Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Dave Douglas: Leap Of Faith

Dave Douglas: Leap Of Faith

By Mark Corroto
March 1, 2000
View read count

Dave Douglas was voted trumpeter of the year and innovator/explorer of the year at the 1999 Jazz Awards. He also received firsts in Artist, Composer, and Trumpeter of the year in the critics’ category titled, Talent Deserving Wider Recognition. This Uberman of modern jazz came from nowhere to garner such acclaim. Actually no. With a discography to die for, that includes 15 sessions as leader and nearly 100 as co-leader or sideman, he has been here all along. He works in a mind numbing variety of bands, including John Zorn’s Masada and his own bands; Witness – a electronic world music band, Sextet (see Leap of Faith review), Tiny Bell Trio – Balkan/Jazz improv trio, Parallel Worlds – a string quartet with trumpet, Sanctuary – a free jazz double quartet, Charms Of The Night Sky – a bass/accordion/violin chamber jazz ensemble, and his quartet heard here. The quartet delivers a pure downtown sound, unlike the other new release, a sextet that is uptown. Douglas and Chris Cheek play off each other like Don Cherry and Ornette Coleman once did some forty years ago, except the band also encompasses the entire history of jazz predicted in The Shape Of Jazz To Come. The quartet is a sort of less oppressive version of Masada. Where Zorn writes Yiddish jazz, Douglas opts for an unrestricted pyrotechnic swing. Perowsky and Genus aren’t here just to keep time; Douglas’ music incorporates enough changes that they play an intricate role in this music. This quartet is not for the faint of heart, but open ears and my trick, playing new music real loud, is the recipe for a satisfying experience.

Track List:Caterwaul; Leap Of Faith; Another Country; Millenium Bug; Emmenthaler; Mistaken Identity; Guido’s High Note; Continental Divide; Igneous; Western Haiku; Euro Disney.

Track Listing

1. Caterwaul 2. Leap of Faith 3. Another Country 4. Millennium Bug 5. Emmenthaler 6. Mistaken Identity 7. Guido's High Note 8. Continental Divide 9. Igneous 10. Western Haiku 11. Euro Disney.

Personnel

Dave Douglas

trumpet

Dave Douglas, trumpet; Chris Potter, tenor saxophone; James Genus, bass; Ben Perowsky, drums.

Album information

Title: Leap of Faith | Year Released: 2000 | Record Label: Arabesque Jazz

PREVIOUS / NEXT

Helium
< Previous

Ron Carter: Brazilian Charm
Next >

Dave Douglas Concerts

Nov 18 Tue

Joe Lovano & Dave Douglas: Sound Prints

Village Vanguard
New York, NY

Nov 18 Tue

Joe Lovano & Dave Douglas: Sound Prints

Village Vanguard
New York, NY

Nov 19 Wed

Joe Lovano & Dave Douglas: Sound Prints

Village Vanguard
New York, NY

Nov 19 Wed

Joe Lovano & Dave Douglas: Sound Prints

Village Vanguard
New York, NY

Nov 20 Thu

Joe Lovano & Dave Douglas: Sound Prints

Village Vanguard
New York, NY

Nov 20 Thu

Joe Lovano & Dave Douglas: Sound Prints

Village Vanguard
New York, NY

Nov 21 Fri

Joe Lovano & Dave Douglas: Sound Prints

Village Vanguard
New York, NY

Nov 21 Fri

Joe Lovano & Dave Douglas: Sound Prints

Village Vanguard
New York, NY

Support All About Jazz

All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who make 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.

Go Ad Free!

To maintain our platform while developing new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity, we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for as little as $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination vastly improves 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.