COMPOSERS: Bird,Birks,Powell
LABELS: JMT
PERFORMER: Paul Motian (d) with Joshua Redman (ts); Brad Schoeppach (gtr); Kurt Rosenwinkel (gtr); Stomu Takeighi (b)
CATALOGUE NO: 514004-2
Paul Motian has an artfully symmetrical new band with which to dissect the tunes of Bird, Birks and Bud Powell. Fronted by hot new tenorist Joshua Redman and a choppy electric guitar in each speaker, Motian outlines nervy standards such as ‘Darn that Dream’ and ‘Scrapple from the Apple’ with a little more definition than is usual for him.
Redman’s tenor forges ahead with a 52nd Street urgency; young guitarists Schoeppach and Rosenwinkel offer vivid shading and angular solos. These authentically brief takes may prove too Post-Modern for the purists, but show Motian to be breaking new ground 35 years from his greatly underrated work with Bill Evans. Garry Booth