jazzmatazz | upcoming | recent | reviews | books | links | musicians | labels | sale list | stores | philly jazz
previous review | reviews home | next review
Dizzy Gillespie’s projects—quintets, big bands—nurtured, and prospered from, some exceptional musicians. Think of
Jon Faddis, James Moody, Jimmy Heath. Think of the influences he spawned—the Cubano ingredient, the high-frequency trumpetry, and the ultimate—the foundations of bebop. Think of the compositions associated with him—"Manteca," "Emanon," and his signature "A Night In Tunisia." Finally, think of his standing in the pantheon of great, great trumpeters in jazz’ first century.
All of the above makes Gillespie’s works ready for repertory performance, a treatment sometimes debilitating to a musician’s oeuvre and at other times captivating. Thankfully, Things To Come, a 2000 live performance by the Dizzy Gillespie Alumni All-Star Band (not entirely comprised of alum, but no complaining there) is mostly the latter.
While the CD’s first two selections seemed little more than spiffy, the recording (and the alumni) took flight on the third, the title cut. [Indeed, this is often a phenomenon of "live" jazz, a need to warm up to the "cookin’" temperature.] Jon Faddis (co-leader of this assemblage with John Lee) hits the accelerator, and his bandmates, particularly alto Antonio Hart, pursue at breakneck speeds. "Round Midnight" is given a loving exposition and a Gillespie trademark, a subtle latin-izing, almost a cha-cha tail. "Lover Come Back To Me" has a true sultry feel until it erupts into a fiery climax, courtesy of Faddis. Throughout, pianist Renee Rosnes’ bop capacities prove stellar. On Gillespie compatriot’s Benny Golson’s "Whisper Not" the band captures that whispering mood even as it gets sassy in this beautifully arranged version. Perhaps most importantly, they devise a wicked interpretation of "Night In Tunisia," where three voices—Faddis, trombonist Slide Hampton, and Moody—share the Gillespie solo before four trumpeters—Faddis, Terrell Stafford, Greg Gisbert, and Claudio Roditi—trade trumpet leads (the only distraction here is an electric bass solo by John Lee).
What’s the summation? Gillespie warrants attention, repertory and otherwise, and the performance here by his alumni is a successful entree into the world of Diz, as well as a performance that largely stands on its own.
— Jules Epstein, May 2002
Release Date: 27 May 2002
Dizzy Gillespie Alumni All-Stars :
Things To Come (Telarc)
please send comments to jazzmatazz@att.net
last update 21 June 2002