Two years before Flow,
Terence Blanchard released Bounce, a departure from anything he had done in his
already storied career. It was a seminal album, with the ideas of a musician 20
years his junior, but the skill and command of the jazz great that he had
become. As a follow-up, Flow exhibits that no one better balances
traditionalism, provincialism and contemporary aesthetics like Blanchard. This
is almost immediately evident and highlighted on "Wadagbe," the
album's third cut. Blanchard’s instantly recognizable, clarion-call horn-tone
is still there, as is the native New Orleanian's homage to the Nola stomp and
mardi gras Indian chants, plus a classically lyrical jazz-head and an end-song
coda that singes. Guitarist Lionel Loueke, still in his early 30s at the time,
wrote "Wadagbe" and Benny Golson tribute "Benny's Tune."
Young drummer Kendrick Scott wrote album-standout "The Source." In
fact, Blanchard handles sole writing duties of just one song on the album,
"Wandering Wonder," allowing his younger sidemen's voices to shine.
It is this young energy that keeps Blanchard and the album's producer, Herbie
Hancock, sounding so vibrant and current. Hancock, years into receiving Social
Security, turned in the piano solo of the year on "The Source" - a
percussive display so cerebral, violent and dramatic that it almost defies
belief. Few of Blanchard's Young Lion peers from the 1980s are still relevant
in any fresh way, which makes Flow, together with its predecessor Bounce, such
a revelation. Blanchard isn't stuck making 60s tribute albums or recycling the
sound of his youth. Instead, he's hooking up with the hip kids, sometimes
directing traffic, sometimes going with the Flow. ~ by Vincent Thomas, AMG.
Blue Note, 7243 5 78274 2 3,
2005
Recorded 11th-14th
December, 2004 At Henson Recording Studios, Hollywood, California
Personnel:
Terence Blanchard - Trumpet,
Programming, Synthesizer Programming
Brice Winston - Tenor
Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone, Yamaha WX5
Lionel Loueke - Guitar,
Vocals
Aaron Parks - Piano
(#2,3,5,8,9,11)
Herbie Hancock - Piano (#4,7)
Derrick Hodge - Bass
Kendrick Scott - Drums
Howard Drossin - Programming,
Synthesizer Programming
Gretchen Parlato - Vocals
(#8,9)
Tracks:
01. Flow, Part 1 {Terence
Blanchard, Derrick Hodge} (5:29)
02. Wadagbe [Intro] {Lionel
Loueke} (4:14)
03. Wadagbe {Lionel Loueke}
(10:27)
04. Benny's Tune {Lionel
Loueke} (7:43)
05. Wandering Wonder {Terence
Blanchard} (5:46)
06. Flow, Part II {Terence
Blanchard, Derrick Hodge} (3:38)
07. The Source {Kendrick
Scott} (8:02)
08. Over There {Derrick
Hodge} (7:32)
09. Child's Play {Brice
Winston} (6:12)
10. Flow, Part III {Terence
Blanchard, Derrick Hodge} (2:45)
11. Harvesting Dance {Aaron
Parks} (11:43)
Credits:
Producer, Audio Production -
Herbie Hancock
Executive Producer - Bruce
Lundvall
Engineer - Don Murray
Assistant Engineer - Glenn
Pittman
Mixing Assistant - Seth
Presant
Mastering - Robert Vosgien
Concept, Photography - Nitin
Vadukul
Art Direction, Design - Burton Yount
