Label: Tao Forms Records, 2023
Personnel - James Brandon Lewis: tenor saxophone; Kirk Knuffke: cornet; Chris Hoffmann: cello; William Parker: bass; Chad Taylor: drums.
The highly anticipated return of saxophonist James Brandon Lewis’ Red Lily Quintet is an affectionate dedication to Mahalia Jackson, the influential New Orleans-born gospel diva whose music shaped the way the saxophonist approached music as it was introduced to him by his grandmother. Thus, on this double disc, Lewis is not showcasing his tantalizing originals but rather presenting arrangements of popular gospel songs and African-American spirituals included in Mahalia’s repertoire.
The exceptions to the rule are the pieces bookending the album. The opening number, “Sparrow”, is a leisurely medley of “His Eye is on the Sparrow”, a gospel hymn composed by Charles H. Gabriel, and Lewis’ “Even the Sparrow”, which was included on his recent album Eye of I (Anti-, 2023). In turn, the closing cut, “Precious Lord”, was the favorite song of Martin Luther King who often asked Mahalia to sing it at civil rights rallies to inspire crowds. Here, it easily slides into avant-garde jazz, embracing polyphony.
The quintet’s soulful explorations keep on track with “Swing Low”, where the gospelized sax sounds, at first questioning and answering in monologue, occasionally reach kinetic improvisational momentum. The rhythm section of cellist Chris Hoffmann, bassist William Parker and drummer Chad Taylor guarantees loose-limbed textures that are progressively infused with tension. Taking advantage of the sonic environment, Lewis and cornetist Kirk Knuffke maintain a close communication with flowing melodicism and an elastic sense of time. The gale-force saxophone blowing is the perfect foil for the advanced, forward-thinking cornet melodies, and that communion transpires on “Elijah Rock”, in which the band dares to dive into an open rock-tinged rhythm.
The spiritual “Go Down Moses” is made joyously swinging with an exhilarating bass groove underpinning the theme before ending in pronounced elation. Another widely known Black spiritual, “Deep River”, boasts a great groove, polyrhythmic feel, and a fluid dialogue of strings, with Hoffmann and Parker exchanging ideas with intention. They had created a fleshy droning effect on the previous track, “Calvary”, a plaintive dirge. Defying this mood, the riveting “Wade in the Water” creates just enough friction as it advances with polyrhythmic feel at a medium fast tempo.
The sometimes thoughtful, sometimes freewheeling instrumentation echoes the breadth and imagination of devotional jazz, but travels its landscapes with harmonies and melodies adapted to our times. Not transcending the greatness of Jesup Wagon (Tao Forms, 2021), For Mahalia, With Love is crafted with enough passion, unity and fascination to claim jazz spotlight.
Favorite Tracks:
02 - Swing Low ► 05 - Calvary ► 06 - Deep River