E.E.R.
Mark Turner
Dharma Days
Warner Bros. 47998-2
2001 05 08
It took four Warner Bros. albums for Mark Turner to nail down his prodigiously
advanced concept and find a dream band to help him do it. Dharma Days is
the studio debut of Turner’s regular working quartet, with Kurt Rosenwinkel on
guitar, Reid Anderson on bass, and Nasheet Waits on drums. This is a live band
to the core, as was evident during its triumphant return to the Village
Vanguard stage in late May, timed to coincide with the album release. While
Dharma Days doesn’t quite stir the adrenaline to the degree that the
live show does, the album is still a triumph, capturing a live feel to a far
greater degree than many of Turner’s previous offerings.
Adding to the session’s depth is the fact that this is Turner’s first all-
original outing. Having proven on previous efforts that he can play the post-
op staples and the ballads, he’s free to take us an extended tour of his
compositional thinking, with no digressions. This includes a threefold tribute
to some of his contemporaries: pianist Ethan Iverson ("Iverson’s Odyssey"),
altoist Myron Walden ("Myron’s World") and, presumably, Jacky Terrasson
("Jacky’s Place"). Other highlights include the haunting ballad "We Three," the
multi-episodic "Casa Oscura," and a freaky funk reworking of "Zurich" (from Turner’s 1994 Criss Cross debut Yam Yam).
Together and separately, Turner and Rosenwinkel have developed what are
arguably the most instantly identifiable styles in jazz today. Rosenwinkel
continues to experiment sonically, phrasing in an odd, new way with the volume
pedal on "Myron’s World" and employing sound-on-sound chording during "Jacky’s
Place." (He relied on both effects during the live set as well.) And Turner’s
labyrinthine lines and daunting harmonic language continue to set him apart
from all of today’s young tenor stars. His conceptual contributions to the
music are becoming nothing short of immense. ~David R. Adler
1. Iverson’s Odyssey 2. Deserted Floor 3. Myron’s World 4. We Three 5. Jacky’s
Place 6. Casa Oscura 7. Zurich 8. Dharma Days 9. Seven Points
Mark Turner, tenor saxophone; Kurt Rosenwinkel, guitar; Reid Anderson, bass;
Nasheet Waits, drums
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Mark Turner, Ballad Session (55:10); 47631-2, 2000
Warner Bros. Records
75 Rockefeller Plaza, 20th Floor
New York, NY 10019
Phone: 212-275-4500
Cyberhome: www.wbjazz.com
This collection is beautiful, but it offers a fairly limited view of
Mark Turner's staggering talents. Of course, hearing him, guitarist
Kurt Rosenwinkel, and pianist Kevin Hays play ballads is a great
pleasure. Sensitive support from bassist Larry Grenadier and drummer
Brian Blade only makes it better. But the all-ballad format seems a
little constrained, especially compared to the spellbinding original
music Turner has been playing live lately.
The repertoire for Ballad Session is quite well
chosen, however. Instead of expected favorites like "Body and Soul"
we have pieces by people like Carla Bley, Paul Desmond, and Bobby
Hutcherson. Turner's intention is not simply to soothe, nor to pay
blind obeisance to great tenors of the past. Bringing his youthful
wisdom to the ballad form as only he can, Turner calls into question
our preconceived notions of what a ballad can be - as is best
exemplified by "Nefertiti" and "All or Nothing at All."
~David R. Adler, 3/2/00
Tracks:
1. I Loves You Porgy
2. Some Other Time
3. Nefertiti
4. Skylark
5. No More
6. All or Nothing at All
7. Visions
8. Alone and I
9. Late Lament
10. Jesus Maria
Personnel:
Mark Turner, tenor saxophone;
Kurt Rosenwinkel, guitar (except 1, 4, 10, 11);
Kevin Hays, piano (except 3-6, 9);
Larry Grenadier, bass;
Brian Blade, drums
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