This is a very pleasant album to listen to.
Criss Cross Jazz Criss 1419
Gregory Groover Jr (tenor sax); Joel Ross (vibraphone); Mathew Stevens (guitar); Aaron Parkes (piano); Vicente Archer (bass); Marcus Gilmore (drums)
Recorded GSI Studios, New York 16 August 2023
Who says the devil has all the best music? Certainly not Gregory Groover Jr, a young tenor saxophonist who hails from Boston. Raised by a father who was a pastor, his background is steeped in the church tradition. No wonder then, that his first two albums combined jazz with Negro spirituals, and this album mixes jazz and gospel.
The album’s title refers to love in all its forms – for family members, friends and communities, and in close relationships. The music on this album is designed to represent these different forms. The core band is a quintet, with guitarist Matthew Stevens guesting on three of the eleven tracks (all composed by Groover Jr). There is a wealth of experience in the line-up. Vibraphone player Joel Ross – who plays a leading role on this album – for example, has played with trumpeter Peter Evans and drummer Jonathan Blake.
Matthew Stevens has worked with Christian Scott, Esperanza Spaulding, Terri Lyne Carrington and Harvey Mason. Bassist Vincente Archer has played with John Scofield, Wynton Marsalis and Pat Metheny. Pianist Aaron Parks’s CV includes Terence Blanchard, Joshua Redman and two ECM albums. Drummer Marcus Gilmore has worked with Pharaoh Sanders, Steve Coleman and Chick Corea.
The album was recorded on Groover Jr’s thirtieth birthday, hence the title of the opening number, ’30.’ It’s more like a prelude, lasting less than 90 seconds, it’s a mournful piece which begins with sax and piano, and the tinkling sound of cymbals. Groover Jr plays delicately – he’s almost whispering in his mouthpiece.
‘Bygone Towers’ begins with a short guitar intro. Stevens’ playing sounds like John Scofield, with reverb and distortion giving some bite to the sound. Guitar and sax play in unison over a skittering drum pattern, with Ross’s stirring vibraphone solo adding much to the music.
‘May All Your Storms Be Wearthered’ is cleverly constructed. The sound in the first part evokes the feeling of someone battling through a storm. At around the minute-two point, there is a brief silence before a bass riff marks the beginning of the second part. The tempo quickens, the mood lightens and there’s a feeling of overcoming adversity. On ‘Joy’ Groover’s solo builds up the sound, layer by layer – he is a very impressive musician.
The title track has a nice melody, with sax and vibraphone blending together beautifully. ‘5660’ refers to the last four digits of the cellphone number of Groover Jr’s late godbrother, an innocent victim of a street shooting. The music reflects the pain and loss caused by this tragic incident.
For the most part, Groover Jr’s playing is controlled and restrained – there’s much tenderness and delicacy in his playing. You certainly won’t find any soaring lines or fiery sax solos. That’s not to say that his playing lacks emotion or feeling – there’s plenty of it to be found. On ‘In For A Pound or Penny,’ which is a contrafact of ‘The List’, by R&B band Moonchild, there’s a little more fire in the playing. ‘Cactus Lullaby’ combines sax, guitar and piano to create a dreamy sound.
This is a very pleasant album to listen to. However, it would have been good to have a little more variety in the music – a few tracks with more energy and the band breaking loose a little would have been welcomed by this reviewer. Love after all, evokes a vast spectrum of emotions. That said, there is plenty of fine music to enjoy here, top-notch playing from a talented band, and I’m sure Gregory Groover Jr has a fine future ahead in the world of jazz.
