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Geof Bradfield: Birdhoused
BySo: tenor sax,alto sax, trombone and trumpet makes for a horn fest; except that would be shortchanging the drive train, bassist Clark Sommers and drummer Dana Hall, who provide a high horsepower propulsionboth instruments just bit up in the mix, which is a good thing.
Opening with Curtis Mayfield's "The Other Side Of Town," the group proves itself a freewheeling, loose limbed outfit, full of spontaneity and intricate interplay, with solosoften torridall around, bringing another Bird to mind: Little Bird, Ornette Coleman, around the time of Science Fiction (Columbia Records, 1971), when the free jazz alto sax man used in his bands multiple hornmen of the adventurous variety. "Constellation," an elastic take on Charlie Parker's tune, rides in the same vein with a spirited sound, while Ligeti's "Sonatina" mellows things down to solemn mood.
After the covers, the set settles into what could be called the Bradfield Suite. Compositionally, the rest of the album comes from the leaderwith a brief bass solo tune from Sommers slipped in. Starting with Bradfield's pensive "Nephila," rumbling through a turbulent "Solid Jackson," slinking along on "Fearful Symmetry," strutting through "Birdhoused," and wrapping things up with "Laconia," a bright-hued nod to Bradfield's fellow Chicago-an, saxophonist Clifford Jordan, whose middle name happened to be "Laconia."
Track Listing
The Other Side Of Town; Constellation; Sonatina; Nephila; Solid Jackson; Bass Solo; Fearful Symmetry; Birdhoused; Laconia.
Personnel
Geof Bradfield
saxophone, tenorGeof Bradfield: tenor saxophone; Marquis Hill: trumpet; Joel Adams: trombone; Nick Mazzarrella: alto saxophone; Clark Sommers: acoustic bass; Dana Hall: drums, percussion.
Album information
Title: Birdhoused | Year Released: 2017 | Record Label: Cellar Live
Comments
About Geof Bradfield
Instrument: Saxophone, tenor
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