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Fred Jacobs: Time Change

By Robert Spencer
December 1, 1999
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Fred Jacobs is a deft and versatile trumpeter who covers a lot of ground on Time Change. He dives right into the title track, sounding as bright and assured as Freddie Hubbard or Woody Shaw, but with verve and a smooth, fluent originality. Tenor man Scott Kreitzer is right in step with him, arching his lines over the rhythm a la Coltrane or Shorter, with a gentle and genial mien.

But there is much more than just letter-perfect hard bop here. Although Jacobs plays with a mute on the bossaish "Ahmed," this is less of a Milesian touch than might be expected, as this trumpeter's sound is once again smoothly assured, empty of the Prince of Darkness's aching and fractured pathos. "Contempo" adds an electric funk rhythm and edges into smoothie territory, with Kreitzer on the nasal soprano favored by smoothies worldwide. Thelonious Monk's "Ruby, My Dear" is given a gossamer synthesizer bath, over which Jacobs plays with utterly effective delicacy.

So watch out for Fred Jacobs: from the evidence on this disc, with him the trumpet is in good hands.

Personnel

Fred Jacobs

trumpet

Fred Jacobs, tpt, flghn; Scott Kreitzer, saxes; Dave Kikoski, p, synth; Rufus Reid, b; Bill Stewart, d; Chuck Loeb, el g; Troy Millard, el b; Romero Lubamba, ac g.

Track listing: Time Change / Ahmed / Grace / Contempo / Ruby, My Dear / (My) Only Love / Stacheguard.

Album information

Title: Time Change | Year Released: 1999 | Record Label: M/Art

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