Year: 2008
Record Label: Alternate Side Records
Style: Straight-Ahead / Classic
Musicians: Marshall Gilkes (trombone), Michael Rodriguez (trumpet and flugelhorn), Jon Cowherd (piano), Yasushi Nakamura (bass), Clarence Penn (drums)
Review: Maryland born, Juilliard and Interlochen trained, 30 year-old trombonist Marshall Gilkes has studied with some of the biggest name trombonists in the country including Joe Alessi, Conrad Herwig and Wycliffe Gordon. Now living and working in the New York City area, Gilkes currently plays in the Edmar Castaneda Trio, Maria Schneider’s big band and David Berger’s Sultans of Swing. Past associations include time spent with Billy Cobham, the Village Vanguard Orchestra, the Duke Ellington Orchestra, Stanley Turrentine and Benny Golson.
Lost Words is Gilkes’ second CD as a leader. Accompanied by some of New York City’s best and most musically astute young jazz musicians, Gilkes’ disc is one of those rare releases that has so much good music on it the listener can be ensured of solid artistic sentiments and beautiful playing throughout its entire length. Joining Gilkes is trumpeter Michael Rodriguez, who’s worked with both Charlie Haden and Gonzalo Rubalcaba. Rodriguez brings a unique sense of musical extrapolation, with regard to melodic fragment use in his solos, that is masterful. His solo on “Titeuf” is wonderfully both in and out at the same time. It’s almost as if he’s crossing the styles of Freddie Hubbard and Dave Douglas with some type of inner demon, but the result is marvelous.
Pianist Jon Cowherd has raised eyebrows in his work with the Brian Blade Fellowship. Cowherd’s playing shows an artful touch to the keys in ways Thelonious Monk used to; emphasis on just the right dynamic at just the right time and a sense of harmonic imagination that is tied to the music of the moment and not some preconceived music-school taught voicing concept. Cowherd’s playing on the mid-tempo ballad “Five Nights,” with his use of occasionally non-traditionally voiced single line juxtapositions to trumpeter’s Michael Rodriguez’s incredible solo, is worth the price of the disc alone.
The drum - bass tandem of Clarence Penn and Yasushi Nakamura are stellar in their utter support of the soloists, yet so incredibly colorful behind melodies it’s hard to believe they’re playing traditional jazz instruments.
Gilkes himself is a monster. Sweet and angular at the same time, in his playing he finds ways to say something new in this post J.J. Johnson world. His solo on “What’s Next” is sublime beauty if one doesn’t mind this overused description. The difference with Gilkes however, is that it’s true. As a composer Gilkes’ writing will most assuredly soon show up in the repertoire of collegiate combos; it’s supremely artful as a wonderful jumping off point for improvisations and intricate enough that it’s performance will make wonderfully mature study material for young artists.
Tracks: Crossover Intro, The Crossover, Late Arrival, Lost Words, Five Nights, Titeuf, What's Next, End In Sight
Artist's Website: http://www.marshallgilkes.com/Home.html
Reviewed by:
Thomas R. Erdmann
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