Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Brett Sroka: Hearsay

203

Brett Sroka: Hearsay

By

Sign in to view read count
Brett Sroka: Hearsay
Brett Sroka's trombone moans in alone; the trumpet follows, then the tenor sax. The rhythm section sneaks in there on the sly, and the opener, Duke Ellington's "Hearsay" (from The Deep South Suite), churns into a rumbling, channeled cacophony of Jazz—capitol 'J'.

This is trombonist Brett Sroka's debut, and it bears out liner notes author Gary Sisco's assertion that jazz in the last decade has been experiencing an extremely fertile and creative period.

Hearsay is an ensemble effort, a sextet—trombone/trumpet/tenor sax front line, piano/bass/drums rhythm—though it may on an initial listen seem denser than that; an octet or more. This is a testament to Sroka's arranging and composing talents. Complex and intricate interplay, tricky but still geometical textures with enough solo slots to bring out the individual personalities of the instrumentalists.

The Ellington opener, almost fourteen minutes worth, is a driving tour de force. These guys shine with a well-justified confidence; but the highlight for this listener is the Sroka-penned "A Sound Caresses the Breast of a Negress". Mingus-onian title, Mingus-onian composition, with high profile pianist Jason Moran—Sroka's former classmate at Manhattan School of Music—switching to the Fender rhodes, giving a a glass wind chime resonance to the rhythm.

Then there's Charlie Shaver's (an underappreciated artist who did his best work in the mid-forties) "Undecided" that opens with Sroka's slow tempo, J.J. Johnson-like trombone solo before the song cranks up the to almost the fever pitch of the trumpeter's 1940's original.

Hearsay is an auspicious debut. With his arranging and compositional skills, and his trombone chops, comparisons to the late Trombone Master, J.J. Johnson are inevitable, and deserved.

Track Listing

Hearsay, Happy-Go-Lucky-Ism, Tabula Rasa, A Sound Caresses the Breast of a Negress, Undecided, Beloved

Personnel

Brett Sroka
trombone

Brett Sroka, trombone; Avishai Cohen, trumpet; Aaron Stewart, tenor sax; Jason Moran, piano; John sullivan, bass; Eric Harland, drums

Album information

Title: Hearsay | Year Released: 2003 | Record Label: Blue Moon

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

What Was Happening
Bobby Wellins Quartet
Laugh Ash
Ches Smith
A New Beat
Ulysses Owens, Jr. and Generation Y

Popular

Eagle's Point
Chris Potter
Light Streams
John Donegan - The Irish Sextet

Get more of a good thing!

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