Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Howard University Jazz Ensemble 2023: Nefertiti

31

Howard University Jazz Ensemble 2023: Nefertiti

By

View read count
Howard University Jazz Ensemble 2023: Nefertiti
The Howard University Jazz Ensemble was formed almost half a century ago, in 1975, by Fred Irby III, its first—and, so far, only—music director. Every year since 1976, the ensemble has recorded and released an album to showcase its prowess and growth under Irby's baton.

This year's entry, Nefertiti, is a tribute to the legendary saxophonist Wayne Shorter, many of whose compositions have become jazz standards, including the album's title song. Interestingly, Shorter, a twelve-time Grammy winner and NEA Jazz Master who died in March 2023, never earned Howard University's annual Benny Golson Jazz Master Award. This homage may help redress the oversight.

The sensuous "Nefertiti," which opens the album, is the only theme on the menu written by Shorter; the others are designed to exemplify his irrepressible spirit. Cedar Walton, Thelonious Monk and Horace Silver are represented, as are Stevie Wonder, Antonio Adolfo, the Bee Gees, Irving Berlin and classical composer Erik Satie. "Portrait of a Breath" was written by a member of the ensemble, vibraphonist Sean MacCarthy-Grant. Ron Horton arranged half a dozen numbers, Rob Lussier arranged. Silver's "Pretty Eyes" and Berlin's "Remember," Mike Crotty Walton's "Hindsight."

Unlike most other albums by the ensemble, Nefertiti is long on beauty but low on heat and short on solos. Exceptions are "Hindsight," Monk's "Green Chimneys," the Bee Gees' "How Deep Is Your Love" and Berlin's "Remember," normally played as a ballad but quickened by Lussier to let the ensemble shine behind trim solos by alto saxophonist Langston Hughes II and guitarist Kyle Rice. "How Deep" closes the session in a swinging groove enhanced by pianist Jason Woods Jr.'s bright solo and forceful drumming by Samuel Prather.

Trumpeter Paul bailey delivers a couple of pleasing solos ("Hindsight," "Green Chimneys"), as do guitarist Jackson Dunkin ("Heart of Brazil," "Pretty Eyes"), tenor Antonio Parker ("Green Chimneys") and MacCarthy-Grant ("Pretty Eyes") who plays bongos and congas on the relatively moderate "Heart of Brazil." As this may well be the last recording supervised by Irby, who plans to step aside as director next year, it is good to note that the HUJE is as well-designed and proficient as ever, and Nefertiti is a quite pleasant way to say goodbye.

Track Listing

Nefertiti; Hindsight; Send One Your Love; Portrait of a Breath; Heart of Brazil; Green Chimneys; Gymnopedie #1; Pretty Eyes; Remember; How Deep Is Your Love.

Personnel

Fred Irby III
composer / conductor
Paul bailey
trumpet
Ma'Vaughn Martin
saxophone, alto
Hakim Bristow
saxophone, tenor
Antonio Parker
saxophone
David Onley
saxophone, baritone
Paul Phifer
trombone
Gregory Boyer
trombone
Timothy Johnson
trombone, bass
Jackson Dunkin
guitar, electric
Kyle Rice
guitar, electric
Additional Instrumentation

Eliot Sepa: bass; Samuel Prather: drums.

Album information

Title: Nefertiti | Year Released: 2023 | Record Label: HUJE

Tags

Comments


PREVIOUS / NEXT




Support All About Jazz

Get the Jazz Near You newsletter 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.

More

Tramonto
John Taylor
Ki
Natsuki Tamura / Satoko Fujii
Duality Pt: 02
Dom Franks' Strayhorn
The Sound of Raspberry
Tatsuya Yoshida / Martín Escalante

Popular

Old Home/New Home
The Brian Martin Big Band
My Ideal
Sam Dillon
Ecliptic
Shifa شفاء - Rachel Musson, Pat Thomas, Mark Sanders
Lado B Brazilian Project 2
Catina DeLuna & Otmaro Ruíz

Get more of a good thing!

Our weekly newsletter highlights our top stories, our special offers, and upcoming jazz events near you.

Install All About Jazz

iOS Instructions:

To install this app, follow these steps:

All About Jazz would like to send you notifications

Notifications include timely alerts to content of interest, such as articles, reviews, new features, and more. These can be configured in Settings.