Trombonist and master of musical shells
Steve Turre
has been playing professionally since he was 13, working with a variety of bandleaders including
Rahsaan Roland Kirk
,
Ray Charles
, and
Chico Hamilton
, although he credits his musical maturity to his eight-year tenure with trumpeter
Woody Shaw
(which began when he was in his thirties).
Turre
recorded 14 albums with
Shaw
and it is to Shaw's influence and memory that the album's title refers.
wrote eight of the nine compositions here. The wildly diverse program includes five trumpeters --
Claudio Roditi
Jon Faddis
Wallace Roney
Chocolate Armenteros
Freddie Hendrix
-- three keyboard players, four bass players (including
Buster Williams
), two drummers, and three bongo, timbales, and conga percussionists.
Faddis
' fiery acrobatics are heard on the title track -- a skittering, jaunty blues in G-minor -- and on "Something for Sweets" (for
Harry "Sweets" Edison
), a strolling
Basie
-esque blues where both
and
use mutes.
Roney
is showcased on "In Retrospect," a shimmering, mysterious, ethereal ballad that
wrote for him, reflecting the influence of
Miles Davis
on the trumpeter.
also appears on "Luna," which reflects the influence of
's ambitious compositional style and use of extreme harmonic intervals on
. Perhaps the most beautiful entry on the set is
Roditi
's jazz-samba "Annette's for Sure," with bassist
Nilson Matta
and drummer
Duduka Da Fonseca
(who also plays berimbau). Together the band creates an authentic samba atmosphere that is underscored by Venezuelan pianist
Luis Perdomo
's shells. There is a killer Latin number here too in "Manny's Mambo," dedicated to
Oquendo
--
also spent time in
Conjunto Libre
. The trumpeter here is 83-year-old legend
. Both men and pianist
Perdomo
play monas like the house is burning down, as percussionists and drummer underscore the joyous dance feel. "Adios Mi Amigo" is a Latin ballad written for
's late colleague and friend, pianist
Hilton Ruiz
.
's solo is achingly beautiful and is underscored by
's use of the plunger mute and
Andy Gonzalez
's bassline. Youthful up-and-comer
Hendrix
is showcased on the final two cuts here, the modal "3 for Woody," and the deep, bluesy swing of "Brother Bob."
Woody's Delight
is not a mere tribute to
's influence on
(though that would be enough); it displays the trombonist's wide angle and ambitious compositional and arranging skills with true flourish. The music here is all soulfully articulated and expertly performed, the album some of
's finest work. ~ Thom Jurek