CHRISTIAN SCOTT
Rewind That
Concord
Read
the Jazzitude review of Erin Boheme/What Love Is
Read the Jazzitude Review
of Taylor Eigsti/Lucky To Be Me
Christian Scott’s Concord CD debut,
Rewind That, seems to take up where jazz, rock,
and other popular music began to be combined by energetic
young musicians in the early 1970s and to proceed as though
there had been no backlash against fusion. On the other
hand, it doesn’t ignore the sense of balance that
the ‘Young Lions’ who came to prominence in
the 1980s and early 1990s brought to the table. In other
words, Scott’s musical vocabulary includes all of
it, making his music seem both a rock/hip-hop groove with
all the attendent influences AND yet, very mainstream in
its vocabulary. The title, Rewind That, seems to
acknowledge that Scott is going back, not merely to recreate
the sound of an earlier era, but to pick up the threads
that were dropped when fusion was relegated to the persona
non grata of jazz genres.
There
are those who will say that Scott has merely couched his
beautiful trumpet tone in the rhythmic vernacular of hip-hop
and/or electric chill out music. These elements are certainly
present and heavily influence what Scott and his compatriots
are doing. But Scott approaches his trumpet playing in the
lineage of jazz tradition. There is an influence of Miles
and of Chet Baker in the plaintive tone of some of Scott’s
playing, but I also hear a good deal of the improvisational
fire of Freddie Hubbard. I find it hard to think that tracks
like “Lay In Vain” and “Like This”
are anywhere outside the jazz mainstream in this day and
age, and I doubt that many musicians of Scott’s age
would disagree.
The music on Rewind That is very
much of a stylistic piece, creating and sustaining a single
atmosphere in much the same way that Miles did on Kind
of Blue. There are times, though, that the tracks can
blend a bit too easily, creating a ‘samey’ feeling
between several of the tracks. Since the grooves are good,
and the mood relaxed, it seems like a relatively small problem
here. The band is both sympathetic and very much in control
of creating the sound they wish to create. There is no hesitancy
or sense of meandering. Tenor saxophonist Walter Smith III
is a worthy companion to Scott in the front line. Guitarist
Matt Stevens provides edge without high volume, while keyboardist
Zaccai Curtis, who plays in a band led by Scott’s
uncle, New Orleans-born alto saxophonist Donald Harrison,
puts the right texture onto the music with his Fender Rhodes
and Wurlitzer electric piano work. Drummer Thomas Pridgen
and bassis Luques Curtis work in lockstep, creating grooves
that are sometimes reminiscent of the Crescent City rhythms
of bands like the Meters. Harrison appears on four tracks
as well, and contributes some great solos.
The only thing that feels like a misstep is
Scott’s take on the Miles Davis standard “So
What.” It’s a straightforward dance version
that funks up the trademark riff. It feels just a bit too
facile and ultimately stands out as being not quite up to
the level of the rest of the disc.
Christian’s idea here was to make a
CD that would be different than what listeners might expect,
and he succeeds very well. Rewind That should attract
a lot of well-deserved attention to Scott’s playing,
and there’s no telling what direction his future work
will take. For anyone that grew up listening to and enjoying
the music of the original fusion era, this disc will be
a very interesting and rewarding listen. Those interested
in the future direction that jazz music is likely to take
should check out Rewind That.
