Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Pete Mills: Art and Architecture
Pete Mills: Art and Architecture
ByThis is only Mills' second CD as a leader, but he sounds as though he's been playing for forty years. The late Joe Henderson keeps coming to mind as I listen to this one. On up-tempo originals like "Dot Com" and "Spin Dri," Mills' articulation and smooth flow of continuously fresh ideas feels very Henderson-like, with a tone that's not quite as sweet, with a little more tang in the sound. Indeed, Mills' closer here, Billy Strayhorn's "Isfahan," is the same song with which Henderson opened his marvelous Lush Life (Verve, '92); and both players treat the melody with a nimble and delicate affection, just sax and bass.
Mills also covers Strayhorn's "Chelsea Bridge," an achingly beautiful tune done wonderful justice by Mills and the band. In addition, the saxophonist tackles Monk on "In Walked Bud," with just bass and drums behind him, in a loose atmosphere that Mills handles with aplomb.
Mills' originalsseven of the ten tunes hereare all strong, including the zesty "Pumpkin Shoes" and the funk groove "Clubfoot"; but I've got to single out "Seven Shades of Blue," a cool-flowing bossa nova with adroit accoustic guitar accompaniment by Peter McCann. The style fits Pete Mills' sound the way it fit Stan Getz's; and I'm going to guess there's a full-on bossa nova CD in Mills' future.
An outstanding set of mainstream soundssax and rhythm section perfection.
Track Listing
Dot Com, Seven Shades of Blue, In Walked Bud, Spin Dri, Chelsea Bridge, April Tune, Pumpkin Shoes, Remembrances, Clubfoot, Isfahan
Personnel
Pete Mills
saxophonePete Mills--tenor saxophone; Pete McCann--guitar; Bobby Floyd--piano; Dennis Irwin--bass; Matt Wilson--drums
Album information
Title: Art and Architecture | Year Released: 2004 | Record Label: Unknown label
< Previous
L'Histoire du Clochard (The Bum's Tale)
Next >
Mark Dresser