For The Love of Abbey
Marc Cary (Motema)
“For The Love Of Abbey” is jazz pianist Marc
Cary’s first solo offering and a gift to his mentor the late
jazz vocalist Abbey Lincoln. Some great jazz pianists were in Lincoln’s employ
Mal Waldron and Wynton Kelly for example. Cary held the longest tenure. Soon after Cary’s run with Art Taylor’s
Wailers ended, Cary joined Lincoln’s band. He credits her for teaching him how
to hustle. “For the Love of Abbey” is a wonderful tribute and solo album. It’s
Cary’s most introspective date. It gives his fans a front row view of his mint
condition virtuosity. The album is long—14 cuts total—so pack a lunch. And have
some tissue handy because it’s melancholic in spots. Nine of the songs are from
Lincoln’s imagination. Wonder if her spirit is in Cary fingers when he plays
“Melancholia,” " For Moseka" and “Love Evolves”.
Grace
JD Allen (Savant)
The tenor saxophonist JD Allen isn’t swing
obsessed. Allen’s albums don’t make you boogie. But you surely feel
smarter after listening to them. Over the years, Allen has stuck to a surefire
formula: keep the compositions short, leave the pianist at home, and keep
drummer Rudy Royston and bassist Greg August at his side. With that formula,
Allen has made some thought provoking albums. For his new date, “Grace,” Allen
test-drives a new band pianist Eldar Djangirov, bassist Dezron Douglas and
drummer Jonathan Barber. Aside from the personnel shakeup, “Grace” is what
Allen’s admirers have come to expect jazz designed for deep thinkers. On cuts
such as “Luke Sky Walker,” “Detroit” and "Grace", Djangirov is just as beautifully heady as Allen is. It would be wise for Allen to keep him on the payroll.
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