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Steve Slagle: Evensong
ByHis outstanding '90s quartet datesReincarnation (Steeplechase, 1994) and
When viewed together, Slagle has often been tagged as the bop-to-beyond part of the team and Stryker the blues-and-soul side of the equation, but those labels don't do them justice; they certainly excel in those particular realms, but they both work far beyond those assigned borders. Slagle and Stryker share a near telepathic rapport and they've learned how best to complement one another in any setting over the years. Sometimes they simply sync up on a head and effortlessly fly through the song together, but that's not a given as, at other moments, Stryker comps along in supportive fashion while Slagle slyly sets things motion, or sits back and lets Stryker spread his wings.
Slagle dedicates a good number of these songs to friends and inspirations without aping those musicians' respective sounds and styles. The album opener name checks bassist Charles Mingus and gives a nod to the late Dennis Irwin, "Equal Nox" is connected to John Coltrane, having been written on the saxophonist's birthday, the absorbing "Quiet Folks" gives due respect to guitarist Jim Hall, and "The Star-Crossed Lovers" is an obvious, album-ending tribute to the song's composersthe great Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn.
Slagle's horn(s) may continue to serve as musical enhancement on other people's projects, but he's an artist who deserves attention as an out-front entity and each one of his albums continue to prove that point.
Track Listing
Mingus In Us; Blues Four; Supermoon; Quiet Folks; Shadowboxing; Alive; Equal Nox; B Like Me; The Star-Crossed Lovers.
Personnel
Steve Slagle
saxophone, altoSteve Slagle: alto saxophone, soprano saxophone; Dave Stryker: guitar; Ed Howard: bass; McClenty Hunter: drums.
Album information
Title: Evensong | Year Released: 2013 | Record Label: Panorama Records
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About Steve Slagle
Instrument: Saxophone, alto
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