Smokingunn

Russell Gunn | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (June 6, 2000)
• Original Release Date: June 26, 2000
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: HighNote Records
• ASIN: B00004TE12
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #163,605 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Trumpeter Russell Gunn continues to forge his own voice with this concentrated session of straight-ahead jazz, mixing brash hard-bop fire with reflective depth. One of Gunn's marks of distinction is the evident influence of Booker Little, the brilliant trumpeter and composer who died at the age of 23 in 1961 (only some of the most thoughtful musicians, such as Kenny Wheeler and Dave Douglas, share this distinction). It's a pensive, keening lyricism that comes with a subtle pitch sense and a burnished sound that mixes the brassy and the slightly muffled. It's there in some of Gunn's writing as well, close-voiced, slightly dissonant pieces that can expand the sound of a quintet. The sound shows up in the unaccompanied opening to "The Freedom Suite," and it's even more apparent on "El's Kitchen." It's not imitation, but it's definitely a significant element in Gunn's voice, immediately distinguishing him from other Freddie Hubbard-influenced players. There's an admirable sense of concision here, too, Gunn's ability to make tight, declarative statements extending to his take on Wynton Marsalis's "Delfeayo's Dilemma," which is less than 3 minutes long with just bass and drums accompaniment. When he does stretch out, as on the extended quartet version of Coltrane's "Crescent," Gunn shows a developing command of musical architecture, finding his own path through the work of a master builder. Altoist Bruce Williams appears on five tracks, invoking serpentine furies on "Groid" and his own "Memory of Waterford." Pianist Marc Cary, bassist Eric Revis, and drummer Terreon Gully aren't well-known names yet, but their familiarity with Gunn is apparent in the quality of their support. --Stuart Broomer

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great young trumpeter, deserves a wider audience, February 6, 2004

By 

souldrummer (Washington, DC United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Smokingunn (Audio CD)

Russell Gunn is a musician who is willing to take risks. He straddles straight ahead releases like "Smokin' Gunn" with more experimental hip-hop/funk influenced stuff in his Ethnomusicology series.

Russell Gunn is a skillfull trumpeter with a bright tone and fleet lines. He's ably supported on this album by folks like Marc Cary. I dig the cover of Coltrane's "Crescent". It's nice to hear this dark, lyrical tune interpreted by a trumpet. Likewise, "Delfeayo's Dilemma" gets a blistering workout that holds up to Kenny Garrett's version on "Trilogy". The originals hold up well and I dig the beautiful ballad "Yvette". This album is definitely post bop and seems to fit into Freddie Hubbard's more modal stuff like "Ready for Freddie" or Hubbard's sideman work with Wayne Shorter with occasional modern touches like the funky bridge to the straight ahead "The Beeach".

I'm sure Russell Gunn is not as familiar to followers of current jazz trends as Wynton Marsalis, Roy Hargrove or Nicholas Payton, but on the basis of this album he definitely deserves to be.

4 stars