JOEY DEFRANCESCO - In The Key of the Universe
Mack Avenue Records: MAC1147
Joey DeFrancesco (organ, keyboards, trumpet) Pharoah Sanders (tenor sax, voices) Billy Hart (drums) Troy Roberts (tenor, alto & soprano saxophones, acoustic bass) Sammy Figueroa (percussion)
No location or recording dates given.
Don’t be put off by the slightly intimidating cosmic pretensions of the title; this is a very likeable and easily accessible middle of the road, thoroughly wholesome and engagingly melodic jazz set with bags of swing and joi de vivre. Yes, there is a bit of exotic world music percussion here and there and the rather dirge like Leon Thomas tune, ‘The Creator has a Master Plan` is included as a guest feature for veteran Pharoah Sanders, in which he attempts to emulate the composer’s rather odd yodelling, but elsewhere everything is comfortably familiar, taking in various modern jazz genres from bop to Bossa, all marinated in the blues.
Sanders actually guests on tenor sax in three pieces including the title track and his elder statesman gravitas does lend an element of piety to the proceedings but his `fire music` aggressiveness has now softened into something much more palatable to the average listener. The other saxophone voice is the estimable Troy Roberts, who was also featured in DeFrancesco’s 2017 release, Project Freedom and here he utilizes three instruments to good effect, though it is on tenor that he makes his most indelible mark, his outing on the four on the floor `It Swung Wide Open` being a particular delight.
With a drummer like Billy Hart on board there can be no fears about a lack of momentum and the talents of Sammy Figueroa are effectively employed on several occasions when extra percussive touches are deemed appropriate but star billing must be reserved for the leader who in addition to his mastery of his main instrument, which represents a summation of the Hammond organ tradition to date, also doubles on piano and Fender Rhodes with equal accomplishment. He even plays a Miles inspired muted trumpet on three tracks which adds a twist of cool astringency to what is a most stimulating cocktail of sounds rounding out what most will agree to be an eminently satisfying listening experience.
Reviewed by Euan Dixon
Mack Avenue Records: MAC1147
Joey DeFrancesco (organ, keyboards, trumpet) Pharoah Sanders (tenor sax, voices) Billy Hart (drums) Troy Roberts (tenor, alto & soprano saxophones, acoustic bass) Sammy Figueroa (percussion)
No location or recording dates given.
Don’t be put off by the slightly intimidating cosmic pretensions of the title; this is a very likeable and easily accessible middle of the road, thoroughly wholesome and engagingly melodic jazz set with bags of swing and joi de vivre. Yes, there is a bit of exotic world music percussion here and there and the rather dirge like Leon Thomas tune, ‘The Creator has a Master Plan` is included as a guest feature for veteran Pharoah Sanders, in which he attempts to emulate the composer’s rather odd yodelling, but elsewhere everything is comfortably familiar, taking in various modern jazz genres from bop to Bossa, all marinated in the blues.
Sanders actually guests on tenor sax in three pieces including the title track and his elder statesman gravitas does lend an element of piety to the proceedings but his `fire music` aggressiveness has now softened into something much more palatable to the average listener. The other saxophone voice is the estimable Troy Roberts, who was also featured in DeFrancesco’s 2017 release, Project Freedom and here he utilizes three instruments to good effect, though it is on tenor that he makes his most indelible mark, his outing on the four on the floor `It Swung Wide Open` being a particular delight.
With a drummer like Billy Hart on board there can be no fears about a lack of momentum and the talents of Sammy Figueroa are effectively employed on several occasions when extra percussive touches are deemed appropriate but star billing must be reserved for the leader who in addition to his mastery of his main instrument, which represents a summation of the Hammond organ tradition to date, also doubles on piano and Fender Rhodes with equal accomplishment. He even plays a Miles inspired muted trumpet on three tracks which adds a twist of cool astringency to what is a most stimulating cocktail of sounds rounding out what most will agree to be an eminently satisfying listening experience.
Reviewed by Euan Dixon
