Native Speaker
Odradek, 2022
8/10
The bassist Mark Saltman and pianist William Knowles have been friends for a long time, and on this 8th album together they celebrate the inclusion of the African American spirit with a very diverse listen that collects a few well done covers, too.
“Dororo” starts the listen with agile bass plucking, as Robert Muncy’s sax and Michael Fitzhurgh’s trumpet enter the bright jazz climate, and “Nate’s Advice” follows with Leonard Brown’s stirring violin adding much versatility alongside the soulful brass and acrobatic drumming.
In the middle, “Native Speaker” welcomes Grant Langford’s booming sax amid the frisky keys in the album’s best track, while “Everybody Wants To Rule The World” puts a unique, jazz flavored spin on the Tears For Fears classic that showcases Lori Williams’ gorgeous vocals.
Near to the end, “Sweet Dreams” moves quickly, and places Yvette Spears and Williams on vocals for the lively interpretation of the Eurythmics tune, and “The Gentle Art Of Compassion” exits the listen with the sublime bass playing, meticulous keys and glowing brass helping make for an adventurous and rich finish.
An extremely fluid 9 tracks that’s certainly contemporary jazz but also touches on soul and blues, too, Saltman, Knowles and company display their shared language, i.e. jazz, with strong attention to detail and memorableness.
Travels well with: The Jazz Professors- Blues And Cubes; Andy Adamson Quintet- A Coincidence Of Cats