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Critics
John McDonough John Corbett Jim Macnie Paul de Barros
Tommy Flanagan/Jaki Byard
The Magic Of 2
★★★★ ★★★★1/2 ★★★1/2 ★★★★
Christian McBride
People Music
★★★ ★★★1/2 ★★★ ★★★1/2
Terence Blanchard
Magnetic
★★1/2 ★★★★ ★★★1/2 ★★1/2
Joshua Redman
Walking Shadows
★★★★1/2 ★★★1/2 ★★★1/2 ★★
Critics’ Comments
Tommy Flanagan/Jaki Byard, The Magic Of 2
A 30-year-old document that lives up to its hype. The pianists work together with a fluidity and ease that’s
hard to imagine, and their very different approaches make them perfectly complementary. Can imagine that
Barkan’s been listening to this all these years wondering when he could share it with everyone else!
—John Corbett
You can feel the fun in the air as the two maestros roll through each other’s lines. Though literally a novelty,
a palpable communion comes to the fore by the end of the set, bringing new meaning to their pal Monk’s
phrase “played twice.”
—Jim Macnie
This 1982 retrieval from San Francisco’s fabled Keystone Korner is one of those “wish I coulda been there”
albums. Two masters of the keyboard—one elegant and svelte but always swingin’ (Flanagan), the other
iconoclastic, jumping up and down with ideas from stride to outside (Byard) —jousting for joy. The duets can
get a little jumbly, but thankfully most of the album features each man playing solo. —Paul de Barros
Christian McBride & Inside Straight, People Music
A fairly standard set of bright originals from some of the busier members of the contemporary New York
establishment. Highlight is Wolf, who out-swings everyone in sight. Pianists Martin and Sands are in close
pursuit. Solos move mostly in a crisp and relaxed 4/4 drive.
—John McDonough
Bassist in mentor mode on a couple of tracks, aided and abetted by his core crew on the rest; unenviable
position for Owens, drawing comparison with Allen, but he holds his own with a light touch and drive. No big
surprises, but extremely well made mainstream music, up to McBride’s high standards. —John Corbett
Big ups to the craft of this ultra-tight action. Team McBride tackles each of these tunes with finesse. But
there’s a touch of foregone conclusion in the air, too. It seems you can guess where each of these performances
will end up.
—Jim Macnie
Terence Blanchard, Magnetic
The best track by far is “Don’t Run,” a snappy spree for Coltrane’s soprano and Carter’s walking bass, with
Blanchard liberated from the strained seriousness elsewhere and rediscovering the first-rate jazz musician in
him. One of his perennial mannerisms, the choked note, seems happily retired. —John McDonough
An impressive group effort successfully bridging stylistic modalities. The most outre track (“Another Step”) is
least successful, feels a bit of a dalliance, but the bristling post-bop and mature contemporary mainstream
components are beautiful and full of Blanchard’s personal touch.
—John Corbett
Never mind the electronics and chorused-up trumpet, there’s something theatrical about this music that,
with the exception of the aptly titled “Central Focus,” makes it feel fictional, like it’s coming less from real life
than from fantasy. But Blanchard’s heroic chops and intensity are real as rain, and Kendrick Scott’s free sense
of time fits the trumpeter’s fluid impressionism to a T.
—Paul de Barros
Joshua Redman, Walking Shadows
Strings can be a deceptive foil. If they are everything that jazz is not supposed to be, then why the eternal
flirtation? Redman offers the same answer as Charlie Parker 50 years ago in these warmly turned ballads:
strings as a comping counterpoint. They offer a centered romantic cushion without inhibiting the soloists’
range or intent. A winner.
—John McDonough
A sage mix of arrangement and improv makes Redman’s first strings experiment both an arc of sentimental
moods and forum for some keen lyricism. On an album rich with sound, he’s positioned the negative space
with masterful touch.
—Jim Macnie
Stan Getz’s Focus, it’s not, though there are a few moments on this string job (“Lush Life,” “Easy Living”) where
the arrangements do more than sweeten and soften. The stringless “Stardust” is a real gem, but most of the
rest is pretty dull.
—Paul de Barros
JULY 2013 DOWNBEAT 47