Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Gerald Albright: Sax for Stax

456

Gerald Albright: Sax for Stax

By

Sign in to view read count
Gerald Albright: Sax for Stax
It's all about Memphis with Gerald Albright's Sax for Stax. The veteran saxophonist revisits the sounds of the 1960s and '70s that helped define a label and, to a certain degree, a generation of soul musicians.

A native of Los Angeles, Albright has effortless straddled the line between jazz and R&B, making music that is easily accepted by fans of one genre or the other. His inspirations include such tenor sax legends as John Coltrane and Eddie Harris, as well as alto sax specialist Julian "Cannonball" Adderley and the versatile Maceo Parker. For this project, Albright was approached by Peak Records executive Mark Wexler about doing an album that tied in with parent label Concord's re-launching of Stax. Albright plays alto, tenor, and baritone sax on all tracks, but also contributes flutes, percussion programming, and bass guitar on some selections.

No Stax tribute would be complete without Isaac Hayes. Albright delivers a hard-charging cover of Hayes' "Theme from 'The Men,'" a seldom heard instrumental track from an obscure television series. With string arrangements by Mark Cargill, the core ensemble of Teddy Campbell on drums, Lenny Castro on percussion, Melvin Davis on bass, Tracy Carter on keyboards, and Errol Cooney on guitar, Albright captures the spirit of the original theme while making it fresh. A highlight is his Maceo Parker-esque alto solo near the end. Cargill's strings are very effective.

Guest vocalist Ledisi leads on the Staples Singers' "Respect Yourself." Cooney's rhythm guitar brings that early '70s flavor, while Albright's grinding alto adds a little seasoning. Rex Rideout, who produced and arranged several tracks, provides additional keys.

Memphis' Kirk Whalum plays tenor sax on one of three Albright originals, "Walkin' Down Beale Street," an easy-going track that lives up to its name. Earth, Wind & Fire's Philip Bailey joins for a moving presentation of the Dramatics' "What You See Is What You Get." Albright's arrangement injects a bit of Latin style on this mostly instrumental track.

Though this is mostly a cover album, it represents some of Albright's finest work. The selection of songs is excellent and the arrangements do justice to the originals without sounding trite. But more importantly, Albright shows his versatility in playing different saxophones, flutes, and bass. Sax for Stax is a fine tribute to the Memphis-based label and its artists.

Track Listing

Theme from 'The Men'; Knock on Wood; Never Can Say Goodbye; Memphis Passion; Respect Yourself; I Stand Accused; Cheaper to Keep Her; Walkin

Personnel

Gerald Albright
saxophone

Gerald Albright: baritone, tenor, alto saxes; flutes (1, 3, 4, 6), bass guitar (4, 6, 8), percussion programming (4, 11); Teddy Campbell: drums; Lenny Castro: percussion (1-3, 5-10); Melvin Davis: bass (1-3, 5, 7, 9, 10); Errol Cooney: guitar (1-3, 5, 7, 9, 10); Tracy Carter: keyboards (1-3, 5, 7-11); Mark Cargill: strings (1, 3, 6, 9); Rex Rideout: keyboards (2, 5, 6, 9, 10); Will Downing: vocals (3); Rick Watford: guitars (4, 8, 11); Arlington Jones: keyboards (4); Ledisi: vocals (5); Darrell Crooks: guitar (6); Selina Albright: background vocals (6); Kirk Whalum: tenor sax (8); Phillip Bailey: vocals (9); Mabvuto Carpenter: background vocals (9).

Album information

Title: Sax for Stax | Year Released: 2008 | Record Label: Peak Records

Comments

Tags

Concerts


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.