Derek Brown: All Figured Out
The ensemble parts are full of joyous big band shouts and Brown's lead lines still do the beatbox clicking and popping but there are also interlocking and repeating orchestral lines which show he knows all about the work of Steve Reich and Philip Glass. This shows up in the group backgrounds on "A Simple Gesture" and throughout the rhythms on "Human Error" which play underneath Brown's scorching tenor solos and Lee Heerspink's incendiary electric guitar. A string quartet mixes with the orchestra on "The Pursuit," creating a large, fast-moving Midwestern landscape which sounds like Pat Metheny's orchestral work. Brown and caleb elzinga go on a soulful two tenor binge here, cackling and honking like King Curtis and leading the entire orchestra into a wavy soul vibe.
There is a religious feel to "Vantage Point." The horns echo and ping pong in the beginning, before a gospel spirit emerges in Brown's tenor which is then amplified by handclaps and Clif Metcalf's organ. The leader even writes a catchy pop song in "All Figured Out" which he sings over an elastic reggae beat carried by organ, piano and rhythm section. "The Good Fight" is a grand cinematic climax to the session, bringing in waves of saxophones, choppy beats, repetitions, fanfares and even a brief section of Brazilian drumming. On this track as on all the rest, Brown's sax playing is the keystone, warm and luscious, his sound powering emotionally over all the instrumental color and giving this music heart.
Derek Brown is a lot more than a guy who can stutter step through a saxophone solo. He is an impressive artist who can write and perform ferocious, uplifting music for large jazz groups which blends formal complexity with soul. He deserves a lot of attention.
Track Listing
Prelude; Human Error; Again; A Simple Gesture; Vantage Point; All Figured Out; The Pursuit; Hoping for the Best; The Good Fight.
Personnel
Derek Brown: saxophone, tenor; The Holland Concert Jazz Orchestra: band/orchestra; The Hope College Jazz Arts Collective: band/orchestra; Hope College Brazilian Drumming Ensemble: band/orchestra; Anna Janowski: violin; Lian Robinson: violin; Abigail Finnegan: viola; Elizabeth Bachwich: cello.
Additional Instrumentation
Anna Janowski, Lian Robinson, Abigail Finnegan, Elizabeth Bachwich (1, 7); The Hope College Jazz Arts Collective (9); Brazilian Drumming Ensemble (9).
Album information
Title: All Figured Out | Year Released: 2020 | Record Label: Self Produced