Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » John McNeil: East Coast Cool

148

John McNeil: East Coast Cool

By

Sign in to view read count
John McNeil: East Coast Cool
The music called "West Coast Cool" was well-represented by the mid-fifties Gerry Mulligan/Chet Baker Quartet, with Mulligan on the baritone saxophone and Baker on trumpet, backed by bass and drums. Working without a chording instrument—piano or guitar—was quite innovative at the time. The sound, in contrast to the sharper-edged bop of the day, had a loose, fluid feeling, a "cool" flow.

Trumpeter John McNeil's resume includes stints with the Horace Silver Quintet and the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra, as well as work with Mulligan himself. McNeil was hired to write arrangements for a Mulligan truibute band after the baritone saxophonist/composer's death; and what better way to get inside the music.

McNeil's association with Mulligan and the man's music inpired East Coast Cool. With the same piano-less quartet instrumentation—in this case McNeil on trumpet, Alan Chase on baritone sax, John Hebert on bass, and the ubiquitous Matt Wilson on drums—the West Coast Cool sound gets an infusion of East Coast freedom, a bit more of an edge, and a slightly higher level of intensity and abstraction.

McNeil, who wrote most of the tunes here, has more bite in his trumpet tone compared to Baker's. He and Chase blow loose unison lines that melt into wandering solos and sinuous conversations, much the way Baker and Mulligan did it. A big difference is in the bass/drum approach of Hebert and Wilson; they are more integrated into the quartet, more vibrant, adding much to the more modern sound of the band.

East Coast Cool freshens the Mulligan/Baker cool sound with an East Coast edge.

Track Listing

Deadline, A Time to Go, Brothr Frank, Bernie's tune, Duet #1, Delusions, Wanwood, Internal Hurdles, Duet #2, Waltz Helios, Schoenberg's Piano Concerto, GAB

Personnel

John McNeil
trumpet

John McNeil: trumpet; Alan Chase: baritone saxophone; John Hebert: bass; Matt Wilson: drums

Album information

Title: East Coast Cool | Year Released: 2006 | Record Label: OmniTone

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.