Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » The Herbie Nichols Project: Strange City

92

The Herbie Nichols Project: Strange City

C. Andrew Hovan By C. Andrew Hovan

View read count
Since 1992, the Herbie Nichols Project has been dedicated to performing the music of a gentleman who in his lifetime was sadly neglected but who left behind a body of work just as idiosyncratic and distinctive as that of Thelonious Monk. Following their two previous releases, Dr. Cyclop’s Dream and Love Is Proximity, the group now makes their debut on the Palmetto label with Strange City, a program made up almost exclusively by tunes that Nichols never recorded himself. Arguably, this set contains some of the ensemble’s finest moments on record to date.

There’s much to discover here and the variegated program moves from the almost classical sounding “Moments Magical” that opens the disc to the quintessential “Shuffle Montgomery” that acts as a closer. Along the way there are ample opportunities not only to luxuriate in the compositional genius of Nichols, but also to admire the strong ensemble passages and the individual voices that make up the ensemble. Trumpeter Ron Horton is darkly lyrical on the title track, drummer Matt Wilson is intensely musical during his solo spot on “Blue Shout,” and pianist Frank Kimbrough taps the Nichols genius in a splendid trio take on “Karna Kangi.” These are just three highlights among a great program that not only interprets and extends the Nichols legacy but also speaks highly in regards to each group member’s individual muse.


C. Andrew Hovan FOLLOW C. Andrew Hovan and get notified whenever a new article published.
An avid audiophile and music collector, Chris Hovan is a Cleveland-based writer / photographer / musician.

Track Listing

Moments Magical; Enrapture; Delights; Blue Shout; Strange City; Karna Kangi; The Happenings; Change Of Season; Some Wandering Bushmen; Shuffle Montgomery.

Personnel

The Herbie Nichols Project
band / ensemble / orchestra
Ben Allison
bass, acoustic
Ron Horton
trumpet
Ted Nash
saxophone
Michael Blake
saxophone, tenor

Album information

Title: Strange City | Year Released: 2001 | Record Label: Palmetto Records


About The Herbie Nichols Project

Tags


PREVIOUS / NEXT




Become a Sustaining Member

Get the Jazz Near You newsletter

Since 1995, All About Jazz has championed jazz as an art form and supported the musicians who create it. Over three decades, it has grown into one of the world's leading jazz resources, serving hundreds of thousands of readers, musicians, presenters and industry professionals each month.

Help Build the Future of All About Jazz

Your support helps us continue building All About Jazz for the next generation—expanding our editorial coverage, preserving jazz history, developing new community features and creating better ways to discover the music and the people behind it.

Become a sustaining member for as little as $20 per year and you'll immediately enjoy an ad-free experience along with access to subscriber features and future articles for a full year.

Together, we're not simply sustaining All About Jazz—we're building its future. Thank you for being part of the journey.

More

Points of Light
Christian McBride and Ursa Major
Oracle
Co Streiff - Russ Johnson Quartet
Akvæn
Vamze Wybrańczyk
Mediterranean Echoes
Alekos Vretos

Popular

Salt Catchers
Andy Sheppard
Soho Elegy
Rachael Calladine Quintet
Keeping It In Context
Daniel Carter / Sabir Mateen / William Parker / Lou Grassi

Get more of a good thing!

Our weekly newsletters highlight our top stories, top album reviews, website news, free songs, radio & podcast shows, news, and upcoming jazz events near you.

Install All About Jazz

iOS Instructions:

To install this app, follow these steps:

All About Jazz would like to send you notifications

Notifications include timely alerts to content of interest, such as articles, reviews, new features, and more. These can be configured in Settings.