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Steve Heckman Quintet: Search for Peace
ByYes, he can. And on Search for Peace Heckman is surrounded by others who can do the same: guitarist Howard Alden, organist Matt Clark, bassist Marcus Shelby and drummer Akira Tana. This is an excellent quintet whose members are perceptive soloists as well as congenial teammates. That helps make life easy for Heckman whose muscular tenor sets the tone on seven of nine tracks (he switches to baritone on Randy Weston's buoyant "Hi-Fly" and the haunting ballad "Autumn in New York"). On baritone, Heckman blends the full-throated sound of a Cecil Payne or Nick Brignola with the nimble phrasing of a Pepper Adams, Gary Smulyan or Ronnie Cuber.
The session opens with Blue Mitchell's sunny calypso "Fungii Mama" and closes with Coltrane's cleverly designed "Spiral." Also on the menu are guitarist Grant Green's emphatic "Grantstand," McCoy Tyner's pensive "Search for Peace," Monk's quirky "Pannonica," Sonny Clark's linear "Melody for C" and a fast-paced Heckman original, "Hangin' at Slug's." Alden solos astutely on most tracks, as does Clark, while Shelby and Tana provide a spacious comfort zone in which Heckman is able to roam freely and achieve his purpose. That purpose, of course, is to produce a sharp and engaging album, which is precisely the upshot of Search for Peace.
Track Listing
Fungii Mama; Grantstand; Search for Peace; Pannonica; Hi-Fly; Hangin' at Slug's; Melody for C; Autumn in New York; Spiral.
Personnel
Steve Heckman
saxophone, tenorSteve Heckman: tenor and baritone saxophones; Howard Alden: guitar; Matt Clark: Hammond B-3 organ; Marcus Shelby: bass; Akira Tana: drums.
Album information
Title: Search for Peace | Year Released: 2014 | Record Label: Jazzed Media
Comments
About Steve Heckman
Instrument: Saxophone, tenor
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