The Future Was Yesterday

Brad Wheeler better have a huge appetite because the world is definitely his oyster. Not only is Wheeler an ace saxophonist, but a great contemporary and progressive composer. He is one of the shining voices for the future, who is insurmountably steeped in the traditions of the past. The listener can hear faint echoes of Coltrane and Shorter, as well as contemporary traces to Brecker, Liebman, and even Steve Lacy.

Wheeler's backing band is pretty top-notch as well. Laurence Hobgood does a "more-than-admirable" job on the piano, as well as Rob Amster on the bass, Frank Parker in the drum seat, and John Moulder, who just knows how to only play the "perfect" notes on guitar.

The tracks are all great, some even unforgettable. For instance, on "When One Has Peace," Wheeler starts out by playing a very pretty toned melody before erupting like Vesuvius into streams of shrill-like cries from his soprano echoing the type of passion and urgency that Coltrane once gave the jazz world. On "Foreign Affair," Wheeler displays his compositional and improvisational maturity. He's not afraid to take his time in order to let a melody or solo develop, a lesson he has obviously learned from Miles.

This is a must have album. Origin Records has done it again. They have found yet another fresh, new, contemplative, progressive visionary who will take on the jazz realm and be heard. It would truly be a musical travesty for this artist to be looked over.