Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Grachan Moncur III: Evolution

528

Grachan Moncur III: Evolution

By

Sign in to view read count
Grachan Moncur III: Evolution
Evolution utilizes the excellent front line of Jackie McLean's working group of the early Sixties: McLean on alto sax, Moncur on trombone, and Bobby Hutcherson on vibes. Extra spice comes from the addition of trumpeter Lee Morgan, while Bob Cranshaw's bass and Tony Williams' drums represent a standard Blue Note "out" rhythm section of the time. Moncur wrote all four pieces, and throughout the whole album exercises admirable control of his all-star unit: this brilliant album is nobody's but his. The Moncur mood prevails from start to finish: his somber and profound compositions set the tone for some uncommonly subdued meditations from McLean and Morgan. Subdued, yes; dull, never.

The only drawback may be Moncur himself. His soloing is generally serviceable, but everyone else is playing over his head on this album, so his deficiencies show a little more than usual. This is particularly true on the opener, "Air Raid," where his solo threatens to spin out of control here and there, but makes it to the finish line. On "The Coaster," on the other hand, he muffs a little, but turns in an engaging effort. Hutcherson, meanwhile,is superb throughout the album. His playing here is closer to his ringing, percussive attack on Eric Dolphy's Out to Lunch than it is to the more conventional melodicism he deployed on the two companion pieces to this album, McLean's One Step Beyond and Destination...Out!. Cranshaw's fine bass work, particularly his bowing on the title track, support Hutcherson imaginatively.

McLean and Morgan seem to have met up with the crew from Invasion of the Body Snatchers on their way to this date. Not that their playing on this album isn't as magnificent as usual; it's magnificent, all right, but in some places it hardly sounds like McLean and Morgan. Morgan, particularly, shows a side of himself here rarely seen elsewhere. In a 1970 Down Beat he cited this album and Andrew Hill's Grass Roots (will that one ever see the light of day again?) as his two forays into "free forms." His playing on Evolution alone suggests that, had he chosen to do so, he could have given Freddie Hubbard and maybe even Don Cherry a run for their money in the realm of "free" trumpeting. On "Air Raid" he broods artfully until a kick from Hutcherson launches him into high gear; where one might expect him to seize the opportunity to feel for more conventional territory, however, his playing remains adventurous and marvelously appropriate to the moment. On the playful "Monk in Wonderland" and elsewhere he shows off, with skillful valve techniques and other ingredients of his bag of tricks, his total mastery of his instrument.

McLean shines no less brightly. His work here is similar in its expanded expressiveness to that on his Destination...Out! (which was recorded two months previously). This new depth was to carry over to his subsequent Blue Note albums (most notably the Consequences session with Morgan) that returned to a more conventional hard bop mode. All in all, of the three albums recorded by McLean, Moncur, and Hutcherson, this is the most fully realized and most rewarding of repeated listens.

Personnel

Album information

Title: Evolution | Year Released: 1997 | Record Label: Blue Note Records

Comments

Tags


For the Love of Jazz
Get the Jazz Near You newsletter 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.

More

Sensual
Rachel Z
Over and Over
Tony Monaco Trio
Love Is Passing Thru
Roberto Magris

Popular

Get more of a good thing!

Our weekly newsletter highlights our top stories, our special offers, and upcoming jazz events near you.