Bill Cantrall
Axiom
Upswing CD
The old saw that music should constantly strive to sound “new” has been pretty well debunked in the postmodern era. Musicians crossing a wide swath of genres have proven that one can channel a style from a past era and find new things to say in its context without merely troping (not that aren’t a lot of those out there who merely trope!). Still, the concept of novelty as an inherent virtue persists in some areas of criticism. This is particularly true in conversations about jazz, where many wounds from the mod/trad schism of decades past have yet to heal. But among up-and-coming jazzers, a catholicity of styles and flexibility of approaches indicates that an increasing rapprochement.
A case in point is trombonist Bill Cantrall. A New Jerseyan who’s played on both the Chicago and New York scenes, he’s played salsa, avant-jazz, and collaborated with post-rockers such as Rob Mazurek and Jeff Parker; but he’s also worked in traditional contexts. His own CD, Axiom, reflects interest in the latter. It is an excellent septet outing that combines the trombonist’s originals with examples from the American songbook. Joined by an crackerjack horn section – Ryan Kisor, Sherman Irby, and Stacy Dillard – as well as pianist Rick Germanson, bassist Gerald Cannon, and drummer Montez Coleman, Cantrall presents material that hearkens back to hard bop, all the while sounding freshly conceived.
There are a number elements to savor. Germanson’s harmonic choices on the title tune are exquisite. The original “Like I Said” has a sassy refrain with cooking charts that is guaranteed to relieve nearly anyone’s doldrums. Another standout is a lovely rendition of Cole Porter’s “After You;” a solo by Cantrall displays a supple, round tone while Germanson executes delicate filigrees during his too-brief turn. But once again, it is the tutti ensemble that wows, performing as a tight unit in this live-to-disc context. Hopefully, Cantrall can keep the charts flowing and this band together for a long while.
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