Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » The Rob Thorsen Quartet: Evolution

187

The Rob Thorsen Quartet: Evolution

By

Sign in to view read count
The Rob Thorsen Quartet: Evolution
Bassist-led recording dates make among the most interesting and swinging music produced in jazz. Paul Chambers’ recordings for Blue Note are a great case in point. Veteran bassist Rob Thorsen extends this tradition with Evolution. Thorsen is a San Francisco native who has been playing and performing the better part of his life and has appeared with many jazz luminaries, including Mark Murphy, John Hendricks, James Moody, Charles McPherson, and Richie Cole. He is a bassist in the vein of Ray Brown, always on the beat, with the beautiful arco technique of Paul Chambers.



For Evolution, Mr. Thorsen has assembled a quartet of various musicians who elicit a variety of musical moods. The disc opens "Would You," a Thorsen original send-off which plays on "Woody’n You." Mike Wofford’s capable piano navigates the creative landscape, ensuring a steady swing. Thorsen follows that with the lilting Latin swing of "Besame Mucho," on which he bows the melody and solos. Harold Arlen’s "Let’s Fall in Love" has Harold Mason doing a Sonny Rollins tenor-Caribbean trip a la "St. Thomas." Wofford’s interlude solo is introspectively extroverted, as is the leader’s solo. Flautist Holly Hoffman takes Jobim’s "Mohave" to the bossa extreme again with Thorsen soloing effectively. Thorsen’s take on Monk’s "Evidence" is at once quirky and refined. Kamau Kenyetta plays the soprano saxophone, recalling Steve Lacy and his Monk fixation. Again Wofford’s piano is what shines, guided by Rob Thorsen’s perfect time.



Visit Azica Records and Rob Thorsen on the web.

Track Listing

Would (Wood) You? Besame Mucho; Let

Personnel

Rob Thorsen (bass); Chuck Manning (tenor sax), Holly Hofmann (flute), or Kamau Kenyatta (soprano sax); Mike Wofford (piano); and Duncan Moore or Harold Mason (drums)

Album information

Title: Evolution | Year Released: 2003 | Record Label: Azica Records

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

What Was Happening
Bobby Wellins Quartet
Laugh Ash
Ches Smith
A New Beat
Ulysses Owens, Jr. and Generation Y

Popular

Eagle's Point
Chris Potter
Light Streams
John Donegan - The Irish Sextet

Get more of a good thing!

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