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Benjamin Jephta: Homecoming Revisited
by Dan Bilawsky
At 22 years of age, the up-and-coming Cape Town-reared bassist Benjamin Jephta introduced himself to the wider world via Homecoming (Self Produced, 2015), an engrossing debut featuring South African standouts like tenor saxophonist Sisonke Xonti, trumpeter Marcus Wyatt, pianist Kyle Shepherd, drummer Sphelelo Mazibuko and vocalist Spha Mdlalose. A decade later, he gives us Homecoming Revisted, re-envisioning that material with a large community of collaborators and some hard-won perspective. Opening on “Prayer for... (revisited)," with Mazibuko and percussionist Tlale Makhene ...
Continue ReadingDarren English: Imagine Nation
by Mark Sullivan
South African trumpeter Darren English (now living in Atlanta) makes an impressive debut on Imagine Nation, a mix of originals and standards. The album's centerpiece is formed by three compositions that are part of a suite paying tribute to freedom fighter Nelson Mandela. The title tune opens the album, an anthemic piece played by English with the core group of pianist Kenny Banks, Jr., bassist Billy Thornton, and drummer Chris Burroughs. English makes an immediate impression, as a composer and ...
Continue ReadingDarren English: Imagine Nation
by Dan Bilawsky
Trumpeter Darren English carries the spirit of South Africa and the entire history of jazz in his horn. On this, his debut album, the Cape Town-born, Atlanta-based English pays tribute to the late Nelson Mandela, matches wits and chops with fellow trumpeters Russell Gunn and Joe Gransden on “Cherokee," partners with vocalist Carmen Bradford on a pair of classics, and goes toe-to-toe with saxophonist Greg Tardy on “Bullet In The Gunn." He comes away from all of it sounding confident, ...
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