Relaxin' With Nick

Reviewed: 2019-11-11
Genre: Jazz
FCCs: none
Review: Payton swings, hard bops, bebops, sings, gets sentimental, takes it out and adds a bit of electronics on this double album, recorded live. Playing trumpet, acoustic piano, Fender Rhodes and adding vocals and samplings, Payton is teamed with a dynamite rhythm section. Most likely the audience was tapping their toes throughout the show, anticipating when the next unexpected burst of elegance or percussive craziness might occur.
If You Like: Harold Mabern, Joe Zawinul, Miles Davis
Track Review (favorites denoted by *):
Disc 1
**1/ Relaxin’ With Nick (7:39) – piano starts slow, swings up to midtempo jam> piano solo> uptempo jam> piano solo> uptempo jam> trumpet solo> uptempo jam slows to midtempo> slow fade
*2/ C (5:00) – piano starts slow > bass solo> uptempo jam> piano solo> midtempo jam> quick fade
3/ El Guajiro (7:28) – drums start> midtempo jam with spoken word> trumpet solo> organ solo> Rhodes solo> drum solo> uptempo jam> crescendo end
*4/ Stablemates (11:03) – ringing notes from Fender Rhodes start slow solo> slow fusion jam with trumpet up front> Rhodes solo swings into uptempo jam> quick stop
5/ Eight (3:43) – Rhodes solo stars slow & beautiful> swings into midtempo funky jam with trumpet up front> fade
6/ Jazz Is A Four-Letter Word (9:54) – Rhodes starts slow & heavy> slow jam with spoken word> Rhodes solo swings uptempo> piano solo> uptempo jam> trumpet solo> uptempo jam> crescendo> midtempo jam with altered spoken word> slow fade
7/ Othello (8:26) – Rhodes solo starts slow> slow muted song> bass solo> piano solo> trumpet solo> slow jam> slow song> slow jam to fade
**8/ Tea for Two (6:47) – trumpet starts slow> slow jam> swings to fast tempo jam> trumpet solo> uptempo jam with drum fills> quick stop> pause> brief lightning fast jam> quick stop
DISC 2
**9/ 1983 (7:57) – (applause)> Rhodes starts slow> slow tempo jam swings to midtempo> swings to uptempo> trumpet solo> uptempo jam> fade
**10/ F (for Axel Foley) (7:42) – drums starts> uptempo fusion jam with Rhodes up front> Rhodes solo> fast tempo jam> sizzling trumpet solo> fast tempo jam> quick stop
*11/ A (7:20) – piano starts slow, swings into midtempo jam> piano solo> midtempo jam with trumpet> wailing trumpet solo> midtempo jam> quick fade
***12/ Five (14:58) – Rhodes starts slow, swings into midtempo jam, then swings uptempo> trumpet solo> uptempo jam> quick stop
**13/ When I Fall In Love (7:52) – piano starts> fast tempo jam> Rhodes solo> piano solo> quickly drops to midtempo jam> swings back to fast tempo with trumpet up front> wild trumpet solo slows to midtempo jam> quick stop
14/ Praalude (2:19) – Rhodes solo starts slow> muted slow song> Rhodes solo soars with synthesized chorus> mditempo jam> trumpet solo> midtempo jam> fade