Sun Ra’s Journey
Cellar, 2022
9/10
The bassist extraordinaire Tyler Mitchell brings his veteran jazz experience to these reworkings of Sun Ra Arkestra classics, which were tracked live at Smalls Jazz Club.
“Care Free” starts the listen with bright sax and Wayne Smith’s very precise drumming, as Mitchell’s agile bass guides the rhythmic jazz climate, and “Velvet” follows with the fluid brass interacting with the playful percussion and Farid Barron’s dynamic piano playing.
Halfway through, “Eddie Harris” trims the pace back with soulful, intimate song craft that benefits much from the eloquent sax playing, while “Bouncing At Smalls” is quite adventurous with its squealing horns, frisky keys and lively percussion in a free jazz sort of way.
Arriving near the end, “Cosmic Hop” isn’t short on energy and precision, where Mitchell’s bass playing sure does make an impression, and “Fate In A Pleasant Mood” exits with a stylish and light hearted display of thoughtful, timeless jazz.
A set that truly captures the essence of Sun Ra’s work with power, richness and strong attention to detail, Mitchell and company certainly do the legend’s legacy proud with this superb live recording.
Travels well with: The Heavy Hitters- The Heavy Hitters; Aaron Seeber- First Move