Ben Markley

Second Introduction

oa2 22052

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MUSIC REVIEW BY Adam Greenberg, All Music Guide

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For his sophomore release (and his first with the OA2 label), pianist Ben Markley put together a mix of old friends and bigger players on the scene for a set of original compositions and a jumping, driving feel. The album opens with 5-20, giving each player some time to work out a solo and show what the newly formed quintet can do together. After a nice post-bop introduction, Markley shows a nice touch with some blues-based soloing, passing it on eventually for a long solo by trumpeter Greg Gisbert that gives him room to do a little melodic blaring in the vein of Dizzy's work in the 70s. Dry lets Jim Pisano show what he can do with the sax on his solos, and it's a fine thing he can do, no less. The tone stays up from piece to piece, never dropping a beat or allowing a less-than joyous mood in the music. Only a couple of songs diverge: Van Heusen's standard But Beautiful is given a lighter working, and And the Wind Came (in tribute to a hometown lost in a tornado) is given a more introspective feel, though there's still a bit of a bounce in the performances. The performances throughout the album, on the part of all players, are outstanding. The compositions are solid, leaving no gaps. There's a touch of nostalgia tucked throughout the album as well -- the feeling that you've heard at least some of this before. Whether that bit of musical d�j� vu is intentional or not is unknown, but it can help or hinder the mood depending on the listener. A solid set played by solid players with a solid pen behind it all, Second Introduction raises some good signs for the future of Markley's recordings.








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