MUSIC REVIEW BY Dee Dee McNeil, Making A Scene
New York trumpeter, Eddie Allen, leads this ensemble he calls PUSH through a baker's dozen of tunes, including ten original compositions. The album title "Rhythm People" says it all. The arrangements splash on the scene with mad rhythms. They push the title track ahead in 6/8 time, adding an African flair to the arrangement. A quarter of the way through, the PUSH ensemble changes the groove to a bluesy 4/4 Straight-ahead feel, letting Eddie Allen lead the way on his sensuous trumpet. Once Allen's soulful solo is complete, special guest, Steve Turre soaks up the spotlight on his trombone. I also found Tyler Bullock II quite captivating during his piano improvisational solo.
Their tribute to Maurice White, founder of Earth Wind & Fire, is more contemporary jazz with a funky groove.
Eddie Allen's production showcases his composer skills, but they also include familiar standards like Ellington's "Mood Indigo" surprisingly transformed to a Reggae arrangement by Allen. They also cover the pop song, "Our Day Will Come."
A song titled "Daybreak" swings hard and sounds like a tune that a big band would love to play. Steve Turre is awesome during his trombone solo. The horn lines add color and excitement to this Allen arrangement. Johnathan Beshay adds his tenor saxophone brilliance to lift the production. Eddie Allen takes a turn to solo. He always fires up the band. This quickly becomes one of my favorite tunes on the Eddie Allen PUSH album. Kenny Davis is king on his acoustic bass. He steals the spotlight during his energy-driven solo.
Allen's musical choices are inclusive of various genres, all embracing the rhythms that make us snap fingers, tap our toes, or dance. There are shades of Latin jazz, reggae pulses, swing and Straight-ahead, blended seamlessly into more contemporary arrangements. This rhythmical jazz production transcends age or genre. It captures the essence of jazz creativity on a number of levels and entertains with rhythms that EJ Strickland slaps from his drums, inspiring the PUSH ensemble to pull excitement from each instrumentalist. You clearly hear this energy on the Allen composition, "The Journey."
Here is an amazing album I will play over and over again, discovering something new and unheard with each listen. This is music that connects, resonates and swings through the heart, body and soul.
Their tribute to Maurice White, founder of Earth Wind & Fire, is more contemporary jazz with a funky groove.
Eddie Allen's production showcases his composer skills, but they also include familiar standards like Ellington's "Mood Indigo" surprisingly transformed to a Reggae arrangement by Allen. They also cover the pop song, "Our Day Will Come."
A song titled "Daybreak" swings hard and sounds like a tune that a big band would love to play. Steve Turre is awesome during his trombone solo. The horn lines add color and excitement to this Allen arrangement. Johnathan Beshay adds his tenor saxophone brilliance to lift the production. Eddie Allen takes a turn to solo. He always fires up the band. This quickly becomes one of my favorite tunes on the Eddie Allen PUSH album. Kenny Davis is king on his acoustic bass. He steals the spotlight during his energy-driven solo.
Allen's musical choices are inclusive of various genres, all embracing the rhythms that make us snap fingers, tap our toes, or dance. There are shades of Latin jazz, reggae pulses, swing and Straight-ahead, blended seamlessly into more contemporary arrangements. This rhythmical jazz production transcends age or genre. It captures the essence of jazz creativity on a number of levels and entertains with rhythms that EJ Strickland slaps from his drums, inspiring the PUSH ensemble to pull excitement from each instrumentalist. You clearly hear this energy on the Allen composition, "The Journey."
Here is an amazing album I will play over and over again, discovering something new and unheard with each listen. This is music that connects, resonates and swings through the heart, body and soul.