Congo Lament
Vegas, 2024
8/10
The trombone extraordinaire Isrea Butler leads Douglas Lawrence, David Loeb, Steve Flora and Bob Chmel through 7 swingin’ tunes that we won’t soon forget.
The title track gets the listen off to a lively start, where Lawrence’s precise tenor sax complements Butler’s agile trombone for the rich climate, and “I.Q. Shuffle” follows with a bouncy mood, where Chmel’s lively drumming adds much playfulness.
“B.G.’s Groove” lands in the middle and indeed finds loads of grooves via the fluid brass, breezy wind and Flora’s strategic bass, while “Pennies From Heaven” carries plenty of rhythm thanks to the soulful sax and trombone.
“See See Rider” exits the listen, and it’s a calmer moment of light keys from Loeb and emotive, powerful trombone that suits the subdued instrumentation.
Butler has an impressive resume that includes being lead trombonist of the Count Basie Orchestra, plus also being a founding member of the Gateways Brass Collective, and he brings an impressive cast to this excellent debut that tips his hat to the legends J.J. Johnson and Bennie Green.
Travels well with: Radam Schwartz- Saxophone Quartet Music; Shawn Maxwell- J Town Suite