by Rick Bruner
Alto saxophonist Kenny Garrett is proving to be one of today’s
leading exponents of the instrument preferred by artists such as Charlie
Parker, Jackie McLean, Paul Desmond, Benny Carter and Arthur Blythe.
One of his greatest accomplishments is that he sounds like none of
them. Mr. Garrett has developed a distinctively dark, soulful tone that
is instantly recognizable.
Last year he sounded a wake-up call with Pursuance, a wonderfully
original concept album of the music of John Coltrane. Songbook
presents his current touring quartet in a program of Garrett-penned
tunes that accurately represents their seismic live shows. The group
consists of Kenny Kirkland and Jeff "Tain" Watts and solid bassist Nat
Reeves. This line-up virtually guarantees excellence. Watts is one of
the most exciting and stimulating drum artists of the last decade and it
is a treat to hear the somewhat under-recorded Kirkland in this great
band.
From sweetly haunting ballads and gritty, soulful testimonies to
roiling, wailing meltdowns, the tunes draw from hard bop and r‘n’b
sources. On tunes like "2 Down & 1 Across" and "Wooden Steps," Garrett
takes no prisoners as he blasts to the stratosphere with Watts and
Kirkland as the rocket fuel. On "Sing a Song of Song" and "Brother
Hubbard" the quartet grooves as Garrett testifies. "She Waits for the
New Sun" is a moving ballad.
See this band in performance if you can, then strap yourself into the
recliner and relive one of the most amazing jazz units to hit the road
in 1997. Songbook literally blazes with the joy of artistic
creation. Highly recommended.