Jeremy Pelt: Soundtrack

Although Soundtrack is the name of trumpeter Jeremy Pelt's latest album (more about that in a moment), there is another selection that more readily summarizes Pelt's lyric philosophy: "I Love Music." And while there is ample contrast, camaraderie and color on the album, there is no doubt that Pelt's clear and creative commentaries are the focal point. As for that title, "Soundtrack" is simply the name of a twenty-year-old ballad written for but never recorded by one of Pelt's earlier ensembles. "I've certainly done plenty of concept albums," Pelt writes, "but in this case there's nothing I'm on a soapbox about...Let's not worry about sending messages for a minute. Here we are, playing some songs and having some fun."

The "we" to whom Pelt refers are his core quintet (Chien Chien Lu, vibraphone; Victor Gould, keyboards; Vicente Archer, bass; Allan Mednard, drums) with guests Anne Drummond on flute ("The Lighter Side," "The Darker Side") and Brittany Anjou on mellotron ("The Darker Side") and Moog synthesizer ("I'm Still Standing"). The teammates do have some fun, and the album has its sunny moments, but there are times when the message is overshadowed by the special effects, as on "I'm Still Standing," whose lavish reverb makes it seem as though Pelt were playing his trumpet in the Grand Canyon.

In fact, swing doesn't arrive as the main course until the penultimate entree, "Shifting Images," on which Pelt and Lu readily embrace the sassy groove while Gould and Archer add their strong voices, Gould on Fender Rhodes. The closer, "You and Me," also swings but in a far more easygoing manner with Pelt and Gould again in fine form. It wanes into the ether, as do several other tracks starting with the intro, "Picking Up the Pieces," which fades in on a buoyant note and fades out quietly after undergoing a rather unsettling change of pace midstream. Lu handles her solo assignments with assurance, and she helps undergird the rhythm section.

"Be The Light" moves nicely in a laid-back groove, after which Drummond's is the main voice on the very brief (27-second) "Lighter Side" and adds welcome warmth on the dense and chillier "Darker Side." Pelt plays muted there, as he does on the dreamlike "I Love Music." While there is some admirable playing throughout, this is an album that doesn't seem quite sure where it is going or why. High marks, however, for the musicianship.