With a rock-inflected style, guitarist David Gilmore
was a vital member of drummer Jeff 'Tain' Watts' ensemble
A Canadian native, trumpeter Ingrid Jensen proved that
you don't have to be a guy to jam with the best of them.
From his early days with Ray Charles, David
'Fathead' Newman has maintained a soulful outlook and he and Curtis
Fuller made for a powerful front line as part of Legends of the Bandstand.
On the heels of his latest release on his own new record
label, Branford Marsalis let loose with a incendiary mix that paid
homage to the masters while looking towards the future.
Leading his own set and working with Branford Marsalis
to boot, Jeff 'Tain' Watts proved to be one busy and 'serious' dude.
A mainstay of Branford Marsalis' crew for many years,
pianist Joey Calderazzo locked in tight with rhythm mates Eric Revis
and Jeff 'Tain' Watts.
Not only is he a great drummer, but Matt Wilson is also
fun to watch, here digging Dr. Lonnie Smith's organic grooves.
Holding down the fort for Branford's quartet is no small task,
but Eric Revis is one of today's true masters.
Although not as well known as he should be in years to come,
Diego Rivera provided a vital new voice on tenor and soprano
saxophones as part of Rodney Whitaker's ensemble.
C. Andrew Hovan has been active in the field of jazz since his days at the Berklee College of Music in the mid-'80s. A native of Cleveland, Ohio, he has been a past trustee of the Northeast Ohio Jazz Society and a jazz deejay at WCPN-FM. A freelance musician and record collector, Hovan has been a contributor to the MusicHound album reference guides for jazz and swing, is a regular contributor to All About Jazz, Down Beat, and The Cleveland Free Times. Hovan also regularly pens liner notes for the independent Criss Cross Jazz label.
