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Mingus is clearly a key influence on August's original tunes. I hear strong traces of "The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady" in August's "Treatments in Darkness"; it features a similar wailing blues with an extraordinary richness of texture supplied by crying horns and singing bass declaring a deep dirge. But August is able to mine the Latin vein that Mingus never took to the max, and his compositions are unlike anyone else's, past or present.
Seven of these nine tunes are thickly arranged pieces for the band, all of whose members shine in their solos. But we are also treated to "Eulogy," a bravura tune for solo bass, and a tantalizingly brief snapshot of a duet for bass and congas between August and Wilson "Chembo" Corniel.
August has established himself as a bassist and composer to track seriously. This disc is a rousing surprise and a timely broadening of the field of Latin jazz.
Track Listing: Sweet Maladie; Four Two K; M's Blues; Treatments in Darknesds; Los Dos Cotos; Melody in Black and Grey; Eulogy; Deceptions; Work in Progress.
Personnel: Gregg August: bass; John Bailey: trumpet; Myron Walden: alto saxophone; Donny McCaslin: tenor saxophone; Frank Wess: tenor saxophone; Alon Yavnai: piano; John Hart: guitar; Eric McPhearson: drums; Ray Barretto, Wilson Corneil: congas.
Title: Late August | Year Released: 2005 | Record Label: Iacuessa Records
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