Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » David Weiss & Point Of Departure: Venture Inward

3

David Weiss & Point Of Departure: Venture Inward

By

Sign in to view read count
David Weiss & Point Of Departure: Venture Inward
Fans of trumpeter David Weiss may be a bit confused when they take a look at this album. At quick glance, it reads like a re-tread of Weiss' Snuck In (Sunnyside, 2010), which has a near-identical line-up playing a near-identical program, but there's a good reason for that: both albums were actually recorded a day apart in completely different environments. Snuck In—and companion piece Snuck Out (Sunnyside, 2011)—capture Weiss' Point Of Departure band (mostly) live at New York's Jazz Standard on March 25, 2008; The majority of Venture Inward's tracks were recorded in a studio a day earlier.

It's tempting to run a complete compare-and-contrast on all three albums, but it isn't really necessary. All of these records, when viewed as a single body of work, help to provide a complete picture of this band at a specific point and time and they're all first rate.

Weiss' Point Of Departure quintet points directly to the late '60s, but doesn't really live there. The band takes inspiration from trumpeter Miles Davis' second great quintet and its membership, trumpeter Charles Moore, and original thinking pianist Andrew Hill, but it puts its own spin on material connected to these artists. Weiss chose wisely when he put together this group of highly respected modernists, who fit this music well without kowtowing to its creators. Tenor saxophonist JD Allen shares the front line with Weiss, and both men marry the unpredictable with the melodic at every turn. Guitarist Nir Felder deftly changes hats, as he delivers shimmering background commentary one minute and probing solo work the next, and drummer Jamire Williams is a beacon of intensity. Bassist Luques Curtis, who's replaced by Matt Clohesy on the Sunnyside albums, acts as a musical adhesive, binding all manner of sound together at any given moment.

Pianist Herbie Hancock's "I Have A Dream," which features some winning interplay between Weiss and Allen, and drummer Tony Williams' "Black Comedy," which moves with strength and off-kilter buoyancy, open things up. Moore's lengthy and intense "Number 4" finds the band exploring a loose-tight rhythmic duality, as solos get passed around and things congeal and disintegrate at will. The majority of this music is powerful and direct, but finesse does find a way into the picture on Hill's "Pax," which follows on the heels of his sly "Venture Inward." Moore's "Snuck In" serves as potent conclusion to an exciting album that's built around a new take on the late '60s "new thing" esthetic.

Track Listing

I Have A Dream; Black Comedy; Number 4; Venture Inward; Pax; Snuck In.

Personnel

David Weiss
trumpet

David Weiss: trumpet; J.D. Allen: tenor saxophone; Nir Felder; guitar; Luques Curtis: bass; Jamire Williams: drums.

Album information

Title: Venture Inward | Year Released: 2013 | Record Label: Posi-Tone Records

Comments

Tags


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.