Kenny Garrett Triology CD

Kenny Garrett is among the most fervent, committed young voices to emerge on the alto saxophone. As a creative improviser and solo voice, he ranks right up there with those originals seeking to extend on the alto's proud history in the post-Coltrane era. His playing also compares favorably with the classic work of older masters.

But then Garrett is already a youthful veteran, with distinguished pedigrees in the Duke Ellington Orchestra, Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers and Miles Davis' final working groups. Garrett's last Warner Bros. release, BLACK HOPE, presented him in varied programmatic settings--from heady jazz-funk to hard bopping blues. TRIOLOGY exposes him as never before, in a revealing trio setting with the swinging young drummer Brian Blades and bassist Kiyoshi Kitagawa.

The trio format forces the enterprising saxophonist to create all the harmonic and melodic tension by himself. And with his tart throaty tone, cutting attack, bluesy contours and harmonic fluidity, Garrett is more than able to sustain interest. On "Delfeayo's Dilemma," "Pressing The Issue" and "What Is This Thing Called Love?" he rises to the challenge of thorny chord changes and breakneck tempos with tremendous rhythmic intensity and lyric wit. Garrett is also a convincing ballad player, as his tender reading of "A Time For Love" and his little soft shoe through "In Your Own Sweet Way" demonstrate. His tone at times suggests the brawny alto work of Julius Hemphill and Jackie McLean, yet Garrett's main influences seem to be tenor men such as John Coltrane and Wayne Shorter, whom he honors with a driving "Giant Steps" and a sanctified "Wayne's Thang."

Recorded at The Power Station, New York, New York.

Personnel: Kenny Garrett (alto saxophone); Brian Blade (drums).

Recording information: New York, NY.

Personnel: Kenny Garrett (alto saxophone); Kiyoshi Kitagawa, Charnett Moffett (bass); Brian Blade (drums).

JazzTimes (7-8/95, p.115) - "...The horn trio setting is a dicey one: minus a chording instrument....Happily, Kenny Garrett is up to the task. He is a fine improviser, possessed of nimble brain and fingers, good wit and he knows his way around his instrument--forging a sound all his own..."
Musician (9/95, p.88) - "...always maintains his sense of individuality, which makes him a standout in an era of technosnore copycats."
New York Times (Publisher) (1/6/96, p.C16) - Included on Peter Watrous' list of the Top 10 Albums of `95 - "Abstract, stream-of-conciousness improvising, always swinging..."