Can he play? Can he compose? Can he arrange? Those were the questions that sprung to my mind as I slid McLaughlin's debut album into the machine
Well I'm pleased to say that McLaughlin (no relation to John) ticked all of those boxes and, with the assistance of a couple of L.A.'s big hitters and some exciting trumpet blasts from Pelt, all of the tracks work well.
Desert Chapel opens with some gentle bass playing, Siskind and Raymond pick up the mood before Pelt joins the caravanserai. His tone, round and clear, paints the scene for solos by the leader and pianist Siskind. An evocative title for an evocative tune.
Trailhead has more brilliance from Pelt. The composition relates to the trails near Idyllwild in California's San Jacinto Mountains. It's described by a travel adviser as 'a mile high paradise'. Could be they were referring to Pelt's upper register playing.
Signals, the composer explains, signifies a path that has opened or is changing. Pelt is muted yet, like Miles before him, it doesn't detract from his sound.
The Solar Punks is named after an anarchist movement that believes a sustainable future can be obtained without government. Perhaps it would be best if he didn't run that one past President Trump.
Lily relates to Lily Rock (Tarquitz Peak). It's a mournful piece that is given the appropriate treatment considering it was inspired by the spirit of death in both a personal and a wider sense for the composer.
El Polvo (The Dust), a 13-bar blues with a bridge has Siskind strutting his stuff with bass and drums diving in and out, all good fun.
Trial, composed during Covid, sees the return of Pelt, who'd sat out the previous opus. What a player!
Elevation, inspired by Joe Henderson's Isotope, represents the relationship between two mountain points or, metaphorically, two different places in life.
It's a delightful album. It's not going to change the world - who or what is? Interestingly, A Brand New State was released on Jan.17 - three days before Donald Trump's inauguration ceremony ... Lance
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