This is an old-school blowing session between two friends having a blast. The tenor compatriots β Hempton from New York, Weeds from Vancouver, Canada β dig into the work of their heroes, no doubt.
But both artists bring in their own work, which lives up to the rest of the set. These are two masters of the tenor saxophone enjoying the history of that instrument and adding some of their own.
With Peck and Cahill at their side, this is a fiercesome foursome that should be playing heavily on the festival circuit this summer. They are just that much fun. Nick Hempton and Cory Weeds are serving up something special here. Recorded in Copenhagen in late and produced by guitarist Jakob Bro, the album is a solo performance of melodies, rhythmic explorations both slow and fast and implied harmonies that gives an inside perspective on what it means to be Mark Turner.
It conveys an up-close and personal depiction of the struggles and rewards of being a serious artist devoted to crafting a uniquely distinct voice, and the focus, dedication and honesty it demands. Hear his tongued attacks, his breath accents, his slurred bits of phrasing, the plosive pop of his altissimo and the unselfconscious swallow of his larynx. Truth lies within. One of the recording sessions with Turner and Bro that eventually led to We Raise Them To Lift Their Heads is depicted in the documentary Music for Black Pigeons , which premiered at the 79th Venice Biennale and was screened at cinemas and film festivals worldwide.
The title track, oddly enough, features Charette playing a hiccup-y blues line that Jack would probably never touch. And while Weeds and guitarist Dave Sikula easily evoke the greasy, gritsy feel of down-home soul jazz, neither conjures the sound of any instrumentalist in particular. As for drummer John Lee, he simply and tastefully swings: What else is there? Enter Elliot Galvin, a sound-surfing keyboardist, composer and improviser. Galvin is well-known in his native England through four previous leader recordings as well as his associations with Shabaka Hutchings, Emma-Jean Thackray, Norma Winstone and many more.
