Reviewed: 2019-07-17
Genre: Jazz
FCCs: none
Review: It’s not often that a bandleader is so selfless that they’ll open an album with a track they don’t play on. It seems perfectly appropriate here, though, because trumpeter Douglas’ Devotion is all about recognizing the value of others, particularly those who have inspired him musically. Artistically. devotion can be offered in a variety of ways, and no single version is better than the others. Here, Douglas teams with crack musicians pianist Uri Caine and drummer Andrew Cyrille.
If You Like: Don cherry, Matthew Shipp, Thelonious Monk, Ben Riley
Track Review (favorites denoted by *):
**1/ Curly (4:15) – piano starts> uptempo duet with drums> quick stop & some notes
2/ D’Andrea (5:14) – piano starts strong> midtempo jam> rocking piano solo> drum solo> midtempo jam> fade
**3/ Francis Of Anthony (4:49) – muted trumpet starts> mellow midtempo jam> piano solo> trumpet solo> midtempo jam> slow fade
*4/ Miljosang (4:58) – piano starts> midtempo duet with drums> midtempo jam> trumpet solo> midtempo jam> fade
**5/ False Allegiances (5:51) – piano starts> slow jam> trumpet solo> piano solo> midtempo jam> slow fade
6/ Prefontaine (6:19) – trumpet/piano starts> slow jam> hesitant piano solo> slow jam swings uptempo, then slows again> slow fade
*7/ Pacific (7:36) – trumpet starts> slow jam builds to uptempo> piano solo slows to midtempo> crescendo> uptempo jam> slow fade
***8/ Rose And Thorn (5:33) – piano starts> uptempo tango-like jam swings to fast tempo> trumpet solo> piano & trumpet trade riffs> uptempo jam> drum solo with piano & trumpet interjecting> uptempo jam> quick stop
9/ We Pray (4:14) – trumpet starts> midtempo jam> piano solo> midtempo jam> slow fade
*10/ Devotion (5:34) – piano/trumpet starts> slow jam builds to midtempo> piano solo> trumpet solo> piano solo to fade