An interesting concept album by a fine Chicago based trumpet player and composer who, on this his sixth album, charts his musical journey from the past to the present in the form of original compositions along with his arrangements of some modern jazz standards which have punctuated Rutz's journey.
He gets a modern sound with phrasing to match. And he can play a ballad - can he not! On Lil Hardin Armstrong's composition Just For a Thrill Rutz gives a master class in lyricism that the composer's husband would have struggled to better.
In Cassity he has a sympathetic front line partner. Her pedigree is of the highest degree. On tenor or alto she swings like nobody's business or, to be more precise, like Joe Henderson on the track dedicated to him - Short Story.
Pianist Ruiz is another hard swinger who, along with the alternating bassists and drummer Swan, drive things along. Guitarist Asche only appears on three tracks but he makes his presence felt. This is quite an album. A prologue, an epilogue and three chapters in between (12 tracks in all) ensures that the content lives up to the title.
To find out more go HERE. Lance
1 comment :
Thanks for the listen and your review! Markus
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