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Roots, Branches & Leaves
Fresh Sound/New Talent 124
 (4.5/5)
Saxophonist/composer John Ellis wondrously bridges the gap between Americana-tinted, rural folk and modern jazz throughout this beautifully envisioned affair. Per the liners, Ellis grew up on a river town in Mississippi*, and this recording signifies his remembrances of family musical favorites passed down through generations. These songs parallel his reflections of life's evolvement to coincide with his musical maturation processes. Ellis' deeply personalized cogitations age exceedingly well upon repeated spins.
The band opens with a piece titled "John Brown's Gun," which is folk song, retrofitted for jazz. Vocalist Bilal Oliver launches the festivities via her* whispery, gospel-drenched crooning, providing a gateway of sorts for the band's infusion of blues, Latin and swing into a nicely arranged jazz opus. As a saxophonist, Ellis economizes his notes while displaying a penchant for getting his point across in concise fashion. However, he's an adapt be-bopper evidenced by his fluent, understated choruses during a shuffle groove-based spin on "Confirmation." Trumpeter/flugelhornist Nicholas Payton performs admirably on two tracks while pianist Aaron Goldberg serves as a sympathetic foil to Ellis' lyrically motivated soloing spots. Drummer Jason Marsalis' crisp, melodic timekeeping and imaginative fills add rhythmic luster to the overall production.
The base quartet pronounces remarkable synergy to complement Ellis' sincerely constructed theme pieces that are laced with temperate funk vibes, swing and country-blues motifs. A noticeable element of mutual understanding permeates this effort where underlying themes rise vertically and rather inauspiciously in concert with the soloists' emotively devised exchanges. Ellis shines as a musician who transposes life into a cinematic venture for the mind's eye.
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Although we loved the review, we have to correct a few of the errors:
- John Ellis grew up in North Carolina, not Mississippi (check out the complete Bio for more details).
- Bilal Oliver is a 'his', not a 'her'.
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