Jazz Articles about Yao/Smith/Hughes Sextet

Yao/Smith/Hughes Sextet: The Gates

by Mark Sullivan
August 2, 2019

More water from the seemingly inexhaustible Detroit hard bop well. Saxophonist James Hughes and trumpeter Jimmy Smith are known for their own Hughes Smith Quintet, as heard on Motion (Self Produced, 2018) and Ever Up & Onward (Self Produced, 2016)--two red-hot recordings in that tradition. Here they are joined by co-leader John Yao on trombone, and a different rhythm section—pianist Corey Kendrick, bassist Jeff Pedraz and drummer Nick Collins. The program is all original compositions by the three co-leaders.