Jubilation

Cornet veteran Warren Vaché and the marvelous trombonist John Allred are immediately and undoubtedly identifiable as virtuoso jazz players. Putting the two brass players together with no saxophonists might be a risky proposal for some listeners, but they do fit together in harmonious symmetry, both on a timbral and stylistic level. These live sessions split emphasis between American popular songs, classic or vintage jazz, and some cool-toned hard bop. The excellent but unsung modern pianist Tardo Hammer is quite influential to the flexibility of this quintet, as his deft phrasings, shadings, and comping spectrally color the band. With Hammer, rising star bassist Nicki Parrott, and the great drummer Leroy Williams, this rhythm section exhibits a chemistry that many others would give their eyeteeth for. The program switches back and forth between the older songs and modern bop, but it is seamlessly stitched together and flows nicely. Horace Silver's "Song for My Father" and "Strollin'" are naturally laid-back, and in the hands of Vaché and Allred, are injected with additional spirit and well-conceived harmonic variations. The Junior Mance soul-jazz number "Jubilation" swings quite well and is rendered as if they'd done it for years. "Old Devil Moon" ups the fun quotient with the brass players locked in unison, "They Can't Take That Away from Me" has Allred in on a second chorus with digressions on the repeat chorus, and "Caravan" is surprisingly understated. The zinger is "Sweet Hunk o' Trash," with Parrott in a cutesy Peggy Lee mood and Vaché copping a goofy Jack Sheldon persona, trading humorous vocal banter, and you also get a Dixieland-type tradeoff counterpoint jam in "Strike Up the Band." Each horn receives one showcase tune apiece — Vaché dripping pure pining emotion during "My One and Only Love" and Allred jumping up for the midtempo bossa nova take of "Change Partners." Why John Allred has not been hailed over his career as a truly great trombonist is one of the more criminal acts in modern jazz history. It also bears repeating that this rhythm section — individually and collectively — is outstanding. In the liner notes, Vaché says he would be happy to keep this band together for the next 20 years. Two thumbs up to that! ~ Michael G. Nastos, Rovi