Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Virginia Mayhew: No Walls

Virginia Mayhew: No Walls

By C. Michael Bailey
February 1, 2001
View read count

Lee Morgan blowing out of the bell of a Tenor saxophone.

this disc is what you would think Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers would sound like had that great musician not passed on. This is a progressive Hard Bop delight from Saxophonist Virginia Mayhew on her follow-up to Nini Green. The set opens with a jaunty original blues featuring an incandescent Mayhew and an almost subdued Ingrid Jensen (who catches fire later on John Coltrane's "Grand Central". The extraordinary Kenny Barron shines throughout, especially on the ballad "Never Enough" and his own "Mythology".

What highlights this excellent set is the interplay between BAND members as opposed to Mayhew wielding a strong hand as leader. She, instead, decides to allow everyone ample room to explore this unique collection of originals and standards all to a great effect.

Track Listing

Hi-Ya, Mama; Apple Flambe; The Visit We Missed; Never Enough; The Oracle; Grand Central; No Walls; Don't You Know I Care; Mythology. (Total Time: 52:42) .

Personnel

Virginia Mayhew

saxophone, tenor

Virginia Mayhew: Tenor and Soprano Saxophones; Harvie Swartz: Bass; Allison Miller: Drums; Kenny Barron: Piano; Adam Cruz: Percussion; Ingrid Jensen: Trumpet and Flugelhorn.

Album information

Title: No Walls | Year Released: 2001 | Record Label: Foxhaven Records

PREVIOUS / NEXT

Dem Bones
< Previous

Dot Com Blues
Next >

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.