Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Sarah Morrow: Greenlight

Sarah Morrow: Greenlight

By Jim Santella
July 1, 2001
Sign in to view read count

Trombonist Sarah Morrow has it all: creative music with a strong traditional foundation and superb musical skills. Her session swings in a rhythmic groove, and there's plenty of room for ballads. "All Blues" summarizes the session with sparkling glimpses, both old and new. However, the use of space to make room for James Hurt's piano musings and associated changes in mood tends to make the session drag on and lose its excitement in places. Morrow is an exciting player with all the necessary skills. Her music thrills, as long as she's at center stage. A brief excerpt is available at www.looproductions.com .

Partner Antoine Roney performs with a mellow tone and fluid articulation. Preferring to lie low through most of the session, the tenor saxophonist adds a voice to the mix that allows Morrow additional freedom. Her trombone lines move high and low around the others. Passionate expression and seamless phrasing make it work for the young virtuoso. "Discovered" by Ray Charles, she toured with his orchestra from November 1995 to May '97. Since then, Morrow has toured with David Murray's Octet, Dee Dee Bridgewater with Cecil Bridgewater's big band, and with Paul Ellington directing the Duke Ellington Orchestra. While her résumé grows, the trombonist is free to combine the tradition that she's studied with her own ideas on what directions jazz should take. Ugonna Okegwo, who solos on the final track, and Jaz Sawyer, who steps it up on "Tisha's Dance" and "Elvin Goes Waltzing," supply a solid rhythmic base throughout. While Morrow's debut contains a few unsettled areas, its intended purpose succeeds. Having been introduced, she's now free to get better acquainted with the larger jazz community, refine her focus, and share her ideas with the world.

Track Listing

Intro; Greenlight; Tisha's Dance; Elvin Goes Waltzing; You Don't Know What Love Is; Waduyathink? / All Blues; One for the Road.

Personnel

Sarah Morrow

trombone

Sarah Morrow- trombone; Antoine Roney- tenor saxophone; James Hurt- piano; Ugonna Okegwo- bass; Jaz Sawyer- drums; Kazi Oliver- percussion on "Greenlight" and "Tisha's Dance."

Album information

Title: Greenlight | Year Released: 2001 | Record Label: Cobra Bleu

< Previous
Meet Duane Eubanks

Next >
Mats Gustafsson / Paul Lovens Duo & L...

Comments

About Sarah Morrow

Instrument: Trombone

Tags

For the Love of Jazz

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.