Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Marion Meadows: Secrets

401

Marion Meadows: Secrets

By

Sign in to view read count
Marion Meadows: Secrets
Regardless of the genre, an acoustic drum kit generally makes for a better sound than an electronic program. However, when the latter is done well, the difference can be staggering. That's one factor that makes Marion Meadows' Secrets function.

Meadows began playing saxophone at age eight. His studies led him to appreciate such greats as Stanley Turrentine, Duke Ellington and Coleman Hawkins. He has also studied Joe Henderson, Dave Liebman and Eddie Daniels. On Secrets, Meadows is accompanied by a variable lineup. The rhythm section for most tracks consists of Micheal Broening, keyboards and programming, Freddie Fox on guitar and Mel Brown on bass. Broening also wrote six of the ten original songs.

The title song features an easygoing groove. The backup ensemble of Broening, Brown, Fox, and drummer Michael White, is effective, with Maria Meadows offering some wordless vocals. The soprano sax is smooth without sounding trite or sugary.

Trumpeter Jesse McGuire joins for "Let the Top Down," another laid-back, Sunday drive kind of song, with Fox's guitar effects giving it a soulful edge. Though Broening's programming takes the place of drums, it does so superbly: with subtle changes in how the tom rolls and varied cymbal sounds are made, it seems like the real thing.

"Sand Dancers" has a slight Latin feel. The lineup here consists of composers Orly Penate and Roberto Vazquez, who handle a variety of keyboard and programming duties, including horn synths; percussionist Tony Verdejo; saxophonist Anthony Church; and trumpeter Ted Zimmerman. The result is a song that sounds like a fuller band. The congas add a really nice flavor here, and the keyboard solo provides one of the highlights, along with Meadows' lead.

Meadows co-wrote the delightful "Flirt" with Broening. Apart from covers of songs by Bobby McFerrin and Pat Metheny, the other tracks were written by some of the musicians who appear on them. Though Meadows is clearly the focal point of Secrets, it's the ensemble work of the other musicians that helps it break from the mold of so many other smooth jazz instrumentalist efforts. Meadows plays with passion and energy throughout, but it's less about him and more about the overall sound.

Track Listing

Secrets; Let the Top Down; You Lift My Heart; Soul Sugar; The Child in Me; Sand Dancers; Playtime; Flirt; Friends; Urban Angels; The Shade Tree; Here to Stay.

Personnel

Marion Meadows
saxophone

Marion Meadows: saxophone, clarinet (9, 10); Maria Meadows: vocals (1), background vocals (3); Michael Broening: keyboards and programming (1, 2, 4, 5, 8, 10); Freddie Fox: guitar (1, 2, 4, 5, 8, 10); Mel Brown: bass (1, 2, 4, 5, 8, 10); Michael White: drums (1, 8); Jesse McGuire: trumpet (2, 9, 10); Brian Keane: acoustic guitar, electric guitar, piano, keyboards and drum programming (3); Charlie Karp: lead vocals (3); Chip Shearin: bass (3, 9, 12), keyboards (9, 12), piano (12); Orly Penate: keyboards, guitar, bass, drums and percussion programming (6), strings and horns arrangement (6); Roberto Vazquez: piano and horns (6); Anthony Church: saxophone (6); Ted Zimmerman: trumpet (6); Tony Verdejo: additional percussion (6); Will Brock: keyboards, guitar, bass and drum programming (7); Brian Chartrand: vocals (9); Rachel Eckroth: Rhodes and Wurlitzer (9), B3 and Rhodes (12); Brian Morgan: guitar (9, 12); Steve "Jabari" Kersey: drums (9, 12); Philip Hamilton: vocals (10); Sean Thomas: vocals (11); Johnny Britt: vocals (11), trumpet and "all other instruments" (11); Jay Rowe: piano solo (12); Perry Hughes: guitar solo (12).

Album information

Title: Secrets | Year Released: 2009 | Record Label: Heads Up International

Comments

Tags

Concerts

Apr 11 Thu
May 10 Fri
May 10 Fri
May 11 Sat
May 11 Sat
May 12 Sun

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

Sensual
Rachel Z
Over and Over
Tony Monaco Trio
Love Is Passing Thru
Roberto Magris

Popular

Get more of a good thing!

Our weekly newsletter highlights our top stories, our special offers, and upcoming jazz events near you.