Amazon.com essential recording
Arturo Sandoval pays tribute here to
Clifford Brown, the trumpeter who died in 1956 at age 25, but whose work remains a dominant influence on contemporary bop trumpeters. It's a thoughtful tribute, including a selection of Brown's own memorable bop anthems ("Daahoud," "Joy Spring," and "Blues Walk"), tunes associated with Brown (
Bud Powell's "Parisian Thoroughfare" and
Duke Jordan's "Jordu"), and two affecting tributes (
Benny Golson's classic "I Remember Clifford" and Sandoval's own "I Left This Space for You"). Sandoval does these great tunes justice with a fine band spearheaded by pianist
Kenny Kirkland and saxophonist
Ernie Watts that's perfect for the idiom. Sandoval overdubs trumpet section arrangements of some of Brown's own quicksilver solos, paying homage in a way that combines the formalism and flamboyance that are the building blocks of the style.
--Stuart Broomer