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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Mark Rapp Brings Fresh Ideas to Jazz With His New Album, February 19, 2009
Mark Rapp is a young, up and coming trumpeter who seems to have found his footing in a sound that can best be described as soul jazz. On his new album, Token Tales, Rapp displays his knack for producing crisp melodic lines with both flair and a down-to-earth sensibility that intuitively gets the listener grooving. He knows just when to build momentum and expand the boundaries of improvisation. His tone is street wise and hip, but elegant enough to get nods from both novice and experienced audiences. Rapp can just as easily turn up the heat and then turn inward to radiate an ember glow. He weaves in global influences through his skillful playing of the Australian didgeridoo, a reminder that the world is increasingly a smaller place where there is no room for purists in music. In composition and playing, Rapp is a revelation and one of many young innovators who hold a key to the future of jazz in the present tense. In one word, Token Tales is ALIVE. - LISSETTE CORSA, Global Groove Connection
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5.0 out of 5 stars
Essential! Boston.com Review, April 8, 2009
We've been hearing for decades that jazz is dying, yet every year we meet young musicians who advance the art through innovation. Now comes trumpeter Mark Rapp, whose band put on a phenomenal set at the Newport jazz festival last summer. Rapp is finally putting out his debut CD, and it delivers, blending respect for tradition with a penchant for the contemporary. It's a restless album, moving quickly from high-energy funk to laid-back balladry. Rapp may be a young fellow, but his composing skills are already at full throttle. "Token Tales" is filled with memorable melodies. It is also marked by Rapp's mature trumpeting, which is impressive without being showy, and a young but strong band that includes pianist Jamie Reynolds (often on Fender Rhodes electric), bassist Gavin Fallow, and drummer Kyle Struve. Rapp displays an affinity for Miles Davis (what trumpet player doesn't?), but he's crafting his own sound at the same time, whether with rock rhythms or repeated motifs. And he's taking notes from today's rock bands by first releasing his album digitally, then on CD. - STEVE GREENLEE
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5.0 out of 5 stars
Great Music...Even if you're not that into Jazz, March 19, 2009
Got this CD after seeing Mark Rapp play at the Blue Note in NYC. Never was that into Jazz, but this guy caught my ear and I just had to hear more.
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