Celebrating
his 10th anniversary with Mack Avenue Records, internationally acclaimed
composer and eter Sean Jones views his seventh album, im.pro.vise = never
before seen, as "a reintroduction of who I am." Although he has
clearly established himself as a formidable leader through recordings and live
performances, this album reflects his "conscious decision to approach this
latest step in my artistic evolution as a trumpet player, a composer and a
leader."
A major
event in that evolution occurred when he chose to step down from his longtime
position as Lead Trumpeter of the Jazz At Lincoln Center Orchestra in 2010. But
touring with Wayne Shorter and Herbie Hancock's Tribute To Miles the following
year made a truly profound impact on his personal journey.
"I
have so much respect for those men, so I asked them how I could best contribute
to this music. Without hesitation and in one voice they said: 'Lead. That's
what we hired you to do.' That brought it all together for me."
Through
that epiphany, Jones set out with a new motivation firmly in place, and
im.pro.vise = never before seen began to take form. Paring his artistic
viewpoint down to the basics, he decided to make his first quartet recording
with his longtime bandmates, the dynamic pianist Orrin Evans, and the seamless
bass/drum tandem of Luques Curtis and Obed Calvaire. Furthermore, he chose to
do it old school.
"All
of my previous albums were 'productions' with overdubs, etc," says Jones.
"This time it was just the four of us in one room, no barriers between us,
playing live." The sense of immediacy and urgency that has always been a
key element of the jazz art at its highest level is front and center throughout
this entire album. Another essential tradition of looking back to look forward
is also omnipresent here, and that includes the full scope of that legacy from
its blues roots to its freer explorations.
That
perspective is clearly expressed from the very beginning with the opening track
"60th & Broadway," as the influences of iconoclasts like Don
Cherry and Lester Bowie are included in the vernacular over which Jones
displays his flawless command. "This piece was a nod to all the great
years I spent at Lincoln Center," says the trumpeter. "I'm so
grateful, but it was time to move on." Clearly this movement is both
focused and bold, as this piece demonstrates a group synergy locked into a
unity of purpose and joy of discovery.
There
are five more Jones originals on the album, each of them exquisitely crafted as
an ideal launching point for the improvisational exploration. These are not
head-solo-head constructs. Instead, the approach on these pieces-and on the
entire repertoire-is one of evolution and organic development. Appropriate to
that vision, there is a floating sense of time, with a rubato feel often at
play alongside distinct rhythmic sections, creating a context that is almost
cinematic. These are tales sometimes told gently, sometimes with vehemence;
sometimes cryptically and others in matter-of-fact terms. "All of my
compositions have a specific meaning," explains Jones, "something
that has happened to me, or affected me in some way."
"Dark
Times" was written over 10 years ago while Jones was pursuing his Masters
Degree at Rutgers. "It's a reflection of a time of struggle and
uncertainty...and my decision to put it aside and just move ahead." As the
atmospheric, darkly lustrous rubato opening moves into the fluidly lyrical
theme, that depiction is vividly stated. With a freely floating tone reminiscent
of Miles' Filles de Kilimanjaro period, Jones demonstrates his command of the
Miles philosophy of time and space where what's not played is as important as
what is.
The
opening and closing movements from the five-part "Date Night Suite"
are included here. "New Journey" is a joyful romp-open, freewheeling,
but anticipatory and speculative. The closing movement, "The Morning
After," begins as a lovely anthem-like ballad "reflecting on the
night before," explains Jones, "then hopeful, speculative," as
an exuberant foray erupts with joyful possibilities.
A ballad
of filigreed beauty, "We'll Meet Under the Stars," is a serenely
evocative piece, with the melodic line caressed lovingly between Evans and
Jones, cushioned by marvelously subtle bass and drums interplay.
"There
are times when you just have to say 'I don't give a damn' and go with what your
feelings are," expresses Jones, and thus, the "I Don't Give A Damn
Blues," written on the bandstand in the middle of a wee-hours set. The
blues is the core of jazz expression and this piece has that late night
intimacy where the musicians are just playing for themselves-and whoever
happens to be lucky enough to be there to hear it.
While
one can easily envision that blues being played by Roy Eldridge and Teddy
Wilson, another staple of the jazz repertoire receives a most unusual
treatment. "How High the Moon" - a longstanding vehicle for jam
sessions, vocalists, swing bands and bop ensembles-is constructed,
deconstructed and reconstructed, offering a surprising new chapter to an often
told story in an unexpected time and place. The trumpeter also provides a fiery
new interpretation of Jackie McLean's "Dr. Jekyll" (best known from
Miles' Milestones album). "I wanted to let everybody stretch out in the
tradition," says Jones, and stretch out they do, in breathtaking and
virile terms.
Jones
includes a piece by another outstanding altoist with "Interior
Motive" by Joe Ford. "Joe has always been very inspirational to me,
encouraging me since we worked together with the Fort Apache Band and with
Charles Fambrough," reflects the trumpeter. Built upon a richly wooded
bass vamp and splendid drumming, the piece weaves in and out of various
rhythmic contexts and shifts moods audaciously, but with perfect continuity.
Pianist
Evans contributes "Don't Fall Off the L.E.J." for the album.
"You can't play with a band unless you take chances while playing
together," says Jones of this spirited excursion, delivered in
straightforward fashion, delightfully syncopated and swinging fervently.
This
extraordinary album concludes on a most poignant note with Stephen Sondheim's
"Not While I'm Around," dedicated to Jones' mother. "My mother
has been so crucial in my life. I love Sondheim, and this piece just
encapsulates her essence to me."
Powerfully
committed to his art and clearly focused upon where he wants to take it, Jones
has developed one of the most impressive and compelling ensembles on today's
scene, all of whom are committed to performing together and taking their place
alongside the most affecting and important ensembles in jazz.
Tgether
this quartet generates the consummate energy to which all truly dedicated jazz
artists should aspire. The musicians bring everything they have to the table,
making the music their own, yet always understanding that the purpose is to
fulfill the vision of the leader. "I want to reflect the tradition of what
jazz is," says Jones, "and my voice is a voice that needs to be part
of it."
Upcoming
Sean Jones Performances:
* June 7
/ Capital Jazz Festival / Columbia, MD
June 9 /
Sunflower Jazz Festival / Topeka, KS
June 13
/ Orchestra Hall (special guest of
Chicago
Symphony Orchestra) / Chicago, I L
* June
14 / Playboy Jazz Festival / Los Angeles, CA
June 26
/ Tri-C Jazz Festival / Cleveland, OH
June 29
/ Saratoga Jazz Festival / Saratoga Springs, NY
July 11
/ Buzzards Bay Jazz Festival / Marion, MA
July 17
- 20 / Jazz Standard / New York, NY
July 30
/ Scullers / Boston, MA
August
12 - 13 / Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola (featured guest artist) / New York, NY
August
21 / SFJAZZ Center / San Francisco, CA
September
1 / Detroit Jazz Festival / Detroit, MI
September
5 / The Frick / Pittsburgh, PA
September
25 - 28 / Jazz Showcase / Chicago, IL
November
3 - 8 / SF Performances Residency / San Francisco, CA
November
10 - 15 / Jazz Bistro / St. Louis, MO
*
performing with Dianne Reeves
Sean
Jones · im.pro.vise = never before seen / Mack
Avenue Records · Release Date: July 22, 2014
