Customer Reviews

Watts

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

 

 

To tell the truth what first attracted me to buying this album was basically its the branford marsalis group minus the piano and bass players, and then when I saw that Christian McBride and Terrance Blanchard are on the album bass and trumpet respectfully. I had to get it simply to hear McBride jamming with Jeff Watts & Branford Marsalis and over all I think this is a really good album, its definitely jazz in the vain of The Marsalis quartet which is always highly inventive and by no means ever smooth. This is jazz with a capital "J" or post bop in a Coltrane Wayne Shorter bag. The album starts out strong with Return of the Jitty Man its neat how Marsalis and Blanchard intertwine their lines and play off each other during the theme statement. The two horns in the front line have played together alot and it shows here. McBride sounds great throughout the album and especially on Dancing for Chicken a hoe down of sorts with a funky back beat and a killer bowed bass solo from McBride. This album also is not without some dry humor on The Devil's Ring tone with some funny spoken word dialogue. Bottom line is I would recommend this to fans of The Branford Marsalis Quartet and fans of Christian McBride but I wouldn't say its for people new to jazz or people crossing over from rock or R&B. This is intense serious music that must be taken seriously.

The compositions on the cd are very fresh and interesting. It probably helps that they are played by world class musicians!! but the variety of this music makes for a very enjoyable listen. I highly recommend The Devil's Ring Tone... the music really tells a story and moves seamlessly through times and feels.

Is there ANY question who is the pre-eminent drummer in all of jazz today?
Jeff Watts does it again. If you're a fan of Branford Marsalis, or Wynton's earlier work, then you already know who he is.

But this time, he comes with a line-up that is akin to an All-Star team in basketball.

Christian McBride on bass,
Branford Marsalis on saxophone,
Terence Blanchard on trumpet,

AND WATTS?!?! Incredible!!

If you remember, this group is three-fifths of the very excellent group that did the music for the "Mo' Better Blues" soundtrack. Under Watts leadership, this group is hard-driving and hard-charging from the opening tip. You will love this disc!

I just recently purchased this CD and I am blown away. It immediately became my current favorite jazz CD. Great musicianship all around with great tunes. I recommend it!

Jeff Watts, without question, is the hardest swinging drummer in the jazz idiom today. With that being said, this recording just might be the best jazz recording of the year. Some may say that's presumptious or maybe a bit arrogant, however, Watts, McBride, Marsalis and Blanchard more than deliver the goods on this recording. McBride's tone is extremely gritty and negroid - bringing in the down home richness of a friend chicken dinner. Terence Blanchard delivers lessons of heroic nuance, passion and soul-sophistication. He more than reasserts that he still has a lot to say about the direction of modern day trumpet playing. Branford Marsalis, after more than 25 years of sharing bandstands with the finest musicians in the world, is without question the finest tenor/soprano soloist in the game. Marsalis reminds us of the great 200 meter champion Michael Johnson - it's not a question he's going to win, but by how far. Marsalis, like Jeff Watts, is in a class by himself. Marsalis' solo on Katrina James is soulful, mournful and inspirational in it's delivery and impact.

Jeff Watts has again raised the bar in regards to improvisation, composition, and band leadership. Like Elvin Jones and the modern master Roy Haynes, Jeff Watts has thrown down the gauntlet and issued a direct challenge to cry babies and wannabees who choose not to swing.

It'll be more than interesting who takes up the challenge.

Skip Norris
Jazz Artistic Director
The Music Hall for the Performing Arts Center
Detroit, Michigan

I have every commercially available tain-under-his-name album and love this the best. His writing has got even better - more adventurous, complex and playful and it works a treat.

Blanchard (trumpet)and marsalis (sax)play better than I've ever heard them before too - more creative and risk taking than usual and they always pull it off. And McBride isn't too shabby either!

Tain's playing is excellent as always and tends to be even more funky than on previous recordings.

(No offence intended but having no piano keeps the artistic style coherent - on previous recordings with these players the music can be smokin' with the pianist laying out, then piano comes back and the mojo nosedives: it all suddenly sounds old-fashioned and irritating, no matter how good the piano playing)

This CD is more than worth the money for cuts 2 and 3 alone. Hugely recommended.

This recording has one standout cut and Laurence Fishburne is amazing on it. I won't spoil it but the whole album is inspired and musically well thought out. It earns it's Downbeat rating hands down.

You can buy classic albums from the 60's and 70's or other recent releases that contain the funky, edge-of-chaos sound on this album. What you are paying for here is the name-brand.

I, too, have all of Watts' work and, for that matter, Branford M's, but despite the highly competent and sometimes great playing, man, this is SO boring! So damned OLD HAT it is not true. But then what do you expect with a Marsalis. A pity, because with Kenny Kirkland at least Branford M and hence Tain were going somewhere a little different. If you like straight ahead down the middle jazz then BY ALL MEANS, you will probably LOVE this. There is so much else goin' on though, so much that is way ahead of this tedious old rehash - no matter how well played. Check out Matthew Shipp for one...

I've only heard small pieces of this cd. It is excellent, but the availability is a problem. No music stores sell it, in fact it's not even on Barnes & Noble's computer, so you can't even order it from them. An independent store I know told me it was only available from Jeff Tain Watts website, and from Amazon. Cross the second choice off that list, as there is only a single amazon market copy available. I don't understand the economic logic here, especially for the artist. Am I missing something here?