Russian-born trumpeter
Alex Sipiagin
's tenth recording as a leader apart from his chores with
the Mingus Big Band
gives homage to his first and greatest influence,
Woody Shaw
. On this split program of originals and selections from
Shaw
's repertoire,
Sipiagin
plays a more basic brass horn than did his highly advanced, harmonically futuristic idol, but there's an added wrinkle to this program that
never really explored. Electric guitarist
Adam Rogers
is along for the ride, drastically morphing these tunes to a fusion style that
only touched upon -- refer to the early-'70s album
Blackstone Legacy
. In sparser frameworks,
and this piano-less quartet bring new meaning to
's influential music, which has stood the test of time for some four decades. Where
"Obsequious"
was in its initial form a scorching hard bop number via its composer, organist
Larry Young
, here it's parsed and slowed, demanding that you listen closely to hear the original melody. Most faithful to the original versions are the lovely
"Katrina Ballerina"
and
"Cassandranite,"
while
"Blues for Wood"
is led out by bassist
Boris Koslov
before heading into a fresh-sounding, choppy refrain. Of the newer works by the leader, the two-part
"Greenwood"
bookends the date in a more modal context, with the sneaky guitar style that
Rogers
has by now perfected. Drummer
Antonio Sanchez
keeps the pace light but lively throughout, while fellow
Mingus Big Band
member
Koslov
is brilliant no matter the tempo or rhythmic role he plays. As a tandem,
have hit upon something unique, blurring the cloudy lines of
's music in a way that he might have were he alive today. Where most tribute projects imitate far too frequently,
Generations
is one that actually expands on the virtues of its intended icon. ~ Michael G. Nastos