One of the last
authentic practitioners of bebop saxophone, Charles McPherson remains at the
top of his game. On his new album The Journey, McPherson demonstrates all the
vigor, inventiveness, technical dexterity and expressive warmth that drew attention
to this brilliant alto stylist during his formative associations with Charles
Mingus, Barry Harris, Pat Martino and Art Farmer. The vitality, wit and sheer
power of his playing on The Journey belie the fact that McPherson has been in
the public eye since the early 1960s. His lyrical and virile improvising
throughout the recording asserts that the career upswing that began for
McPherson when he added passionate alto statements to the soundtrack of Clint
Eastwood's 1998 Charlie Parker bio-pic, Bird, followed by the excellent
all-star albums that came in the film's wake, remains in motion. Working with a
Denver-based contingent of estimable musicians including saxophonist Keith
Oxman, pianist Chip Stephens, bassist Ken Walker and drummer Todd Reid, McPherson
demonstrates his laudable command of the bebop idiom, transforming original
tunes, songbook standards and bop classics into fresh, invigorating fare.
The origins of The
Journey can be traced to a fortuitous meeting that occurred at a musical
clinic, featuring McPherson among others, at the Denver, Colorado jazz club
Dazzle. There he met the saxophonist and high school instructor, Keith Oxman.
Musical encounters with Oxman and local musicians Stephens, Walker and Reid,
were so successful that the veteran saxophonist encouraged a recording to
document the obvious connection that the five musicians had so quickly
established. The April and May 2014 sessions produced a strikingly comfortable
blend of standards ("Spring Is Here," "I Should Care"),
McPherson originals ("Manhattan Nocturne," "The Journey,"
"Bud Like"), work from both Oxman and Stephens, and a shout out to
McPherson's deepest influence, Charlie Parker ("Au Privave").
Thoroughly
comfortable with the intricacies of bebop, Oxman and each of the rhythm team
display élan as confident soloists, as an indivisible unit, and as a rock-solid
foundation for McPherson. The star
altoist - as fluent as ever on brisk bop performances and lyrically pointed on
ballads (hear his lovely duet with Stephens on "I Should Care," a
standard favored by Parker) - sounds as robust and bursting with ideas as his
devotees, drawn to the authenticity and communicative power of McPherson's
characteristic playing, have come to expect.
The presence of
another saxophonist adds harmonic and tonal color to the ensemble and further
stimulates McPherson's creative juices. Oxman's own "Tami's Tune" is
a feature for the tenor saxophonist on which McPherson graciously absents
himself, better to train the spotlight on this fine improviser. As McPherson
states, "Keith is extremely creative and in possession of a really good
technique. But most importantly he has spirituality in his playing, and a depth
of feeling that is rare. He should definitely be heard more!" As should
McPherson, who, as The Journey clearly exhibits, remains in peak form as he
continues his lifelong musical voyage.
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