Adam Schroeder & Mark Masters celebrate Clark Terry: CT!

In jazz, where the past intertwines with the present and the future, few figures were as influential as the legendary trumpeter Clark Terry. During his playing career, he developed a creative, bouncy style with an irrepressible rhythmic verve that was entirely his own. The album CT! with baritone saxophonist Adam Schroeder and arranger Mark Masters serves as a heartfelt homage to this jazz icon, presenting fresh and invigorating arrangements of 13 Clark Terry originals skillfully performed by a 12-piece ensemble. Schroeder had envisaged the recording to celebrate Terry's 100th birthday in December 2020. But the global pandemic obliterated the celebration and is only now coming to fruition.

From the first notes of the opening track" Serenade to a Bus Seat," it is evident that Schroeder and Masters had an understanding of Terry's musical expression. The chart swings with lively energy, along the lines of Gerry Mulligan's Concert Jazz Band and led by Schroeder's growly baritone sax. Tenor saxophonist Bob Sheppard also pitches in with a concise solo that moves the number forward. "Ground Hog" has a down-home bluesy beat with bassist Edwin Livingston anchoring the number. Schroeder's baritone is ever-present with his deep, dark tone.

Two of Masters' extended arrangements are "Daylight Express" and "Slow Boat," on which the band members get a chance to flex their muscles. The rich sonic palette that Masters has created mirrors the complexity of the charts, along with the precision and dedication that the band has made to the process. On the former track, the soloists are Kirsten Edkins on tenor sax, Francisco Torres on trombone, Schroeder again on baritone sax and drummer Peter Erskine, each of whom shows technical proficiency and respect for the music. On the latter, Livingston lays down a baseline over which a solid groove is built, a frame for everything that follows. Schroeder delivers extensive textured improvisation followed by Aaron Janik on muted trumpet with his adventurous taste.

Whether it is the charged tempo on "Ode to Pres" or the Clark Terry/Jimmy Hamilton contrafact "Perdido Line" based on the chord changes to the Juan Tizol composition "Perdido," there are moments of collective extemporaneous playing where the swirling rhythmic undercurrents become a palpable force. Keeping in the same vein with "Swingin' On The Cusp," the chart uses Peter Erskine's deftly imaginative drumming to confirm that the ensemble can deliver the goods with intensity and vigor.

The closer is "In Orbit," with Erskine again showing he is a force field of drumming as Schroeder proves again that he is a penetrating saxophonist. This musical journey is not just a mere reproduction of Clark Terry's work but also a celebration of his melodious voice.