Imagine Nation

English, Darren / Imagine Nation
Label: Hot Shoe records

Tom McCarter
Reviewed: 2016-11-11

Tom McCarter
English, Darren
Imagine Nation
Genre; Jazz
Review: Impressive debut of a stellar trumpeter and his group who effectively perform a wide range of jazz contexts. The CD includes originals, one of which is a suite, and early jazz standards, impeccably performed. Occasional vocals
FCCs: none
If You Like: Terence Blanchard, Lee Morgan, Clifford Brown
Favorite Tracks: (1) Imagine Nation (4) What A Little Moonlight Can Do (6) The Birth 98) I've Never Been in Love Before (10)Cherokee
Track Review: 1/ piano starts> midtempo jam builds to fast tempo> slow fade 2/ sax starts> slow tempo jam 3/ drums start> fast tempo jam> quick stop 4/ trumpet starts> fast tempo with female vocal> trumpet solo> piano solo> quick fade on vocal 5/ spoken word starts (Mandela talking)blends with music> fades on spoken word
6/ piano starts> midtempo jam moves uptempo> quick stop 7/ piano starts> slow tempo jam with female vocal> slow fade on vocal 8/ piano starts> midtempo jam with scat singing> quick fade
9/ drums start> uptempo jam> false stop> quick fade 10/ trumpet starts> fast tempo jam> quick fade