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Darren English: Imagine Nation
ByThe rest of the program is devoted to standardsand very commonly performed selections, at thatall impeccably performed, but fairly straight-ahead. "Body and Soul" begins with arco bass and English playing without a mouthpiece, which sets a late night mood. Vocalist Carmen Bradford is featured on "What a Little Moonlight Can Do" and "Skylark," both beautiful, spirited performances. "I've Never Been in Love Before" swings very effectively even with the drums sitting out. Bebop is well served by Dizzy Gillespie's "Bebop" and "Cherokee," a fast jam session staple which finds Gunn in the company of fellow trumpeters Russell Gunn and Joe Gransden's Big Band.
The set certainly demonstrates English's chops and versatility: he can clearly play effectively in a range of jazz contexts. It's a shame that the original material wasn't more of a focus. I would really like to hear the entire Mandela suite. And an album of all new tunes would better establish English's individual voice. It will be interesting to see what direction his sophomore recording will take.
Track Listing
Imagine Nation; Body And Soul; Bebop; What A Little Moonlight Can Do; Pledge For Peace; The Birth; Skylark; I've Never Been In Love Before; Bullet In The Gunn; Cherokee.
Personnel
Darren English
trumpetDarren English: trumpet; Kenny Banks Jr.: piano; Billy Thornton: bass; Greg Tardy: tenor saxophone (5, 6, 9) Carmen Bradford: vocals (4, 7); Russell Gunn: trumpet (10); Joe Gransden: trumpet (10).
Album information
Title: Imagine Nation | Year Released: 2016 | Record Label: Hot Shoe Records
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