Into the Blue

Nicholas Payton | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (April 22, 2008)
• Original Release Date: 2008
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Nonesuch
• ASIN: B0015967CU
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #159,906 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Into the Blue is the Nonesuch debut from Grammy Award-winning trumpet player Nicholas Payton and his first as bandleader
since the 2003 Warner Bros CD, Sonic Trance. Though celebrated for his interpretations of the New Orleans jazz canon, especially
for material associated with Louis Armstrong, Payton focuses here on original compositions that are soulful, pensive and romantic.
He also gamely steps out as a vocalist, for the first time on disc, on an elegant, self-penned slow dance called Blue. Along with
eight original tracks, Payton interprets film-scoring giant Jerry Goldsmith s title theme from Chinatown as well as Nida, composed
by his father, the bassist Walter Payton. It was inspired by and named after Nick s mother, who was also a singer and pianist.
Accompanying Payton is his touring band: keyboardist Kevin Hays, bassist Vicente Archer, percussionist Daniel Sadownick and
drummer Marcus Gilmore (who happens to be the grandson of Roy Haynes). Into the Blue was produced by Bob Belden, the
musician-arranger with whom Payton collaborated on the 2006 album, Mysterious Shorter, an all-star tribute to the early work of
composer and saxophonist Wayne Shorter.
The New York Times has described Payton as abundantly gifted. Variety has called him one of the more popular trumpeters to
emerge post-Wynton from New Orleans, After a gig last summer at Manhattan s Jazz Standard that included material featured on
Into the Blue, Variety declared, Nicholas Payton has developed an omnivorous approach to jazz, willing to bring countless genres
to the table...Diversity like that in jazz is a rare commodity...In the opener, Let It Ride, Payton took two impressive solos, one polite,
one aggressive, a microcosm of his chameleon nature and his comfort level with various ways of playing....he is attracted to and
composes multi-faceted songs that provide dips and turns, broad tonal ranges and opportunities to reshape a song in mid-performance.
Though Into the Blue is Payton s first title for Nonesuch bearing his name, he s no stranger to followers of the label. Payton has been
a member of the multi-generational Joshua Redman-led SFJAZZ Collective, which has released two acclaimed discs on Nonesuch
that explored the work of Ornette Coleman and John Coltrane, and showcased original pieces developed in a live setting, including
Payton s own Scrambled Eggs (on the 2006 SFJAZZ Collective 2). Payton also guest-starred on the adventurous, groove-oriented
Momentum, the 2005 Nonesuch disc from Joshua Redman s Elastic Band. Payton has long been known for collaborations, from his
Grammy-winning sessions with 91 year-old trumpet legend Doc Cheatham to his playing and/or arranging work with neo-soul star
Jill Scott, Dr. John, Eddie Palmieri, Bill Charlap and Dianne Reeves, among many others.
Payton, who has been performing with various combos in his native New Orleans since he was 12 years old, will be entertaining
hometown crowds this spring at the 2008 New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A collaborative effort, September 14, 2008

By 

Gaylen Halbert (Weimar, California United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Into the Blue (Audio CD)

This is the work of a BAND. Nicholas composed and arranged the songs, but the intended result was not to feature his trumpet playing as much as to lay out the groove of the music. It is a SHARED platform for all the musicians and it succeeds big time. If this cd was playing quietly in the background at a coffee shop it would be unappreciated for how serious an effort it is. Kicking up the volume on a decent sound system at home reveals state of the art jazz. I particularly liked the way the percussion slid in and out. Also the Fender Rhodes piano had [for me] a Les McCann vibe. Nicholas is proving he can play hot or cool in the variety of wonderful albums he has released.

6 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent, August 15, 2008

By 

EB "oneflightup" (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Into the Blue (Audio CD)

Since he came on the scene, Nicholas Payton has been known for his killer technique and big sound. Listening to him you could easily hear the influences of Freddie Hubbard, Lee Morgan and Woody Shaw - all cats who could make flames jump out the bell of their horns. It would be a safe statement to say that Nick can pretty much do it all when it comes to trumpet. While some may argue that this recording lacks the fire of his previous works, to me Into the Blue feels like new chapter in the musical life of its composer. I find it to be more honest and real than anything he has released to date and because of that I consider it his best thus far.

I read one comparison between Into the Blue and the Miles Davis classic recording of Kind of Blue and there is evidence to support that statement. While Nick may be known for high energy, several songs feature some of the most soulful, melodic and thoughtful playing that I've ever heard from him or any other trumpet player. "Drucilla" starts off melancholy and moody before gradually transforming into a swinging affair that ends far too soon. "Let It Ride" and "The Backward Step" also feature the same fantastic playing. When I caught Nicholas at Blues Alley a few weeks ago he had added lyrics to these tunes which makes sense when you hear them. They practically scream for words. He also lends his voice to the tune "Blue" following in a long line of trumpet players who also sang (Louis Armstrong, Chet Baker, and Clark Terry to name a few). "Triptych" and "Nida" remind me of DC's homegrown sensation of go-go. Both are groove based and feature in the pocket percussion.

What is amazing to me is Nick's transformation with regards to sound and style. Even his phrasing feels different. Needless to say I enjoy this album very much.

8 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars pretty dull sadly, September 8, 2008

By 

Secret Panel (UK) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Into the Blue (Audio CD)

I felt disappointed by this album, which seemed to me insipid, even careless. I found the heads uninspiring, and often the groove didn't groove ... when it did, it owed more to Kevin Hays's Fender Rhodes than any glue or kick from the leader (eg. the amateurish loss of pace on the solo handover on 'Nida'). While this is not great music, Payton clearly can play trumpet, but - objectively - he is a rubbish singer (Chet Baker heroin chic is his chosen style); worse he attempts a shapeless tune that sounds on the point of stalling throughout.

I noticed John Fordham rated it in a Guardian review, so perhaps I'm missing something, but Kind of Blue it ain't. It's going to stay in my cupboard until I get an elevator installed ...