Manhattan Bones: Tribute (2005)

Michael P. Gladstone

Senior Contributor since 2003

I came out of my musical hibernation circa 1960 and hit the streets for a new education on the past, present and future.

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Published: November 18, 2005

Calling all trombone enthusiasts! This septet includes four trombonists and devotes most of this album as an homage to jazz trombone moments of the past. Beginning life in Southern Maine as the "Maine Bones," this group gravitated to New York, took on a new identity, went through various personnel changes, and presents a tribute to trombone masters on its first album.

In addition to two original compositions by Scott Reeves, the album revisits J.J. Johnson's "Shutter-bug" from his mid-1950's Columbia date J.J. Inc.. "Shutterbug" is an unusual twenty-bar blues in which the the Manhattan Bones recreate Johnson's solo. They also perform Juan Tizol's 1927 "Caravan" but update the original arrangement.

Gil Evans is represented on two tracks. His treatment of "Gone, Gone, Gone" from Porgy & Bess is heard, but the arrangement is not based upon the Miles Davis/Gil Evans version. Rather, it reflects subsequent versions by Evans. The John Benson Brooks standard "Where Flamingos Fly," originally heard on Gil Evans' Out of the Cool, was written as a feature for trombonist Jimmy Knepper. Pianist Jim Ridl begins the familiar Evans intro and Tim Sessions, on tenor trombone, takes the beautiful melody line. Valve trombonist Bob Brookmeyer contributed the modal composition "Hum" to the Clark Terry-Brookmeyer Quintet on their late 1960s album Tonight. His solo is recreated here.

The other non-tribute tracks include Gabriel Faure's "Pavane" and a boogaloo take on Wayne Shorter's "Tom Thumb." Trombonist/composer/educator Scott Reeves performs on four instruments, including alto flugelhorn (a rotary valve German brass band instrument) and didgeridoo. The other trombonists are Sessions, Mark Patterson, and Tim Newman.

Track Listing: Shutter-bug; Pavane; Waltz From Shape Shifter; Gone; Where Flamingos Fly; Caravan; Congressional Role Call; Tom Thumb; Hum.

Personnel: Scott Reeves: alto flugelhorn, alto valve trombone, tenor trombone, didgeridoo; Tim Sessions: tenor trombone; Mark Patterson: tenor trombone; Tim Newman: bass trombone; Jim Ridl: piano; Mike McGuirk: bass; Andy Watson: drums.

Record Label: Creative Jazz Records
Style: Straight-ahead/Mainstream