The Undying Spirit lives up to its name as the sophomore
release from drummer & composer E.J. Strickland. On this album we are witness to the evolving
sound of his quintet - with more spirit, more groove, and more spotlight on its
leader. The Undying Spirit features a
familiar quintet - E.J. Strickland on drums, Jaleel Shaw on alto sax, Marcus
Strickland on tenor & soprano saxes, Luis Perdomo on piano, and new
addition to the group, Linda Oh on bass.
The very first note of this musical journey is the
captivating start of E.J.'s explorative solo on the tune "Ride". With
his gripping opening statement, the drummer sets the tone for the first track
and ultimately for the entire album.
"Ride" continues with a playful theme beautifully executed by
Marcus Strickland & Jaleel Shaw, with a joyful and articulate piano solo by
Luis Perdomo, containing many rhythmic gems. Also on "Ride", bassist
Linda Oh effortlessly maintains the shape of the ostinato while demonstrating
great interplay with E.J., as if she has been a member of the quintet for
years. Tunes like "Ride" and the album's closer
"Impromptivity" display the group's innate ability to build a story
on top of a groove; bouncing off one another's phrases while maintaining the
overall sway throughout.
A strong characteristic of Strickland's compositions is the
re-introduction of themes and melodies thatlead to multiple atmospheres for
improvisation throughout any particular tune.
For example, on "For My Home Folks", the group demonstrates
their ability to capture the sentiment of a song, as heard through the soulful
cries of Marcus & Shaw's horns followed by E.J.'s emotional drum solo. This ability is also showcased on
"Ballad For All Mankind" which features a beautifully lyricized bass
solo by Oh which flows into a contemplative exchange between Marcus & Shaw.
Also on this track, Marcus' award-winning playing sings alluringly over its
theme. Although ballads are a rare platform for a drum solo, E.J. masterfully
constructs a moving piece over the softness of the rhythm section. "Transcendence" shows off the
band's sophistication as they weave in and out of the tune's 3-bar 5/4
structure with great ease and expression.
In addition to E.J.'s compelling original compositions, the quintet
takes on the great Cedar Walton's "Hindsight", which also serves as a
feature for the leader.
Throughout the various time feels on this album the band
displays true versatility. With their lively swing feel on
"Hindsight", they offer a refreshing contrast. On "Bomba For Leel & Max" a
weaving horn line flies over a complex basso continuo in the rhythm section
with a brisk-paced Latin groove. Both of
the horn players, whose nicknames are mentioned in the song's title, get a very
intense sax exchange feature over a vamp following Perdomo's energetic
solo. The most quiet and subtle moments
of the album can be found on "Midnight's Clearing" which starts out
almost free of time but, never without pulse as Oh plays it's eerie bass line
that starts off dark and drifts into a more upbeat tone. The saxophonists blend and compliment each
other gorgeously as they explore their counter-melodies, as they also do on
"A Dance For Mojo's Return", which is set-up beautifully by Perdomo's
opening cadenza. On this composition the
group makes a meal of the different time feels - a driving force on all four
beats, and a half-time backbeat lilt.
This all gives way to an astonishing drum shout section on which E.J.
improvises. "Tune For S.C." is
a simple and pretty melody overlaying a magical upbeat bass line and features
very endearing solos by Marcus and Perdomo.
With this recording, one of E.J.'s goals was to provide an
album that would prove to be uplifting to the listener, as it's title, The
Undying Spirit, suggests. The
drummer/composer also wanted to capture the quintet's growth, the refinement in
his composing, and his ever-evolving ability to standout as a leader; mission
accomplished!
E.J. Strickland Quintet - Upcoming CD RELEASE CELEBRATIONS:
February 27th @ The Side Door, Old Lyme, CT
E.J. Strickland - drums, Jaleel Shaw - alto sax, Marcus
Strickland - tenor & soprano saxes, Victor Gould - piano, Linda Oh - bass
February 28th @ An Die Musik, Baltimore, MD
E.J. Strickland - drums, Jaleel Shaw - alto sax, Marcus
Strickland - tenor & soprano saxes, Victor Gould - piano, Linda Oh - bass
March 29th @ Falcon Theatre, Marlboro, NY
E.J. Strickland - drums, Jaleel Shaw - alto sax, Marcus
Strickland - tenor & soprano saxes, Victor Gould - piano, Linda Oh - bass
March 31st @ The Jazz Standard, New York, NY
E.J. Strickland - drums, Jaleel Shaw - alto sax, Marcus
Strickland - tenor & soprano saxes, Luis Perdomo - piano, Linda Oh - bass
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