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Chad McCullough: Forward
ByHis is a consistently strong catalog, but McCullough shines brightest in his trumpeter and a rhythm section outings: Abstract Quantities (2015), Urban Nightingale (2012) and Imaginary Sketches (2011), all on Origin Records, all with pianist Weijters. With Forward, McCullough sharpens his vision further in the a trumpeter and piano/bass/drums mode, the way Miles Davis did it on his overlooked, early career Musings With Miles (Prestige, 1955), orto bring things into a more recent timeframein the Tomasz Stańko style of the wonderful Wislawa (ECM, 2013) or Ralph Alessi's Baida (ECM, 2013), four man groups working their magic outside of the template of two horns and a rhythm section mode set by trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie and alto saxophonist Charlie Parker's Diz and Bird (Clef/Verve, 1952).
The description "soft sparkle" comes to mind as "November Lake," the set's opening tune, spins into existence. It is a sparse, cushioned sort of Miles Davis In A Silent Way (Columbia, 1969) vibe. Part of this is Rob Clearfield's nimble piano work; part of it is McCullough's beautiful tone and unhurried articulation, along with bassist Matt Ulery's warm heartbeat, the subtle and insistent intricacies of Jon Deitemyer's drums. In these regards, Forward has in common, with the previously mentioned classic quartet sets by Davis, Alessi and Stanko, the advantages of being a first rate ensemble playing superior compositions (all by McCullough) in a cohesive context on comfort level of the highest order.
"Oak Park" takes things to the next level. A tribute to the architect Frank Lloyd Wright (Wright's studio was in Oak Park, near Chicago), the tune is a somber and contemplative paean, ten minutes of McCullough-crafted beauty augmented by the subtle studio wizardry (keyboards and programming) of Forward's producer Ryan Cohen. Three of the set's six tunes feature Cohen's contributions, including "Grace At The Gavel Or Grace At The Gallows," featuring Cohen's understated, fade in/fade out, "with strings-like" backdrop, and "Water Tower Sunset," a gorgeous, introspective, kick-back-at-day's end celebration of life, to wrap a trumpeter/flugelhornist/composer Chad McCullough's finest recording to date.
Track Listing
November Lake; Oak Park; Gentle; Grace At The Gavel Or Grace At The Gallows; Focal Point; Water Tower Sunset.
Personnel
Chad McCullough
trumpetRob Clearfield
pianoMatt Ulery
bass, acousticJon Deitemyer
drumsRyan Cohen
electronicsAlbum information
Title: Forward | Year Released: 2020 | Record Label: Outside in Music
Comments
About Chad McCullough
Instrument: Trumpet
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