with various American and international service bands - Glenn Miller lives!
His patriotic duties included leading/playing with various US Air Force bands as well as being MD of the NATO Jazz Orchestra (no, I didn't know they had one either!).
Listen to his ballad playing on But Beautiful - Chet Baker would have had to throw in a vocal to top that!
He's surrounded himself with some top guys who read his charts to perfection as well as shooting for the moon in their own right.
It may not be a disc to die for but it's certainly one you'd like to prolong your life for and the perfect antidote to what has been, for me, a stressful day! Lance
Available August 20 on Turning Circles Music via the usual online bandits..
This I Dig of You; Just a Few; Free For All; Katrina Ballerina; Life, Love, Loss; 10-4 Jam; M.L; But Beautiful.
1 comment :
Thank you for the kind words, Lance!
KM
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