CD REVIEW
ONE FOR ALL
“Incorrigible”
Jazz Legacy Productions #1001005

According to the Oxford English Dictionary, ‘incorrigible’ means not being able to correct or reform. One For All is definitely a group that has no intention of being reformed, changed, obstructed or corrected; and there’s no need! They remain outstanding just the way they are. On their latest Cd, they burst onto the scene with an up-tempo, energetic version of “Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered”. Here are six musical comrades who know how to put the bop into Be bop and how to repave the narrow path of Straight Ahead Jazz. This is evident on tunes like “Spirit Waltz”, sung in ¾ time but still swinging with Joe Farnsworth pushing the envelope on drums. His underlying power is a phenomenal catalyst that acts as a springboard from which the others can leap. The first cut is followed by “Back to Back,” another tune marching Straight Ahead down the less trodden path of excellence. Tight harmonic horns open the song, embellishing the melody and then Eric Alexander is off and running with a powerful solo on tenor saxophone. The horn section is also made up of Steve Davis, who offers a trombone voice both soothing and innovative, while Jim Rotondi adds splash and gusto to the mix, sometimes on trumpet, other times on flugelhorn. Always supportive, David Hazeltine’s piano can be heard securely locking in the rhythm along with John Webber on bass and Farnsworth on percussion. Hazeltine uses his solos to embellish lush harmonics, with fingers flying uninhibited across the keys like a runaway helium balloon. The stream of his melodic ideas takes us higher. The pianist mesmerizes with thirty-second note phrases and Blues tinged chords. This is particularly notable on “Blues for Jose” where Hazeltine refreshes the slow moving sexy Blues into a quick Swing, then nestles it back down to its original tempo upon finishing his solo. “Petite Ange” is sweetly arranged offering a Latin production that’s provocative behind its lovely melody. Both the afore mentioned songs were composed by Hazeltine. Rotondi composed “Voice” in memory of Freddie Hubbard and also wrote “Back to Back”. Davis contributed his composition talents on “So Soon” and “Spirit Waltz”. Alexander wrote the album’s title tune. Producer John Lee is to be congratulated for pulling the absolute best out of each of these dynamic musicians.

Dee Dee McNeil

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