The Bowie Project

It could very well be, that like Joni Mitchell, David Bowie could be the source of material for jazz artists, if this recent album by the Metropolitan Jazz Octet is any evidence. The woodwind team of John Kornegay, Jim Gailloreto and Peter Brusen, along with Doug Scharf/tp-fh and Russ Phillips, mix with pianists Bob Sutter-Ben Lewis, vibist Mike Freman, bssis Doug Bistrow and drummer Bob Rummage to support the rich and Kurt Ellingish voice/delivery of Paul Marinaro.

The horns are elegant on pieces like "Slow Burn" and the sweet "5:15 The Angels Have Gone" with Marinaro giving personal interpretations. Freeman's vibes give a hip pulse to "Changes" and sparkle on "Conversation Piece" with Rummage flexing his muscles on "Let's Dance". Marinaro plays the hipster with Bistrow on "Stay" and elegiac on "Life On Mars?". Too band Bowie and Ronson aren't around to appreciate what they started.