Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » The Rocco John Group: Devotion

179

The Rocco John Group: Devotion

By

Sign in to view read count
The Rocco John Group: Devotion
Trumpet and sax pairings often make for some of the most enjoyable jazz. The Rocco John Group, venturing back into the sounds of the 1960s and '70s, keep that thought alive.

Saxophonist Rocco John Iacovone studied with Lee Konitz and has worked with Sam Rivers. The group has performed together 11 years. The other members are Michael Irwin on trumpet, Aaron Keane on bass and Dalius Naujokaitis on drums and percussion. Iacovone plays his usual alto, as well as soprano sax on some selections.

"Bass Talk," a tribute to deceased bassist Dennis Irwin, opens with sax and trumpet in unison. They split with Iacovone leading on the alto sax, while Irwin softly plays underneath before bowing out entirely. Naujokaitis varies his play throughout the solo, during which Iacovone makes his horn squeak, squeal and flow through some highs. Irwin comes back in with a solo of his own. One line is complemented by a powerful roll on the snare. Keane and Naujokaitis enjoy solos as well.

"Bach to Bird" is one track that goes a bit off the beaten path. Iacovone counts classical composer Johann Sebastian Bach and jazz legend Charlie "Bird" Parker among his influences. This eclectic selection stirs a bit of both. The opening melody has the sax and the trumpet in a classically styled duet, each instrument independent of the other. Then, the song shifts into a vintage jazz number. The sidemen jam with vigor behind the leads. Later, they each solo.

The album includes two suites. The first, "Devotion," is influenced by John Coltrane. The four movements convey the same ideas with different expressions. The other suite is "Freedom Theme," which accomplishes the same in three movements, but expressing a different emotion.

Devotion's 11 tracks are original compositions. All but a few clock in at more than five minutes, totaling almost 80 minutes of music. The quartet works well as a unit, but also allows plenty of room for individual expression.

Track Listing

Riffin' For Eric; Bass Talk; Bach to Bird; Cy-Cology; Devotion Suite I; Devotion Suite II And III; Devotion Suite IV; Mischievous Mystic; Freedom Theme I And II; Freedom Theme III; Dreams.

Personnel

MGMT
 

Rocco John Iacovone: alto and soprano saxophones; Michael Irwin: trumpet; Aaron Keane: bass; Dalius Naujokaitis: drums and percussion.

Album information

Title: Devotion | Year Released: 2009 | Record Label: Coalition of Creative Artists Productions

Comments

Tags


For the Love of Jazz
Get the Jazz Near You newsletter All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who create it. Our enduring commitment has made "AAJ" one of the most culturally important websites of its kind, read by hundreds of thousands of fans, musicians and industry figures every month.

You Can Help
To expand our coverage even further and develop new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for a modest $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination will vastly improve your AAJ experience and allow us to vigorously build on the pioneering work we first started in 1995. So enjoy an ad-free AAJ experience and help us remain a positive beacon for jazz by making a donation today.

More

Sensual
Rachel Z
Over and Over
Tony Monaco Trio
Love Is Passing Thru
Roberto Magris

Popular

Get more of a good thing!

Our weekly newsletter highlights our top stories, our special offers, and upcoming jazz events near you.