Label: Sunnyside Records, 2026
Personnel - Jason Rigby: tenor and soprano saxophones; Lisa Parrott: alto, soprano, and baritone saxophones; Russ Johnson: trumpet; Cameron Brown: bass; Tony Jefferson: drums.
Bassist and composer Cameron Brown has always felt comfortable in both traditional and avant-garde settings, and was an important element in the rhythm sections behind Archie Shepp, Don Pullen, George Adams, George Russell, Dewey Redman, and Don Cherry. Here, he leads a chordless quintet, paying tribute to Cherry as well as his mentor Dannie Richmond, best known for his extensive work with the one-and-only bassist, composer, and bandleader Charles Mingus. This ensemble started as a quartet featuring saxophonist Jason Rigby, trumpeter Russ Johnson, and drummer Tony Jefferson. Saxophonist Lisa Parrott joins them here for a dense, unfiltered session recorded live in concert in 2011. Raw and dense, it often sounds like a jam.
The uptempo “Sheila, It’s You!”—written for the late jazz vocalist Sheila Jordan—has the three-horn frontline blowing with hard-bop intensity over the hard-charging swing provided by the rhythm section. They alternate solos before intersecting their searing lines with purpose. Conversely, “Lullaby For George, Don, and Donnie” is a 3/4 ballad gently propelled by brushes.
“Baby Suite” is a through-composed response to Cherry’s “cocktail suite” concept. Brown’s three-minute bass monologue—featuring double-stops and thoughtful melodic development—right after the contrapuntal theme leads into faster bass circularity, with Jefferson free to embellish while the horns float above. A spontaneous avant-garde freedom reminiscent of Mingus’ excursions can be felt in the coda that precedes the theme. “Cocktail Suite”, which clocks in at 21 minutes and includes Cherry’s “Remembrance” and “OC/DC”, Jobim’s “Portrait in Black and White”, and Redman’s “Mushi Mushi”, features some awkward passages and elongated solos with the horns left to roam freely.
Incessant walking lines populate the recording, creating an inescapable sense of anticipation. Brown’s “Rylie’s Bounce” blooms with a bass solo at the outset and explosive drumming by Jefferson, who throws in some barbed percussive sounds on Richmond’s “Soft Seas”, an amusing calypso dance served with humor and panache. Parrott causes some frisson on baritone, while Rigby explores the opposite end of the spectrum on soprano. This piece is put together much more effectively, with a keen sense of time and a divergence from conventional swing.
With the interplay controlled at all times and the recording sounding like a classic, Remembrance sometimes rings a bit meandering, yet never disjointed.
Favorite Tracks:
02 - Baby Suite ► 03 - Soft Seas ► 07 - Cocktail Suite