JIMMY GREENE - Flowers (Beautiful Life, Volume 2)
Mack Avenue Records MAC 1118
Jimmy Greene (soprano, alto, tenor and baritone saxes) Jean Baylor & Sheena Rattai (vocals) Rogerio Boccato (percussion) Otis Brown III & Jeff `Tain` Watts (drums & percussion) Kevin Hays & Renee Rosnes (piano and Rhodes electric piano) Mike Moreno (guitar) John Pattitucci & Ben Williams (bass) Recorded at Systems Two Recording Studios, Brooklyn NY.
In the face of mounting gun violence and the frequency of terrorist atrocities the phrase “our thoughts and prayers” has become one of the hollowest platitudes of our age, yet what else can we say when we are bereft of comprehension and seemingly unable to contrive a solution to these sickening outrages. Sympathy for the bereaved and acts of remembrance is all that is left to us, though all too often we are quick to move on, reluctant to enter into the grief of others, not through lack of compassion but simply because we feel impotent and fatigued by the magnitude of such horrific events.
These are the feelings that surfaced when I learned of the circumstances that inspired the music on this CD: the murder of Jimmy Greene’s six-year-old daughter in the infamous Sandy Hook massacre of 2012. This is the second volume of music dedicated to her memory (I haven’t heard the first, which was apparently more reflective and sombre) which aims to depict and invoke the playful, effervescent side of her nature.
Given the personal nature of this project it seems insensitive to offer a critique of the music, after all if it fulfils the objects of its creator, his milieu and the stellar cast of musicians who gathered around him then who am I to comment? On the other hand, if I had encountered this music without knowing of the circumstances of its conception, looking at it dispassionately, I would readily conclude that it is a fine piece of contemporary jazz that can be enjoyed on its own terms.
There are eleven pieces in total, all but one composed by Greene, bearing titles that reference some aspect of the unfortunate child’s personality and predilections and come in the form of bop and blues themes that mix vivacious exuberance with smatterings of angst laded dissonance: add to these, two tenderly vocalised ballads that address the fragility of life and relationships and you have a collection of music that is highly resourceful in its use of the jazz and blues vocabulary.
Greene, who has recorded extensively for the Criss Cross label is at turns warm toned and tetchy on tenor sax mixing soul and gospel tendencies into his boppish lines of reasoning, whilst on soprano he comes over probing and sinewy. The musicians who have joined him in the fulfilment of this project are all known virtuosi playing at the top of their game and there are some outstanding solos from Rosnes, Hays and the two bassists whilst the drummers, when called upon to do so, really stoke the proceedings with infectious rhythmic patterning.
There is a lot of joy in the music notwithstanding the tragic back story and if it has helped those most affected to cope then it will have achieved its purpose. Sadly, music will never eradicate evil but it can help to make life more bearable in the face of suffering and grief, saving us from nihilistic despair.
Reviewed by Euan Dixon
Mack Avenue Records MAC 1118
Jimmy Greene (soprano, alto, tenor and baritone saxes) Jean Baylor & Sheena Rattai (vocals) Rogerio Boccato (percussion) Otis Brown III & Jeff `Tain` Watts (drums & percussion) Kevin Hays & Renee Rosnes (piano and Rhodes electric piano) Mike Moreno (guitar) John Pattitucci & Ben Williams (bass) Recorded at Systems Two Recording Studios, Brooklyn NY.
In the face of mounting gun violence and the frequency of terrorist atrocities the phrase “our thoughts and prayers” has become one of the hollowest platitudes of our age, yet what else can we say when we are bereft of comprehension and seemingly unable to contrive a solution to these sickening outrages. Sympathy for the bereaved and acts of remembrance is all that is left to us, though all too often we are quick to move on, reluctant to enter into the grief of others, not through lack of compassion but simply because we feel impotent and fatigued by the magnitude of such horrific events.
These are the feelings that surfaced when I learned of the circumstances that inspired the music on this CD: the murder of Jimmy Greene’s six-year-old daughter in the infamous Sandy Hook massacre of 2012. This is the second volume of music dedicated to her memory (I haven’t heard the first, which was apparently more reflective and sombre) which aims to depict and invoke the playful, effervescent side of her nature.
Given the personal nature of this project it seems insensitive to offer a critique of the music, after all if it fulfils the objects of its creator, his milieu and the stellar cast of musicians who gathered around him then who am I to comment? On the other hand, if I had encountered this music without knowing of the circumstances of its conception, looking at it dispassionately, I would readily conclude that it is a fine piece of contemporary jazz that can be enjoyed on its own terms.
There are eleven pieces in total, all but one composed by Greene, bearing titles that reference some aspect of the unfortunate child’s personality and predilections and come in the form of bop and blues themes that mix vivacious exuberance with smatterings of angst laded dissonance: add to these, two tenderly vocalised ballads that address the fragility of life and relationships and you have a collection of music that is highly resourceful in its use of the jazz and blues vocabulary.
Greene, who has recorded extensively for the Criss Cross label is at turns warm toned and tetchy on tenor sax mixing soul and gospel tendencies into his boppish lines of reasoning, whilst on soprano he comes over probing and sinewy. The musicians who have joined him in the fulfilment of this project are all known virtuosi playing at the top of their game and there are some outstanding solos from Rosnes, Hays and the two bassists whilst the drummers, when called upon to do so, really stoke the proceedings with infectious rhythmic patterning.
There is a lot of joy in the music notwithstanding the tragic back story and if it has helped those most affected to cope then it will have achieved its purpose. Sadly, music will never eradicate evil but it can help to make life more bearable in the face of suffering and grief, saving us from nihilistic despair.
Reviewed by Euan Dixon
