Our Roots

Tenor sax man Geof Bradfield explains the premise of this disc as revisiting Clifford Jordan's tribute to Leadbelly when asked to put together a concert for the Fulton Street Jazz Record Collective. He and the band revisited these classic sounds while honoring the spirit that Jordan had first brought: play the old songs to honor them while adding your own voice which in itself has been influenced by the root without simply copying that root. Bradfield and the rest of the quintet - Marquis Hill (trumpet), Joel Adams (trombone), Clark Sommers (bass) and Dana Hall (drums) - have done just that, both individually and as a unit. The style shows influences of early blues, gospel, jazz, and even harmony, but blend current influences from Africa to Coltrane to create an entrancing hybrid. The program includes five Leadbelly songs, two from Blind Willie Johnson, two traditional folksongs, and three compositions by Geof Bradfield. Everything seems to come together here.