This intriguing release features pianist
Marcus Roberts and a dozen of his originals played by a variety of young musicians in groups as large as 11 pieces. The compositions (other than
Robert Johnson's "Cross Road Blues" and
Jelly Roll Morton's "Jungle Blues") are all by the pianist, as are the arrangements. In general, the original tunes themselves are not all that memorable (none of the melodies are destined to catch on), but the charts are quite colorful and often make the ensembles sound like a distortion of early-1930s
Duke Ellington (with some
McCoy Tyner-like piano here and there from
Roberts). There are plenty of excellent solos from the band (which includes trumpeter
Marcus Printup, trombonist Ronald Westley and altoist
Sherman Irby) during the episodic music, and the CD rewards repeated listenings. An intriguing set. ~ Scott Yanow