Tuckahoe

Tuckahoe signifies the street in Memphis, TN, where jazz bassist Stephan Crump grew up. With this 2001 release, the artist commandeers his quintet through a series of self-penned works. More than just a chops session, Crump's methodologies and implementations could perhaps parallel New York City's fertile downtown jazz scene, whereas the bassist also melds some of his hometown blues roots into the grand scheme of things. Here, Crump, along with the twin sax attack of Chris Cheek and Miguel Zenon, intertwines dream-laden soundscapes with thoughtfully constructed soloing atop Afro-Cuban rhythms, oscillating flows and torrid swing vamps. Meanwhile, guitarist Jamie Fox looms as a worthy foil for the woodwind section via his fluently executed electric lead lines, jazz-based chord progressions and intricately formulated voicings. Essentially, this outing highlights Crump's budding compositional talents amid a variety of mood-evoking passages and the soloists' often heated yet predominantly soulful excursions. ~ Glenn Astarita