Customer Reviews

Raw

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

 

 

I don't know why Mark Whitfield recorded this CD. He achieved success as a straight-ahead player, and it's been written that he genuinely enjoys playing more commercial, smooth jazz. This is indeed a "raw" session, aiming almost for the avant garde, for which Whitfield shows little interest and no aptitude. Maybe he wanted to prove something. Maybe he lost a bet.

Whitfield is backed by Robert Glasper (piano), Brandon Owens (bass), and Donald Edwards (drums). Each of the five tracks is an extended jam, the shortest lasting 10:27. There's a lot of music here, some of it very fast and some of it very loud. It's aggressive music. It just doesn't say anything.

I like late Coltrane as much as anyone. In fact, I'll go one better: I like Charles Gayle and David S. Ware. I've got most of their records, and I think their solo work is profound. So when I say that "Raw" is basically noise, it's not because Whitfield stretched outside the blues. There's simply no substance to anything happening on this record. It's a lot of talk with absolutely nothing to say.

Whitfield's career has had some bright moments. "True Blue" is as good as any of the Young Lions records. The playing is top-notch, and Whitfield's original tunes are solid. He was an asset to Jimmy Smith's two Verve all-star CDs. And if he's truly gone down the smooth jazz path, I wish him well. But this CD was an unfortunate and ill-advised diversion. Don't waste your time.

When I saw Mark playing with Dr. Lonnie Smith, I was stunned by the way he kept things going. He was so energic the whole time. He's got wonderful technic, but still he uses his skills with taste, unlike so many others. A few months later I got this cd and I was blown away again. The band is just great and they're playing intresting tunes. In a way Raw reminds me of the Coltrane's Love Supreme... there's lots and lots of energy.

If you want to relax by listening to good music, this is a great choice but don't waste your money on this one if you want a cd which you can listen to in your car.

recording quality is fair
everyone is a monster player but no one is really 'saying ' anything,speaking to the soul.
Just a technical muscle show..wow the audience with flurries of notes and get 'house'..

For some reasons unknown, everytime I listen to this latest Mark Whitfield's live sets I always feel like I am listening to Grey Osby's "Banned In New York". Raw is quite different from what Mark Whitfield did in the past. As the title suggests, the music in there often gives you a sense of "raw" feeling which is missing in other Mark Whitfield's albums. He did well in what he accomplished thus far, and the direction he approaches in there definitely makes this live dates worth listening over and over again.