The Ways In
JZAZ, 2024
8/10
An artist who started his career at age 9, the trumpet and flugelhorn wizard James Zollar brings along a giant cast for this diverse and memorable jazz experience.
“The Fruit” begins the listen with David Hazeltine’s fluid piano and Gerald Cannon’s bouncy bass complementing Zollar’s soulful trumpet in the rich climate, and “Peace/Blue Silver” follows with Willie Jones III’s strategic drums and Nabuko Kiryu’s soulful pipes that start minimally but build into a textured delivery that’s plenty cozy.
“Jim Jim” occupies the middle spot, and is populated by Chembo Corniel’s lively congos amid Stefano Doglioni’s animated bass clarinet for a cultured demeanor, while “Swing Spring” is drum focused, as Michael Rorby’s trombone enters with much gracefulness via the calm versus rhythmic bouts.
“Downtown Up” and “Checkered Hat” exit the listen, where the former welcomes Patience Higgins on tenor sax for frisky and dance floor ready dynamics that places Zollar on flugelhorn, and the latter is an intimate and heartfelt finish that blurs the flugelhorn over soft keys and the cautious rhythm section.
A body of work dedicated to those we lost during the pandemic, Zollar brings a wealth of talent and experience to these timeless jazz tracks, and we’re all better off for it.
Travels well with: Chris Rottmayer- Being; Three Story Sandbox- Artful Dodgers