The Boston-based New World Jazz Composers Octet is a Boston-based collective of musicians dedicated to performing new jazz compositions. The group, led by saxophonist and flautist Daniel Ian Smith, has released three recordings on Big and Phat Jazz Productions, a label Smith founded. They are
No Place to Hide (2007),
Transitions (2010), and
Breaking News, (2011).
Breaking News, like the NWJCO’s previous two records, aspires to a slick and catchy jazz aesthetic. An octet is capable of capturing the lushness a 16-piece big band, but in a lighter and more agile way that can accommodate a greater range of styles and tempos, and give more focus to soloists. Unfortunately,
Breaking News doesn’t take advantage of the opportunities to do so. It is an album with some bright moments, but is so limited by a homogenous rhythmic and
formal approach by its various composers that it is ultimately forgettable.
The NWJCO consists of Daniel Ian Smith playing saxophones and flute, Felipe Salles on saxophones and flute, trumpeters Walter Platt and Ken Cervenka, pianist Tim Ray, bassist Kaela Kaumeheiwa, drummer Mark Walker, and percussionist Ernesto Diaz. These are all talented players, but they are forced to fit short solos within unimaginative forms throughout the album. This isn’t necessarily the fault of the soloists. The compositions offer little harmonic or rhythmic variation, effectively hemming soloists in. The composers, Matthew Nicholl, Ted Pease, Walter Platt, Richard Lowell, Felipe Salles, and Jeff Friedman are adept in the arenas of harmony and feel, but seem limited in their willingness to take risks with mood and formal structure.
The first track, Matthew Nicholl’s “Poco Picasso,” begins with a singing melody played on flute, muted trumpet, and bass. Then, an ensemble melody comes in with the bass walking in 4/4 and trumpet, tenor saxophone playing all together in tight harmony. The third part of the tune finds a change in the underlying rhythm, a syncopated pedal point, with a repetitive melody harmonized in several parts. The piano solo, trumpet solo, and drum solo that come next all stick to the same form, hardly stray from the underlying 4/4
swing, and never take any liberties with the harmony. Next comes a repeat of the
head, with no variation from its original instantiation. The last section is the only significant departure from the rest of the piece, with a funk feel replacing the 4/4 swing, and an energetic and aggressive saxophone solo going to the end of the piece. This is the best part of the tune, but the listener will only hear it if he can resist pressing the fast forward button during the rest of the track.
The main weakness of the album is its over-reliance on a 4/4 swing feel. There are other albums like this, including many classic albums by Miles Davis, John Coltrane, and other jazz greats. However, one hardly gets bored with these because of the flexibility with which the rhythm section and the soloists approach the time feel, not to mention the individuality of the soloists and the band’s amazing ability to respond musically to each other. There is no opportunity for this to happen on Breaking News. Of course, not everyone can be Miles Davis, nor should everyone try for this, but with this recording the New World Composers Octet misses an opportunity to embrace the huge range of possibilities that are an inherent part of the jazz tradition.
Release Date:
October 25th, 2011 on Big and Phat Jazz Productions
Personnel:
- Daniel Ian Smith – saxophones and flute
- Felipe Salles – saxophones and flute
- Walter Platt – trumpet and flugelhorn
- Ken Cervenka – trumpet and flugelhorn
- Tim Ray – piano
- Kaela Kaumeheiwa – bass
- Mark Walker – drums
- Ernesto Diaz – percussion
Track List:
- Poco Picasso
- Wishful Thinking
- Breaking News
- Children’s Waltz
- Warp 7, Now!
- Song Sung Long
- Thad’s Pad
- Strays
- Willis
