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James Brandon Lewis: Jesup Wagon
Jesup Wagon is inspired and dedicated to the African-American inventor, scientist, and author George Washington Carver, a true renaissance man on par with Leonardo da Vinci. Lewis opens the disc with a tenor exploration that calls to mind Pharoah Sanders' explorations before the quintet sets upon a folkish groove with Knuffke's cornet dancing along the the saxophonist. This composition, like the remaining were all composed by Lewis and they all have a connection to an agrarian landscape and people. Yes this is jazz, but it also comes from beyond a metropolis. Take for instance "Chemurgy" (the use of agricultural raw material in industry) which conjures the music of Ornette Coleman with Don Cherry. Here the earthiness is supplied by Parker's gimbri. The track ends with Lewis' spoken poetry, which we also hear on "Fallen Flowers." The latter song pairs Lewis and Knuffke before flowering into a meditative groove from Taylor plus bass and cello. While Lewis' tenor saxophone is built upon broad shoulders, he yields often to his quintet. Taylor's mbira flavors "Seer" which keeps the mood bright and accentuates the interlaced melody. Jesup Wagon should be in the running for album of the year honors.
Track Listing
Jesup Wagon; Lowlands of Sorrow; Arachis; Fallen Flowers; Experiment Station; Seer; Chemurgy.
Personnel
James Brandon Lewis
saxophone, tenor
Kirk Knuffke
trumpet
Christopher Hoffman
cello
William Parker
bass
Chad Taylor
drumsAdditional Instrumentation
William Parker: sintir; Chad Taylor: mbira.
Album information
Title: Jesup Wagon | Year Released: 2021 | Record Label: Tao Forms
About James Brandon Lewis
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