Sea Spell
Rupe, 2026
9/10
The tenor sax extraordinaire, Jeff Rupert, is joined by Richard Drexler, Ben Kramer and Marty Morell for these 3 covers and 6 originals of their timeless jazz interaction.
“Spring Can Really Hang You Up The Most” opens with Rupert’s soulful sax amid the warm keys from Drexler before the frisky drums enter, and “Blue Steel” follows with Morell’s agile drumming that suits the rich wind and soft grooves.
“Sea Spell” and “Looks Who’s Calling” occupy the middle spots. The former blends elegance with beauty via the cozy sax and Kramer’s well time bass lines, while the latter carries an infectious energy thanks to the playful rhythm section and Rupert’s animated sax.
Near the end, “Orca-Station” is a quick and dynamic album highlight where all the players talents arrive in spades and with much melody, and “Wednesday’s News” exits with a charming intimacy that aligns the heartfelt sax, mature keys and a gentle rhythm section.
A quartet who have decades of experience together, every moment captures their inimitable jazz qualities that are easy to remember and hard to forget.
Travels well with: Adam de Lucia- The Man Who Would Be King; Zen Zadravec- New Paradigm