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Vincent Gardner: The Good Book: Chapter One
ByOf the Foster tunes, it's "Shiny Stockings that gets the most sagacious reworking, use of space and syncopation, helping to alter a well-known line. Of more recent vintage, "Sean's Jones Comes Down is Foster's play on words as homage to the young trumpeter. Its form includes a few bars of ¾ thrown in to keep all on their toes, with Walter Blanding's soprano work proving to be a revelation in terms of his tone and ideas. As for Gardner's voice, he goes for a blend somewhere between swing stylists such as Vic Dickenson, Lawrence Brown and the bop sensibilities of J.J. Johnson. At times, his tone is slightly reminiscent of the warm timbre of a French horn.
The Silver numbers tap the less obvious and the disc is all the better for it. "African Queen is one of the highlights from Silver's Cape Verdean Blues (Blue Note, 1965) and Gardner and company stretch out for their own extended cruise abetted by the highly musical drumming of Quincy Davis. Joe Henderson's "Mo'Joe is another gem from the previously mentioned Cape Verdean set. As for the iconic "Que Pasa? from Song for My Father (Blue Note, 1964), the blend of soprano sax and trombone gives this reading a unique flavor, a quality that pretty much permeates the entire disc. This, of course, elevates the recital beyond your typical tribute album and bodes well for Gardner's further development as an individualist with something important to say.
Track Listing
Love Handles; The African Queen; Shiny Stockings; Mo' Joe; The House That Love Built; Sean's Jones Comes Down; Que Pasa?; C.P.W.
Personnel
Vincent Gardner
tromboneVincent Gardner: trombone; Walter Blanding: tenor and soprano sax; Marc Cary: piano; Greg Williams: bass; Quincy Davis: drums.
Album information
Title: The Good Book: Chapter One | Year Released: 2007 | Record Label: SteepleChase Records
Comments
About Vincent Gardner
Instrument: Trombone
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