Sanders has put together a very listenable album with a top-notch band. There’s plenty to savour here for fans of straight ahead jazz.
Savant SCD 2219
Brandon Sanders (drums); Keith Brown (piano); Chris Lewis (tenor sax, soprano sax); Warren Wolf (vibraphone); David Wong (bass); Christie Dashiell (vocals)
Recorded The Bunker Studio, Brooklyn, NY 30 March 2024
Brandon Sanders didn’t take up drumming seriously until he was 25 (he’s now 54), but since then, he’s been making up for lost time (no pun intended). This is his second album – his first, Compton’s Finest, was released in 2023 and received good reviews. This might explain why this latest album is very much a continuation of that debut offering.
Both albums contain a mix of original compositions and jazz standards; a cover of a Michael Jackson ballad with vocals from a young (and highly talented) female jazz singer. And there are compositions by Monk and Ellington. Three members of the core quintet – pianist Keith Brown, saxophonist Chris Lewis and vibraphonist Warren Wolf – also played on the first album. This is not to suggest that this album is suffering from a surfeit of ideas or imagination. On the contrary, it’s a strong contender for the notion of: if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. If you enjoyed Compton’s Finest, you’ll like this, and if you’re new to the music of Brandon Sanders, you’re in for a treat.
Sanders has written three of the nine tunes on the album. The album’s opener, ‘Miss Ernestine’ is a tribute to the drummer’s grandmother. Sanders was born in Kansas City, but raised in Los Angeles. His grandmother ran a jazz club in Kansas and introduced him to jazz. She was a great influence on Sanders’ life. ‘Miss Ernestine’ is a swinging blues, with a similar groove and feel to ‘Killer Joe.’
‘Central and El Segundo’ is a busy LA intersection where teenager Sanders brushed up against the City’s gang culture and was chased down the street. The dramatic nature of the music reflects this event. Brown plays soprano sax, with piano, sax and vibes solos played over a jazz-swing rhythm. Sanders has a supportive role for most of the album – don’t expect an album full of flashy drum solos, but he does let loose on the coda of this song, playing a series of rapid fills over a one-chord piano vamp. The title track is where gospel, soul and jazz intersect. Lewis plays the tune’s uplifting theme on tenor sax, and one could imagine a church congregation swaying and clapping along to the groove.
The album covers include Michael Jackson’s ‘Human Nature,’ from the album Thriller. Miles Davis recorded the song as an instrumental on his 1985 album You’re Under Arrest. It also became a Miles concert staple – he played it live more than 300 times. This version include a stunning vocal performance by Christie Dashiell, whose vocals are so close to Jackson’s original silky, breathy rendition, that it’s easy to think you’re listening to his sampled vocals. It’s a tour-de-force vocal performance, sweetened even more by Lewis’s lilting soprano sax solo and Wolf’s tinkling vibes at the song’s opening. The song’s closing section, where Dashiell’s vocals intertwine with vibes and sax is sublime.
Incidentally, on his debut album, Sanders covered the Stevie Wonder song ‘I Can’t Help It,’ which appeared on Jackson’s previous album, Off The Wall. If this trend continues, we can perhaps expect Brandon to cover Jackson’s ‘I Can’t Stop Loving You,’ (from his third Epic Records solo album, Bad) on his next album.
Dashiell also sings with great tenderness on Ellington’s Prelude To A Kiss,’ and there’s a glorious swinging cover of Monk’s ‘Four In One,’ with tenor sax and vibes at times playing in unison, and in other places, trading eights. Wong also plays extended bass solo. McCoy Tyner’s beautiful ballad ‘Aisha’ is led by Lewis’s tenor sax. He plays the mournful theme with delicacy and the rest of band support him with much sensitivity. By comparison, Charlie Parker’s ‘Moose the Mooche’ is given a brisk workout, with tenor sax and vibes playing the changes together, Wong laying down a solid 16th note pulse, and Sanders showcasing his agile drumming. Wolf also plays a lively vibes solo.
Tony Williams’ ‘Sister Cheryl’ is an ideal tune to cover, not least because the original featured Bobby Hutcherson on vibes. The piece fades up with the sound of a bass drum – it’s like a heartbeat starting up and the music coming to life. The rhythm has a strong groove and you can understand why drummers would enjoy playing it. It’s also got a glorious melody, played here on tenor sax and vibes. Sanders has put together a very listenable album with a top-notch band. There’s plenty to savour here for fans of straight ahead jazz.
