Octo_Russ

Mark Whitfield [7th Ave Stroll] 

This is the third time that this disc has appeared in my Blog [9th November 2011 & 7th January 2010], so basically a good once a year thing, Guitar Jazz is usually not my thing, it seems that a plethora of Jazz Guitarists skirt on the very edge of Jazz [George Benson, John McLaughlin, Pat Metheny, Bill Frisell, Ronny Jordan etc], either veering into Rock, World Music, or Fusion, it's hard to find a player that keeps to the pure Jazz tradition, so it's good to hear Whitfield on this recording, working two distinctive Quartets, i bought this disc upstairs in a bargain attic in Notting Hill Gate in London for £2, a bargain then, but more reasonable on Ebay today, it was so good to get out of the 'norm' of musical circles, and delve into some Jazz today. 

Mark Whitfield is American, he is now 45, he made this record in 1995, the photography throughout is excellent [by Kwaku Alston], the front cover is a black & white picture at night in New York i take it, using a long shutter speed, but also using flash too, therefore you can see movement in the background, the vehicle passing, and the ghosting legs of those behind him, the red of the name lettering adds a burst of colour, in a way similar to yesterdays black & white image with red writing, i like the finished product, it's great visually, as well as musically.

There's so much good music on this disc, tracks 2, 7 & 9 were the very best, with track 9 'Sunset At Waterside' the real gem of the whole pack, Whitfield isn't a Hard Bopper, this is quite a gentle track, he works with two different Piano Trios on this disc, a younger Trio, and an older Trio, here on this track he's working with the men of mature experience, Tommy Flanagan = piano, Dave Holland = bass, and Al Foster = drums, the tune is a Whitfield original, the three oldies are quite happy to stay in the shadows [at least initially], the tune is brilliant, so memorable, Whitfield plays it with such an upbeat funky straightness [0:00-0:55], the 'verse' is played twice, before the 'chorus' comes in [0:56-1:08], and this is where subtly the thing begins to take off, the drummer Foster gets a bit more complicated, you can hear him thinking, he tightens the screws very nicely, and the thing is rounded out with a third verse [1:09-1:34], then comes the more BeBop 'variations' [1:34+], i just love the way Whitfield takes it to the next swinging level [2:01+], you can hear i believe Foster in the background really letting go with his vocalise, superb drumming too, and then the time is turned over to Flanagan [3:08-3:57], the start is so excellent, a slight shock to this system as he's been so reticent up until now, there's a wonderful moment where he hesitates and bassist Holland seems to be starting a tag with him, that would of been absolutely great, and after the hesitation he just rolls straight in again [3:13], it's a superb moment, but i think a 'mistake', the bassist does get a solo later, it's wonderful to hear the opening tune come back in its full glory with Whitfield [4:34+], the chorus again is so excellent [5:25+], tremendously and endlessly inventive Jazz. 

Here's Mark Whitfield playing 'Sunset On Waterside' on his MySpace page.