Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Michael Brecker/Dave Liebman/Joe Lovano: Saxophone Summi...

Michael Brecker/Dave Liebman/Joe Lovano: Saxophone Summit: Gathering of Spirits

By Jeff Stockton
November 8, 2004
View read count

You could argue that every post-Coltrane recording of serious saxophone music has been informed by the legacy and spirit of the man himself. Yet it takes a musician (or musicians) of a particular stature and gravity to pull off an explicit tribute by interpreting some of his legendary compositions without sending you straight back to the originals. You could also argue that no single saxophonist is up to the task. So, the Saxophone Summit gives you three.

On Gathering of Spirits , Michael Brecker, Dave Liebman and Joe Lovano, supported by rock-solid drummer Billy Hart, longtime Liebman collaborator Phil Markowitz on piano and veteran bass man Cecil McBee, turn (most of) their attention to Coltrane's underappreciated later period and make the case for its inclusion in the canon. The CD opens with "Alexander the Great," a seven-minute post bop workout that feels as if the band is just warming up. The tentative, cautionary piano intro that begins Markowitz' "The 12th Man," the sinuous repetition of the beat and Hart's shimmering cymbals all establish the mood for the horns to make their statements. Brecker runs from the lower to upper register in his sore-throat solo. Lovano is abundant and smooth, swinging just a little tighter than his compatriots. Liebman trills and coos on soprano.

The intentional exoticism of "India" is addressed with a chorus of wooden flutes above McBee's bubbling bass before Brecker prods his tenor into anguish, its urgency heightened by the mantra-like response of Liebman's ascent on soprano. The divine melody of "Peace on Earth," in a relatively succinct treatment, is rescued from Trane's own protracted explorations of the tune and "Tricycle" is a series of trios linked by brief ensemble playing. The disc closes with the title track, the recording's freest piece, bolstered by Liebman's weaving of his own tenor between the other two, like steel embedded in concrete.

Be advised: this is no cutting contest. These players are summoning Coltrane to inspire each other to greater heights, not slice each other down to size.

Track Listing

1. Alexander the Great 2. The 12th Man 3. India 4. Peace on Earth 5. Tricycle 6. A Gathering of Spirits

Personnel

Dave Liebman

saxophone

Michael Brecker - tenor
Dave Liebman - tenor
Joe Lovano - tenor
Phil Markowitz - piano
Cecil McBee - bass
Billy Hart - drums

Album information

Title: Saxophone Summit: Gathering of Spirits | Year Released: 2004 | Record Label: Telarc Records

PREVIOUS / NEXT

Live at the BBC
< Previous

Moving Forward, Standing Still
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.