Dautch's Music For the People is a collection of pieces dedicated to those people who have shaped his life. Family, friends and mentors. On the strength of what I've heard, they did a good job.
An enjoyable romp opening with Duke Pearson's Hello Bright Sunflower. The only non-original track, the first thing to hit me was the similarity in sound and technique between Dautch and Pepper Adams. Not a bad role model! As it happens the first recording of Hello Bright Sunflower was by the Donald Byrd/Pepper Adams Quintet leading to Dautch's liking for the trumpet/baritone front line we have here.
Nighttime on the Red Line has a cinematic feel to it. In fact as I listened I was mentally composing a storyline to match the tune title. This came to a halt when I realised it had already been done as The Taking of Pelham 123!
Odious Din refers to his destructive and very vocal cat. It, the tune, swings faster than a cat chasing a mouse with blistering solos all round. Halpern hits some high ones, piano goes berserk and it culminates in a winner take all punch up.
By way of contrast Grateful is a poignant, posthumous ballad dedicated to Dautch's late father who was a big fan of The Grateful Dead. The connection is via the title rather than the music.
L'Chaim is another tribute to a departed family member - a close cousin. Again the beautiful sonority of the baritone tugs at the heartstrings. Piano, bass and drums also display sensitivity.
The Guru, unsurprisingly, is dedicated to one of his teachers at Rutgers where he did his graduate studies. An impressive arrangement and a trumpet solo with a few little tricks that made wonder where he was going which, in truth, wasn't very far.
The Climbing Silver, based on an animated Japanese cartoon opens with a fine trumpet solo that cues the leader in for a workout in the subterranean depths. He's quoted as saying "Playing the baritone sax is a dirty job but someone's got to do it". Few do it better!
Bacher's Batch refers to jazz summer camps in South Florida where he grew up. It's a nice easy swing of the kind that is becoming rarer and rarer these days. Big solo from Halpern,
Still with musicians like this around it will never go away. Love it! Lance
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