Review: JD Allen Trio - The Matador And The Bull

A label hop for any artist can usually be a good indicator of a change in sound to come - whether it be a bigger budget, a glossier production, a change in band, a change in style, or more – and it can as many times mean a development for the worst as it can be for the best. With J.D. Allen however, though he may have left regular home Sunnyside for the newer (and bigger) Savant, he takes his usual band with him again lays down some audio dynamite.

The music on ‘The Matador And The Bull’ further shows Allen’s move from more straight-ahead bop (and post-bop) into more open and adventurous musical endeavours. Not that the words open or adventurous should scare anyone off. Far from being free or avant-garde, the results here are concise (all but two tracks fall under the four minute mark), listenable, richly melodic and always highly enjoyable.

The album kicks off in fine style, and throughout there is a strong theme of the bullfight, in the same way that Grant Green conveyed the fight with the similarly themed ‘The Matador’. But where that album had McCoy Tyner’s rolling piano providing the insistent Spanish rhythm, here Allen uses just his backing bass and drums team, and they rise masterfully to that challenge.

As usual the work as a whole is what is important, with all the individual pieces contributing to create more. ‘Cathedral’ possesses a dark atmosphere that is counterparted by ‘Paseillo’ and it’s more light rhythm. And whereas ‘Santa Maria’ hangs loose and free, ‘Ring Shout!’ is tight and driving. And despite the Latin title of the album, Allen rarely decides to play an obviously ‘Latin’ sound – avoiding any overt Spanish clichés, and in fact only playing with a slight accent on one or two numbers.

As usual Allen, despite his name holding the album, shares equal space here with his two cohorts Gregg August and Rudy Royston. And every member of the team is clearly a master of improvisation, with both longer passages and shorter flashes or inspiration showing what each is more than capable of doing - and doing so with laser-like precision. There are no wasted moments here, or long-winding noodles that go nowhere. And if you’ve ever wanted to hear a saxophone trio where each member is contributing equally to the sound of the group, rather than just two players backing a lead, then this is where you should look.

For many jazz artists, smaller outfits are usually formed out of necessity, the dual concerns of personal commitments and finances, and indeed many performers expand their line-up as soon as the money starts to roll in – for better or for worse. The better comes from when an artist is able to fully realise the sounds they hear in their head with a greater musical palette, and the worse comes from when the artist smothers their music with too many instruments from said palette, or drowns out their own distinct voice with too many others. For Allen though this appears not to be a concern. He is constantly exploring the intricacies and interplay of the trio, and always endeavours to find new ways to express himself, and each further work from him is another winning success that leaves you hungry for more.

****

Review: JD Allen Trio - Victory!

Review #1 was a classic, so we thought we'd go with something more contemporary for #2. So here it is, 'Victory!' from one of the very best tenor sax players out there right now, JD Allen.

Album number three for JD Allen’s trio, with this being his fifth overall as leader, and if previous offerings hadn’t already convinced of the tight groups superior musicality, then ‘Victory!’ surely is just that – a winningly melodic and exhilaratingly unique statement that highlights both its leaders crystal clear focus and his ultimately warm and growing charm.

While many would like to make easy comparisons between Allen and famous looming shadows like John  Coltrane, or perhaps more so Sonny Rollins (who for many near-almost owns the sax-bass-drums trio format), they would be entirely wrong. Throughout ‘Victory!’ Allen plays with lean muscularity and keeps things direct, favouring an album made up of a larger number of concise pieces, with most falling under the four minute mark and many even coming in less than three minutes.

His cohorts too, bassist Gregg August and drummer Rudy Royston, play with muscle and skill, and keep things punchy and brief. But most importantly all three men work together brilliantly to form one very tight and deftly musical group. Each player contributes their individual personalities to the group effort and help ensure that each statement delivers a clear intense burst before moving onto something else new.

Here we get sheer unadulterated swing, more groove-based numbers and even some Eastern-leaning sounds that all reference some of the best of the past tradition but makes it all the trio’s own. Best of all though, we get a superb line in thick smokily seductive mood music that’s sure to become his signature sound – or at least one of many.

Crucially too, Allen’s two strongest assets are here in absolute abundance; his skillful and hook-laden writing, and that big beautiful tenor tone. And they gel together here perfectly.

Many artists, and especially those in the jazz field, often enjoy changing or developing their sound through reconfiguring, expanding or even shrinking their line-ups, and while that can frequently yield strong results, sometimes it does the exact opposite. The best developments though can sometimes be the ones that come through evolving and enriching a proven formula. And that is what Allen is clearly doing here. His most-favoured unit has developed, and continues to build a unique identity that has only gone from strength to strength and surely will only get better with time. Without a doubt ‘Victory!’ is the strongest offering yet from one of the strongest players out there right now.

****