New York trumpeter and composer Dave Douglas played himself into the spotlight as a member of
Masada. But he has risen above this group of icon
John Zorn and is now a key figure in the New York avant-garde jazz scene himself. With his Gifts Quartet, he seeks to connect with a younger generation of New York musicians while honoring jazz legends
Charles Lloyd and
Billy Strayhorn. That contrast clashes
… pleasantly at times, but certainly does not always come out fully. For example, guitarist Rafiq Bhatia (like drummer Ian Chang, hails from the post-rock band Son Lux) audibly doesn't know how to handle jazz standards like Take The A Train and Blood Count and then lingers needlessly on applying guitar effects. Young star saxophonist James Brandon Lewis also seems uncomfortable in this. In free and not chord-driven pieces like the lengthy opener Gifts, the quartet comes into its own better and there is still exciting improvisation on this semi-successful album. (MR)more
