COMPOSERS: Vincent Herring; various
LABELS: HighNote
ALBUM TITLE: Vincent Herring
WORKS: Vincent Herring
PERFORMER: Vincent Herring (saxophone), Jeremy Pelt (trumpet), Danny Grissett (piano), Essiet Essiet (bass), Joris Dudli (drums)
CATALOGUE NO: HCD 7149
New York-based saxophonist Vincent Herring rose through the ranks in the 1980s sounding much like a youthful Cannonball Adderley. Now a respected leader in the modern mainstream with a sound of his own, he surrounds himself with young, hot players. On this fourth quartet recording for HighNote, Herring temporarily adds rising trumpet star Jeremy Pelt. They go well together. Young pianist Danny Grissett is subtle yet forceful in the background, and thrilling when he moves to the fore.
The jazz repertory needs players like Herring to inject new blood and vitality into the music. Check out the group’s turbulent reworking of The Beatles’ ‘Norwegian Wood’ or the funky, extended take on Ellington’s ‘Caravan’. It’s manna from mainstream heaven. Garry Booth