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Dave Douglas: Magic Triangle

By John Sharpe
November 1, 1998
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Trumpeter Dave Douglas possesses faultless technique, a wholly original conception and a sound that crosses wide stylistic boundaries. His free jazz/avant-garde/post-bop compositions tend to appeal to a very select audience — mainstream fans may have a tough time warming to "Magic Triangle". Things get off to a rip-roaring start with Everyman, Dave's dizzying exchange with tenor saxophonist Chris Potter. My interest began to wane with the random abstraction of Padded Cell, but I was impressed with the lovely tone and moody feel (shades of Miles here) of the ballad Kisamgani. Bassist James Genus and drummer Ben Perovsky manage to follow Dave as he snakes through the tricky rhythms of Coaster and The Ghost. While I appreciate the craft, I must confess that I was less than fully engaged by the idiom. 3-4 stars.

Personnel

Dave Douglas: trumpet.

Album information

Title: Magic Triangle | Year Released: 1998 | Record Label: Arabesque Jazz

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