Origin Suite

Acclaimed percussionist, composer, and bandleader Michael Waldrop delivers a magnificent, eclectic, and intrepid album with Origin Suite. This union of timbres and textures, solos and styles has become the hallmark sound of Waldrop, whose music has come to define modern jazz, both honoring traditions and forging new ones. He is that rare triple threat: master composer, thoughtful arranger, and virtuosic performer. He belongs in the pantheon of best big band leaders. The title suite begins with a thick groove and ribbons of harmonized horns. A blazing guitar solo evokes the vintage fusion of Weather Report, yet this is a wholly new and sublime sound. The album features six works by maestro Jack Cooper whose "Sheath and Sword" showcases his knack for weaving melodic threads, revealing a noticeable theme, and then deftly introducing a new tantalizing motif. He isn't just writing notes on a page, he's putting feeling in your heart. This album breaks through to a new, higher level, one which all listeners will take notice. Bravo.