Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Bobby Zankel and the Warriors of the Wonderful Sound: Ce...

192

Bobby Zankel and the Warriors of the Wonderful Sound: Ceremonies of Forgiveness

By

Sign in to view read count
Bobby Zankel and the Warriors of the Wonderful Sound: Ceremonies of Forgiveness
The bodhisattva Wonderful Sound appears in the classic Buddhist scripture The Lotus Sutra, where he extends the invisible bridge of music so humans can tap into their hope, wisdom and strength. Inspired by Wonderful Sound's mission, alto saxophonist Bobby Zankel formed the Warriors of the Wonderful Sound, a bold and expressive fourteen-piece band which includes three trumpets, two trombones and four saxophones. The Philadelphia-based band has played a steady gig for an unheard-of five years, allowing the musicians to cohere into a powerful, exciting ensemble.

Ceremonies of Forgiveness is the group's first CD, and its seven songs are uniformly strong. The first cut, "Choose Hope (for Nelson Mandela)," is fourteen minutes of generous, ebullient music. Zankel delivers a mean, joyful and soaring solo, Larry Toft offers a funky trombone lead spurred on by the in-sync trumpets, and bassist Dylan Taylor's facile lines hold their own amongst all the brass and woodwinds. Another standout is "Infinite Potential of a Single Moment (Parts 1 and 2)," an inspirational song with an unusual, inventive arrangement. The song includes a sparkling solo by pianist Tom Lawton and gorgeous flute playing by the always remarkable Elliot Levin, whose solo is as fluid and graceful as bird song.

All the compositions are by Zankel, an expert in layering sounds in a way that supports each song's vision. If you want to know what's really going on in Philadelphia, start with this group.

Track Listing

Choose Hope; Ndura - The Forest is our Father and Mother: Part 1; Ndura - The Forest is our Father and Mother: Part 2; Infinite Potential of a Single Moment: Part 1; Infinite Potential of a Single Moment: Part 2; Ceremonies of Forgiveness: Part 1; Ceremonies of Forgiveness: Part 2.

Personnel

Bobby Zankel
saxophone, alto

Tom Lawton: piano; Dylan Taylor: bass; Craig McIver: drums; Rick Iannacone: guitar; John Swana, Patrick Hughes, Bart Miltenberger: trumpets; Larry Toft, Dave Champion: trombones; Daniel Peterson: alto saxophone; Elliot Levin: tenor saxophone and flute; Brian Rodgers: enor saxophone; Dan Scofield: baritone saxophone; Bobby Zankel: alto saxophone.

Album information

Title: Ceremonies of Forgiveness | Year Released: 2006 | Record Label: Dreambox Media

Comments

Tags


For the Love of 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 create 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.

You Can Help
To expand our coverage even further and develop new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for a modest $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination will vastly improve 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.
View events near New York City
Jazz Near New York City
Events Guide | Venue Guide | Local Businesses | More...

More

Love Is Passing Thru
Roberto Magris
Sensual
Rachel Z
Over and Over
Tony Monaco Trio

Popular

Get more of a good thing!

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