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Ben Markley: Clockwise: The Music Of Cedar Walton
ByEven though disparate in style and substance, Walton's themes have one thing in common: they swing heartily from a blues-based axis that serves as a durable foundation for his harmonic and rhythmic forays. Markley takes that to heart, and his arrangements echo Walton's infallible penchant for swinging in any and all contexts. Markley's ensemble, comprised of fellow UW faculty and a troupe of the Denver area's leading sidemen, is with him every step of the way, bringing Walton's compositions vividly to life in a format whose expansive boundaries lend them fresh gravity and allure.
Leaving nothing to chance, Markley has added a "wild card" to the deck in the person of guest trumpeter Terell Stafford whose burnished ad-libs enliven "Cedar's Blues," "Hindsight," "Holy Land" and "Black," while Markley's radiant piano shines brightly on "Fiesta Espanol," "Hindsight," "I'll Let You Know," "Bolivia" and "Martha's Prize." Other soloists of note are trumpeters Greg Gisbert and John Lake, alto Wil Swindler, tenors Peter Sommer and Serafin Sanchez, trombonist Paul McKee, guitarist Steve Kovalcheck and bassist Ken Walker. The rhythm section, anchored by drummer Chris Smith, is hard-working and intensely focused.
As for Walton's themes, they are invariably resourceful and engaging, from the loose-limbed "Cedar's Blues" to the formidable "Black," on which Stafford, Sommer and Gisbert torch the landscape. Stafford and Swindler are superb on "Cedar's Blues," as are Walker, Lake and Kovalcheck on the title song, and Markley, McKee and Gisbert on the rhythmically enchanting "Fiesta Espanol." That's only a foretaste of what's to come, as Markley and the ensemble transform Walton's music into a luxurious feast for the ears. One of the year's more captivating and persuasive big-band albums.
Personnel
Ben Markley
pianoAlbum information
Title: Clockwise: The Music Of Cedar Walton | Year Released: 2017 | Record Label: OA2 Records
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Clockwise / The Music of Cedar Walton