Jam Session Vol.25

Aside from producer Nils Winther, few label owners are organizing studio jam sessions for record dates in the early 21st century, which is a shame. Fortunately, Winther believes in getting different mixes of musicians recording so frequently that he sometimes has to wait several years to release the results. This volume is headlined by three trumpeters: Marcus Printup, Ryan Kisor, and Joe Magnarelli. The first two have primarily recorded for European labels, though each of them got early exposure on U.S. major labels, while the third is a veteran also deserving of wider recognition. Backed by a rhythm section led by pianist Andy LaVerne (who has practically become the keyboardist of choice for Steeplechase jam sessions), with bassist Steve LaSpina and drummer Billy Drummond, things gel nicely with strong interpretations of a trio of tunes written by trumpeters: Thad Jones' "Three and One," Kenny Dorham's "Scandia Skies," and Lee Morgan's "Ca-Lee-So." LaVerne penned two pieces for the occasion, the breezy bop vehicle "Triple Talk" and the spirited "Impromptu," which prompts an extended workout by the players. Duke Ellington's "Take the Coltrane," a one-off blues written for his sole recorded meeting with John Coltrane, is one of the lesser explored pieces from his vast songbook; this snappy version should provoke others into checking out its possibilities. Another regular feature of Steeplechase jam sessions is the ballad medley that gives each of the front-line soloists an individual feature; the trio of standards allows all three trumpeters to briefly shine alone in the spotlight. ~ Ken Dryden|