Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Native Soul: Soul Step

143

Native Soul: Soul Step

By

Sign in to view read count
Native Soul: Soul Step
Native Soul Soul Step is a stylistically coherent and well executed effort. The quartet—a classic keyboards, saxophone, bass and drums lineup—plays mostly straight-ahead, but adds enough instrumental and musical variation to keep it fresh throughout.

Keyboardist Noah Haidu is the collective's founder, and is the source of a good portion of the music's diversity. By switching between piano and Fender Rhodes—with a dash of B-3 organ and synthesizer—he adds just the right touch of funk and nostalgia to the set, making a credible effort at evoking several distinct styles of jazz.

The title track opens with a funky bass vamp, overlaid by some bell-like keyboard tones and Peter Brainin's soprano saxophone. Collectively they recreate a sound that could have easily come from a 1973 date on the CTI label, but that vibe immediately gives way to a more modern feel, as Brainen and Haidu switch to piano and tenor respectively, for "End of a Love Affair," employing some bold, modal chord blocking. Brainin's "Mingus" is a 3/4 vehicle for his grooved tenor improvisation, while Haidu employs a chopped waltz background comp, giving the track a smoky club feeling.

The funk reemerges in a big way when bassist Marcus McLaurine breaks open Jimi Hendrix's "Castles Made of Sand." The band really nails this one, using the original melody judiciously as an opening statement and as a framework for improvisation, restating the theme enough to be recognizable, but altering it sufficiently so as to avoid outright imitation.

In the collectively written liner notes, the band reminisces about the days when music was not a ubiquitous digital commodity, but something into which people had to put some thought. Getting one's paws on the latest releases wasn't always as simple as making a few keystrokes on a computer. Perhaps Native Soul longs for the opportunity to have its CD prominently featured in the new releases section at the front of the store. Soul Steps might have gotten some traction from music shoppers looking for a solid effort from a group of really fine musicians.

Track Listing

Soul Step; End of A Love Affair; Deep Blue; Inner Search; Mingus; Slipstream; Castles Made of Sand; Into the Night; Talking Drum; One For Op; Gift Within.

Personnel

Peter Brainin: tenor and soprano saxophones, flute; Noah Haidu: piano, keyboards; Marcus McLaurine: electric and acoustic bass; Steve Johns: drums.

Album information

Title: Soul Step | Year Released: 2011 | Record Label: Talking Drum 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

Love Is Passing Thru
Roberto Magris
Candid
Sunny Five
Inside Colours Live
Julie Sassoon

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.