Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Randy Sandke and the Metatonal Band: The Mystic Trumpeter

146

Randy Sandke and the Metatonal Band: The Mystic Trumpeter

By

Sign in to view read count
Randy Sandke and the Metatonal Band: The Mystic Trumpeter
Trumpeter and composer Randy Sandke has recorded 22 albums as a leader since 1985 and has appeared on countless others in largely a mainstream and postwar swing setting, and of late he has dabbled in outside jazz. The Mystic Trumpeter may be Sandke's most ambitious effort to date. The album is presented as "metatonal" music, which is a term that Sandke uses to describe how his compositions use harmonies that are derived in a way that hasn't yet been integrated into jazz.

The album presents two lengthy pieces: "The Mystical Trumpeter," a multi-part composition that was inspired by a poem by Walt Whitman; and "Symphony For Six," a classical selection that uses jazz instrumentation and performance. Sandke's Metatonal Band is a quintet consisting of the trumpeter plus reed player Scott Robinson, pianist Ted Rosenthal, bassist Greg Cohen, and drummer Dennis Mackrel. Trombonist Wycliffe Gordon joins them on "Symphony For Six."

Each section of the six-part "The Mystic Trumpeter" is subtitled by a phrase from the Whitman poem, such as "Sounds of Smiting Steel" or "The Flames That Heat The World." Sandke has performed this piece twice before in New York with different personnel but has not recorded it until now. The Metatonal Band performs this music using the vocabulary of bebop and cutting-edge jazz, particularly via Robinson's tenor sax and Rosenthal's piano, as well as Sandke's own trumpet.

"Symphony For Six" was also composed in 1995 and performed in New York with different personnel; here, a jazz sextet follows the formal outlines of a classical symphony. After listening, I began to think about how well any radical changes in jazz structure in the past have stood up historically, and in particular, the 1950s work of George Russell's Lydian Theory, as well as the late-'50s Third Stream movement. In recent years, I've read how Miles Davis' thinking regarding his Kind Of Blue session paid heed to Russell (as well as several other non-jazz artists). Reading the liner notes of a Hal McKusick reissue last year, I was surprised by the altoist's devotion to the music of Russell, as well as many mainsteam players of that era.

This is not an easy album to listen to, given its complex arrangements and the frequently changing pace of the compositions. The biggest question for untrained listeners (like myself) is whether they will like it or not. My conclusion is that this is important enough a work for repeated listening.

Track Listing

The Mystic Trumpeter (Liquid Prelude, The Walks of Paradise, Sounds of Smiting Steel, The Flames That Heal The World, Distant Thunder, Enough To Merely Be); Symphony For Six (Allegro, Adagio, Scherzo, Rondo).

Personnel

Randy Sandke
trumpet

Randy Sandke: trumpet and flugelhorn; Scott Robinson: tenor and soprano sax, bass flute; Wycliffe Gordon: trombone (on Symphony For Six); Ted Rosenthal: piano; Greg Cohen:bass; Dennis Mackrel: drums and percussion.

Album information

Title: The Mystic Trumpeter | Year Released: 2005 | Record Label: Evening Star Records

Comments

Tags


For the Love of Jazz
Get the Jazz Near You newsletter All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who create 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.

You Can Help
To expand our coverage even further and develop new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for a modest $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination will vastly improve 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.

More

What Was Happening
Bobby Wellins Quartet
Laugh Ash
Ches Smith
A New Beat
Ulysses Owens, Jr. and Generation Y

Popular

Eagle's Point
Chris Potter
Light Streams
John Donegan - The Irish Sextet

Get more of a good thing!

Our weekly newsletter highlights our top stories, our special offers, and upcoming jazz events near you.