Customer Reviews

The Dark Keys

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I love this CD. But so does everybody else who wrote in about it. So I'll keep this short and to the point.

What I love most about this CD is probably how it sounds live. There are so many jazz CDs that sound like they were recorded in a studio under hot lights playing into a microphone. This isn't necessarily bad, because this is what's really going on. But real jazz is, for me, playing in a basement or a small room, with guys who just want to play and aren't overly concerned about how it sounds. The music on this release is fun, dark, and mind-bogglingly creative. Marsalis asserts himself as a masterful jazz saxophonist, Tain has never sounded better, and, if nothing else, bassist Veal proves that he can follow anybody (even Tain).

Be warned though, that this is not for those half-baked jazz fans out there. If you want music that you can tap your foot to without looking ridiculous, or if you want nice pretty melodies that you will walk away singing, look elsewhere. Not that there's anything wrong with singable melodies. That's just not what's on this CD.

This has become one of my favorite jazz disks. Dark Keys exhibits Branford Marsalis' return to his hard core, classic jazz roots. An obvious tip of the cap to Coltrane opens the disk. While Marsalis' other work has always been solid, smoke-filled, jazz club fare, this recording cuts to the chase. You will NOT hear this on any "jazz-lite" station that plays Kenny G or other pretenders.

"The new guy" Reggie Veal, ably replaces bassist Bob Hurst, fitting in with Branford and the smokin' Jeff "Tain" Watts on drums. (When watching them play live, Tain is the man of a million intense and expressive faces!) The music of the trio is as if they have been playing together for years. Branford's duet with guest artist Joe Lovano is worth every repeated listen. This is "serious" music but the band's playful, irreverant, wry sense of humor comes across in subtle ways throughout the album...

Branford Marsalis is an excellent saxophone player, well versed in his roots but with his own sound going on. I know that gets said about everybody, but Branford's ability to be more flexible with form and time than most others is a big selling point. I like his playing, but I usually don't like his albums, which are usually poorly arranged and only half filled with anything worth repeated listening. The Dark Keys is an exception. 7 out of 8 tracks are highly listenable, and the energy is strong throughout.

Tain and Branford have great chemistry, and Tain has a nice reputation of his own as always pushing with an almost Elvin-like intensity, but here, the trio lunges headfirst into some of the most masturbatory and intentionally self-confusing playing I've heard, even from them. I'm not saying that loud and intense playing is bad; on the contrary, I love stuff with some energy, and I think the Love Supreme covers on Footsteps of Our Fathers are better examples of the possibilities. But here the playing gets so far "out" that it doesn't quite make musical sense. It's hard to hear the standards changes behind Hesitation and Schott Happens because of this element.

But this element doesn't make for a bad cd, because it's still one of the most continually listenable cds Branford has ever put out. The title track is exciting, but among the songs that are easy to follow, Lykief is an excellent free tempo piece (and better than the version on Requiem), Blutain swings like anything, and the guest appearances could be the best on the album. Joe Lovano makes an appearance on the medium uptempo Sentinel, and Kenny Garrett joins Branford on the tweaked minor blues Judas Iscariot, which is my favorite song on the whole cd. Both of the guests deliver what you would expect from them, and they fit in well with the driving, free spirited feel of the group.

Overall this cd is very listenable, exciting, and well put together, even if some of its attempts at mind bending grandeur miss their intended target.

Like past reviwers said if you're looking for some jazz to tap your foot to or even that has a discernable melody, you best move on, 'cause this is NOT the place you'll find it, and I do admit that a piano being present might have givin' this a little more of a jump for me, but this is still some pretty enjoyable stuff. I didn't particularly care for the title track (it just seemed a little TOO all over the place; no disrespect to it though), but the remaining seven are very good to listen to. I particularly liked 'A Thousand Autumns'; I think all three men play incredibly on it; they vibe off of each other well; good chemistry.

Now I'm probably more of a traditional jazz enthusiast admittedly so I'm sure I'll be criticized for even ATTEMPTING to review this by the real jazz-heads, and I probably don't have the authority to, but it just lacks the zeal and zest of the bebop that I love. I think I might enjoy this more in a club or at a bar with a few drinks in me. But when it's just me sitting at home or in my car, it's just not as enticing as say Webster or Dizzy.

on this outing, mr. marsalis drops the piano, but the loss of a chordal instrument in no way diminshes the power of the music. with tain on drums and reginald veal on bass, this trio pushes and explores a variety of forms and moods richly. the sound is reflective of coltrane from his later period with impulse records and the stylings of ornette coleman from his 60s quartet and trio albums, particularly when mr. marsalis plays soprano sax. the title piece is a cascading song very much like trane and sets the mood and feel immediately. this is going to be exhilirating jazz. it moves through to a beautful ballad, "a thousand autumns" that is at once quiet, but evocative of deep feeling. other highlights are "judas iscariot" featuring kenny garrett on alto (a playfully swinging tune), and "sentinel" featuring joe lovano on tenor (a blowing session in one song). the album also features a first recording of "lykeif," done again on the album 'requiem' in a quartet setting, evoking the mood and tonality of keith jarrett. this is a stirring album that reveals a mature and wonderful artist at work.

The material is quite experimental, very fast, open and energetic. Watts keeps the time almost
with toms to create a personal atmosphere and effect, usually quite dark and aggressive.
The reed solos are long and strong even if sometimes a bit too much repetitive.
My BIG concern is the recording work: there's an absolute imbalance in the instruments, with
an unbelievable loud drums hiding the bass and the reeds. I can't understand why in 1996 in a studio
setting people aren't able to mix 3 instruments properly. I could not enjoy this record, even a good
equalizer can't do much from this bad mixing. A big disappoint from a great artist like Brandford.

this cd pulls no punches it very upfront and has a straight foreward feel to it.Branford continues to be ignored because he doesn't do bland takes on jazz.he is willing to take risks.he will do whatever style that he is feeling.and this cd reflects his genius.

this cd pulls no punches it very upfront and has a straight foreward feel to it.Branford continues to be ignored because he doesn't do bland takes on jazz.he is willing to take risks.he will do whatever style that he is feeling.and this cd reflects his genius.