Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Ralph Peterson's Unity Project: Outer Reaches
Ralph Peterson's Unity Project: Outer Reaches
ByBut with a six-year gap between recordings, does Peterson have what it takes to get back on the radar? Based on Outer Reaches, absolutely. Debuting his Unity Project, Peterson looks fondly back at organist Larry Young's 1966 Blue Note classic, Unity. But like his kick-ass Art Blakey homage, Art (Blue Note, 1994), Peterson may mirror the lineup of Young's career watershed, but transcends mere imitation through unbridled energy and a modern approach to the organ-driven ensemble that, in Unity's time, shattered misconceptions about the venerable Hammond B3's potential. Peterson's always carried the torch for bop's hardest-hitting drummersBlakey, Roy Haynes and Max Roachbut he's always brought his own kind of incendiary enthusiasm and appealing writing to every project.
More than just a tribute to Unity, sporting four of its six tunes, Outer Reaches also gives props to Woody Shaw. Alongside the trumpeter's modal classic "The Moontrane," up-tempo swinger "Beyond All Limits" and fiery but Latin-esque "Zoltan," all from Unity, Peterson also includes the gentler waltz-time "Katrina Ballerina," from the trumpeter's overlooked The Moontrane (Muse, 1974). That Unity's tracks mirror the original arrangementsright down to starting "Zoltan," with a drum solo that expands on the innate power of Elvin Jones' originaldoesn't detract from Outer Reaches speaking with the collective voice of Peterson's Unity Project, featuring a trio of relative unknowns who deserve broader recognition, in particular organist Pat Bianchi, who proves himself far more than a Joey DeFrancesco wannabe on tracks like "Beyond All Limits" and Unity's cover, Thelonious Monk's "Monk's Dream," channeling Monk's quirky pianism on his own instrument.
Compositionally, Peterson's no slouch, contributing strong, blow-ready tunes that fit Unity's stylistic purview, with the hard-swinging title track, lyrically balladic "On My Side" and ambling "An Inside Job."
But it's the inclusion of guitarist David Fiuczynski on two tracks that suggests Unity Project is looking beyond its titular namesake into some of Young's later work. On "Zoltan," Fuze's grittily overdriven solo foreshadows Young's involvement in drummer Tony Williams' Lifetime, while the closera high volume, high octane, trio-only version of guitarist John McLaughlin's "Spectrum," from Williams' iconic Emergency! (Polydor, 1969)is delivered with reckless abandon and utter aplomb by Fuze, Peterson and Bianchi.
Peterson may be battling the inevitable results of being absent for more than half a decade, but on the strengths of Outer Reaches, he deserves to be welcomed back, and with open arms. Hopefully this is the beginning of renewed activity for the drummer, because he's been away for far too long.
Track Listing
The Moontrane; Monk's Dreams; Outer Reaches; Katrina Ballerina; Beyond All Limits; On My Side; An Inside Job; Beyond My Wildest Dreams; Ritha; Zoltan; We Three Kings; Spectrum.
Personnel
Ralph Peterson
drumsJosh Evans: trumpet; Jovan Alexandre: tenor saxophone; Pat Bianchi: organ; Ralph Peterson: drums, trumpet; David Fiuczynski: guitar (10, 12).
Album information
Title: Outer Reaches | Year Released: 2011 | Record Label: Onyx Music Label
< Previous
Dawn Of Goodbye
Next >
Cuong Vu: Agogic Logic