Customer Reviews

The Search Within

5 star:		(7)
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Over the past few years Sean Jones has released several very good albums and has shown a steady progression as both a gifted player and composer, but "The Search Within" is a giant leap forward for him. Each track is unique, innovative, featuring outstanding solos and a tight group. The other musicians on this CD have clearly put all they've got into this music as well, and it shows ... it is much more than a collection of backup musicians, but a unified team effort with Jones at the helm. "The Storm" is one of the best tracks on the CD, but each track is excellent unto itself. I hear many of the new major releases in jazz, and this is the best new jazz release I have heard in 2009.

Sean Jones has truly made a deep connection within with this CD for me. It transcends the meaning of "soul music" to dimensions that reminds me of John Coltrane's inner soul explorations. I had an opportunity to see Sean in Detroit at the Dirty Dog Jazz Cafe and the jazz festival that was held that Labor Day weekend. The music from this CD was featured that weekend and for me, was breath taking. I purchased this CD at the festival in hopes to capture some of the musical bliss I experienced. I was rewarded with a recording that moved me as deeply as the live sets. Alto saxophonist, Brian Hogans plays like a god...and I do mean, "play". There is a relationship that he has with his instrument that is playful, freeing, and yet deeply thoughtful. Brian's style is balanced by Walter Smith's tenor, which has a richly dark and contemplative nature that is somewhat reminiscent of Wayne Shorter. The celestial front line is firmly supported by a rhythm section that is ingeniously interesting and creative in there own right. I've listened to this CD constantly since Labor Day 09 and I'm still discovering more of Sean's musical genius.

Words are rarely sufficient to describe Sean Jones' work as a musician. From the moment I first heard his siren song while he was playing with the Lincoln Center Orchestra, I knew there was something about him that rang far and above what others in his field were doing. As a former trumpet player and a writer, I find myself slightly choked when, in vane, attempting to place my thoughts about his style and sound, into the English language. After all, if jazz is a language of its own or at least a dialect of the language of music, then why should I even attempt to translate his thoughts. As someone else has already echoed....and at great risk of sounding trite, if you buy only one jazz album this year, make it this one. Thank you Sean for the stress relief, the beauty and the obvious work you've put behind searching within, to find the source of your art.

Sean is a brassy trumpet player full of the quality playing style and technique that some not all trumpet artist are able to put on the line. Sean expresses his stenght on this difficult insrtument. I love the new CD, and revist it often, should be a future classic, considering Sean is in a group of trumpet stars that are older and maturer performers now. Sean can and should continue to create qulaity productions. Buy yorself a great CD and listen then realy listen, to the strenght of a artist. The cd has a great variety of styles/flavor, vocals with great musicians accompaniment.

Saw Sean Jones last night at Blues alley - Washington DC. Of course nothing compares to the live show, but until you get to listen to the Man in person give this very modern recording a try. Well worth the effort, jazz doesn't get much better that this.

I'd have to agree with another reviewer here that it is extremely difficult to put into words what comes out of listening to Sean Jones and company on this CD. It soars, it whispers, it jams, it expands explosively, it weeps... like notes tossed out into the wind, each of them finding their own way down to Earth once more.

Coming from someone that lives in Pittsburgh, where I get to see Sean as often as I might want to, and sometimes even for free (Shh, don't tell anyone, but yes, there are free concerts in warm weather!) I might be considered biased. Sean is originally from Warren, OH, not too far from here. I'm going to be eternally grateful that he found his way east. To hear this young man play is to experience the music of the trumpet in a very different way. Certainly, at a particular level, all of the "real" trumpet players have the chops. There is something about Sean that delivers the music in yet another dimension, and if you are ever lucky enough to see him play live, DO IT.

He is a wonderful, engaging, and powerful yet humble human being who happens to be bilingual: English and Trumpet. At the last concert I went to, he was out and around afterward, easily shaking hands and hugging fellow musicians and fans alike. I waited patiently to thank him for a wonderful show. I had no way to express to him what it meant to hear him play that night (a concert with 80-something Joe Negri -- GO JOE!) so all I could say to him was this:

"Sean, if I could pick up an instrument play back to you what it felt like to me, maybe I could come close to describing the magic of your performance. But I can't, and words will never be up to the job. So, thank you." He got it. He did.

This disc is superb; the music is at a level of maturity that is devoid of the regular hubris of playing to the opposition, of playing only to the competition, to the in-crowd. This music is for the real jazz lover in everyone. Sean in no way dominates the recording, but allows the other players the chance to shine... and they DO.

It's a great collection, and what's more... it really is a journey as you listen through from Track 1 to Track 12. Treat yourself. You won't be disappointed. Now, go out and see where he is playing and buy a ticket!

Just a terrific album with jamming horns and super accompanying piano and drums. A great purchase.