Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Jeff Cosgrove / John Medeski / Jeff Lederer: History Get...

5

Jeff Cosgrove / John Medeski / Jeff Lederer: History Gets Ahead of the Story

By

Sign in to view read count
Jeff Cosgrove / John Medeski / Jeff Lederer: History Gets Ahead of the Story
William Parker gets deserved acclaim for his abilities as a bassist and his activism and leadership in the avant jazz community but not as much for his composing. Drummer Jeff Cosgrove tries to correct that with this project that features Parker's music played by an organ trio with no bassist.

Cosgrove's partners in this venture are John Medeski on organ and Jeff Lederer on various reeds. Both are adept at covering the wide variety of gut-bucket grooves, spiritual cries and spatial abstractions in Parker's music. Tracks like "O Neal's Porch," "Moon" and "Harlem" handle the groove part with authority. Lederer howls on tenor on "Porch" and "Harlem," frolics on soprano on "Moon" and chirps on flute like Rahsaan Roland Kirk on "Little Bird" while Medeski shoots through swinging trickles and waves of organ. Meanwhile Cosgrove's supple drum work give light, well-placed accents to the rhythms.

Other pieces are more complex and intense. The wailing tenor and organ cries on "Corn Meal Dance" come on with the spiritual force of some of Larry Young's records. "Things Fall Apart" is an abstract collection of organ riffs, shrill soprano cries and percussive knocks. "Wood Flute Song" puts the focus on Cosgrove's melodic tumbling as it rolls alongside Lederer's wriggling clarinet and Medeski's flinty keyboard stumbles.

Only seven of the record's tracks are by Parker. The rest come from within the band. Cosgrove contributes the atmospheric "Ghost," an eerie blend of cymbals, moaning clarinet and faint organ hums. Lederer brings in "Gospel Flowers," a swinging waltz where heavy full-bodied tenor leads the way against Medeski's cool brooding, and "Purcell's Lament," with Lederer's soprano hypnotically serenading against an icy wash of organ.

Jeff Lederer excels on all his reeds, pouring out angelic fire or cocky soul as the composition dictates. John Medeski masterfully creates mysterious moods and deep soulful rhythms. Jeff Cosgrove nudges the music along with gentle riding of the beat and subtle use of brushes and cymbals. Together the three create an outstanding tribute to the many-faceted music of William Parker, capturing both its grit and its ethereal beauty.

Track Listing

O’Neal’s Porch; Corn Meal Dance; Gospel Flowers; Little Bird; Ghost; Moon; Things Fall Apart; Wood Flute Song; Purcell’s Lament; Harlem.

Personnel

John Medeski
organ, Hammond B3
Jeff Lederer
composer / conductor

Album information

Title: History Gets Ahead of the Story | Year Released: 2020 | Record Label: Grizzley Music

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.