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Lafayette Gilchrist: Towards the Shining Path
ByTowards the Shining Path is once again exclusively comprised of original material, composed and arranged by Gilchrist, whose compositional style has show remarkable development in a short span of time. Whereas Gilchrist's previous compositions followed essentially linear or parabolic developmental paths, his new compositions contain multiple strands of competing lines, injecting a new level of complexity and depth into the sweeping narrative feel of his work. Moreover, where the previous album depended on the lock-step integration of his band, Gilchrist has opened new space for his talented horn section to express individual voices, styles, and tonal textures, though never at the expense of the carefully constructed, tightly contained whole.
Sweeping tunes like New Jack and the album highlight "Bubbles on Mars cruise forward like a Cadillac coup, engine purring, dominating by sheer weight and a peculiar presence equal parts ominous and opulent, while the extended piece "Thorn Bush explores subtler emotional themes and adds a broader range of color to Gilchrist's milieu.
Other album standouts include the honky tonk-tinged "No Locomotion Blues," the tongue-in-cheek "Elephant Dance, and "The Juggler's Dream, a sprawling, carnivalesque piece which spirals and weaves through an imaginative, multi-themed landscape.
Towards the Shining Path reveals Gilchrist to be a composer and player to be reckoned with. This is music on the edge, a soundtrack of the now.
Track Listing
New Jack; Towards the Shining Path 3.Elephant Dance; Unbreakable; No Locomotion Blues; Thorn Bush; Bubbles on Mars; Unsolved, Unresolved; The Jugglers Dream.
Personnel
Lafayette Gilchrist
pianoLafayette Gilchrist: piano; John Dierker: tenor saxophone; Gregory L. Thompkins: tenor saxophone; Gabriel Ware: alto saxophone; Mike Cerri: trumpet; Anthony "Blue" Jenkins: bass; Nate Reynolds: drums.
Album information
Title: Towards the Shining Path | Year Released: 2005 | Record Label: Hyena Records
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About Lafayette Gilchrist
Instrument: Piano
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