The third album by tenor saxophonist J.D. Allen's working trio with bassist Gregg August and drummer Rudy Royston is the shortest and most compressed one yet. He's a player given to concision; the majority of pieces on 2008's I Am I Am and 2009's Shine! were in the three- to four-minute range, but pieces on Victory! frequently come in well shy of the three-minute mark. He says what he's got to say, allows his bandmates (particularly Royston) to assert themselves, and then it's over. Intensity and focus are here, but almost no self-indulgence. This is surprising enough, but it becomes even more so when one reflects on how much Allen's tone and even his phrasing on the horn recall John Coltrane circa 1964. Many of the ideas heard here seem like variations on ones explored on classic Coltrane discs like Crescent and The John Coltrane Quartet Plays. That's not to suggest that Allen isn't a unique and compelling voice, because he absolutely is. But he's working within a tradition and making no bones about it. Anyone looking for a modern, relatively young (Allen was born in 1972) mainstream tenor player to champion would do well to check out everything the J.D. Allen Trio releases. ~ by Phil Freeman, AMG.
Sunnyside Communications, SSC 1280, 2011
Musicians:
J.D. Allen - Tenor Saxophone
Gregg August - Bass
Rudy Royston - Drums
Tracks:
01. Victory! (4:08)
02. The Pilot's Compass
(5:03)
03. The Thirsty Ear (2:01)
04. Sura Hinda (4:20)
05. The Learned Tongue (2:08)
06. Philippe Petit (2:55)
07. Motif (2:23)
08. Fatima (2:54)
09. Mr. Steepy (3:26)
10. Stairway To The Stars
(2:24)
11. The Hungry Eye (1:42)
12. Recapitulation [The
Pilot's Compass] (2:58)
All Compositions by J.D. Allen
Total Time: 36:22
Victory! promises to solidify Allen's reputation as one of jazz's most dynamic and inspiring tunesmiths. Transcending a dissolute early life to create some of his era's most memorable music, this album features Allen's high-octane rhythm section, bassist Gregg August and drummer Rudy Royston. "Wasting notes is a waste of time," says Allen. These songs, most of them no longer than three or four minutes, stand out for their melodicism and intensity, ablaze with memorable hooks and riffs by all three band members. Throughout the album, Allen and his band mates eschew long solos in favor of setting a mood or stating an intention and then following through taking the form of a classical sonata - a theme and variations which end conclusively - Victory! offers twelve succinct, interwoven compositions. ~ Extract by Amazon Editorial.