Bassist John Patitucci has assembled a tasteful collage, intended to serve as an extension of Imprint, his last release as a leader. Mostly modern mainstream originals that run suite-like through various impressions, this is improvised jazz at its best. This time out, Patitucci's tastes include lively Latin jazz, lyrical ballads, samba, Afro-Caribbean fantasy, and more. His emphasis is on the lyrical quality in music of different forms. Soloing and leading small ensembles, the bassist flexes his melodic chops on both upright and electric models. Patitucci's 6-string electric bass has always been, for him, as light and as flexible as a guitar. Alongside the 41-year-old leader's virtuosity is feature work from Joe Lovano's tenor on "Calabria," his soprano on "Valentine" and Branford Marsalis' soprano on the dreamy ballad "Communion." Elsewhere, Chris Potter's soprano shines brightly on several tracks in unison with Luciana Souza's wordless soprano vocals, and his tenor twists artfully through an up-tempo "The Sower."
Of his decision to incorporate a wide variety, Patitucci says, "Over the years, jazz has always absorbed a lot of different cultures. Jazz is the ultimate world music because it has had an interaction of different cultures, and I see Communion as a continuation of that."
Track Listing
Bariloche; Calabria; Choro Luoco; Isabella; Communion; Misterioso; Valentine; The Sower; Soul Eyes; Bohemia After Dark.
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.
We sent a confirmation message to . Look for it, then click the link to activate your account. If you don’t see the email in your inbox, check your spam, bulk or promotions folder.
Jim Santella has been contributing CD reviews, concert reviews and DVD reviews to AAJ since 1997. His work has also appeared in Southland Blues,The L.A. Jazz Scene, and Cadence Magazine.