Steve Davis - Say When (2015)

It is hard to come up with more superlatives about Steve Davis. He is certainly in the upper echelon of all active trombone players, and is heading toward legendary status. Both as a leader, ace sideman, and as a founding member of the super group, One for All, (that to me was a modern Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers-quality hard bop aggregation), Steve Davis has “been there and done that…”

For his label debut, Davis has made a tribute album to one of the true masters of jazz trombone, the iconic J. J. Johnson. Davis is an appropriate artist to honor Johnson as his own lyrical tone backed with clear articulation, and a strong sense of swing, comes perhaps closest of modern generation trombonists to emulate J.J. Johnson.

Surrounding himself with Alexander and Farnsworth (both members of One for All), as well as fellow jazz professor (at the Jackie McLean Institute of Jazz at the Hartt School of the University of Hartford) bassist Nat Reeves; Davis rounds out the sextet with old school legends: trumpeter Eddie Henderson, and pianist Harold Mabern. It doesn’t get much better than this…

The song list is impressive with six tracks written by Johnson as well as “Mr. Johnson,” a tribute to the master, written by Mabern. As Davis so aptly puts it, “J. J. is the Charlie Parker of the trombone. He’s our Bird.” That pretty much says it all, and on Say When, Davis’ group delivers.

Highlights include a wonderful “Lament” in which Davis’ trombone talents are on full display, as well as “Shortcake” and “Say When” two compositions of Johnson’s that were big band features. “Kenya’ was written by J.J. as a dedication to his granddaughter, and its catchy melody is contagious. Coltrane’s “Village Blues” and J.J.’s “Shutterbug” are two memorable blues tracks.

The release date of this CD is not till June 9th, plenty of time to mark this date on your calendar, and whet your appetite for this new CD, a marvelous tribute to a legendary trombonist by a legend in the making…

Tracklist:

01. Pinnacles
02. What Is This Thing Called Love?
03. Shortcake
04. Mr. Johnson
05. Lament
06. Say When
07. Kenya
08. Shutterbug
09. Village Blues
10. There Will Never Be Another You
11. When the Saints Go Marching In

Personnel:

Steve Davis – trombone;
Eddie Henderson – trumpet;
Eric Alexander – tenor sax;
Harold Mabern – piano;
Nat Reeves – bass;
Joe Farnsworth – drums.