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Mikkel Ploug Group Featuring Mark Turner: Mikkel Ploug Group
ByAn improviser somewhat influenced by Trane, Turner adds his own take on these melodic Ploug originals. The amicable compositions and the neo-boppish style of Ploug's trio blend exceedingly well with Turner's tuneful approach for a refreshingly uncluttered program. The session is a decidedly global affair; Copenhagen's first-call bassist Jeppe Skovbakke and Dublin's top working drummer Sean Caprio provide a fluidly rhythmic foundation. All delicately straddle an engagingly thin line between straying too far from the music's intent and presenting an organized program.
This cohesive quality is due primarily to the manner in which Turner's tone sonically integrates with Ploug's guitar. Not a classically corpulent tenor sound, but sleeker and more agile, in the vein of a soprano player, it enables the two frontmen to trade off and combine for a very clean, though not sterile, sound. While each goes his own way at times, the most satisfying cuts are those that have the two blending against a very tuneful rhythm section.
Ploug is also impressive with melodies that do not become clichéd, quite ethereal chordalscape augmentations, intricate improvisations and slickly complex picked-out lines. Featuring Mark Turner is a strong collaborative first effort from a young guitarist that we will hopefully be hearing from again.
Track Listing
Four!; Big City Walk; Turners Odysseys; Breakfast Special; First Song; 21 Century Folk Song; Logicunlogic; The Vodka is on the Bottom; Play it to the Ground.
Personnel
Mikkel Ploug
guitarMikkel Ploug: guitar; Mark Turner: tenor saxophone; Jeppe Skovbakke: bass; Sean Carpio: drums.
Album information
Title: Mikkel Ploug Group | Year Released: 2007 | Record Label: Fresh Sound New Talent
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