Customer Reviews

Fire Within

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Don Braden is a fine saxophonist of his generation. If I am not wrong, this is currently the best album by Don, most of the songs he is doing here are mostly post-bop contemporary Jazz and the main influence here is obviously inspired by John Coltrane. The first track <Incendiary> showcase the quartet's capability of laying a powerful, harmonically astute, swinging foundation, with that beautifully structured saxophone improvisation going in all directions.

A hot-driven rhythm section was born to create a new dimension for the project: Jeff Watts, Christian McBride and Kenny Kirkland. Then misfortune struck, Kenny died one week before the session date. Nevertheless, they opted to do this a pianoless trio format in dedication to the great Kenny Kirkland. The Trio did several tracks like <Solar>, <Thermo> and <Fried Bananas>. The track <Solar> is a joy to listen, here, this trio drives the music to some funky reggae and humorous grooves, you can hear Watts and McBride interacting behind those mind-boggingly creative improvisations by Don. Although the trio has reached another level, it is saddening to remind them that K Kirkland had left so early..

All the musicians are very sincere in dedicating their hardwork and sprituality, to Kenny Kirkland and especially in reverence to this exquisite art form, Jazz.

Real Jazz fans should never leave this one out, unless for those neophytes who like to worship that pseudo Jazzy David Sanborn for his pretentious " Soulful spit in the pit " / " Soulful cry" (Soulful noise would be more appropriate!) Or his irritating, childish and unintelligent upper register bursts with that commercialize R&B feel. David Sanborn should listen to this album, learn from it and then take up Banjo... (",)