This is
Darius Jones' first recording as a leader, and a very fine one it is. He comes through as a skilled composer, a hugely soulful saxophonist, and an assured leader.
Man'ish Boy offers a superb listening experience that runs the gamut of human emotions, from the simple one-minute opener "Roosevelt" -- a showcase to establish
Jones' supple, yearning, slightly slippery alto sax tone -- down to the tender ballad "Forgive Me," a gorgeous prayer where less is more: harmony, structure, and solo being brought down to bare essentials. In between these two tracks, you get a couple of energetic pieces in "Cry Out" and "Chasing the Ghost" (strong heads, creative solos, stellar group playing), three improvised duets/trios, and the cataclysmic "Meekness," the album's highlight. "Meekness" is a lament building from resignation to ecstatic plea and quickly back to resignation -- it's a tour de force for such a young player to display the kind of emotional depth you would expect from a seasoned (and disillusioned) musician 20 or 30 years older. For this session, recorded in April 2009,
Jones selected two veteran New York jazzmen: drummer
Rakalam Bob Moses and pianist Cooper-Moore. The unit clicks:
Moses' elastic time-keeping fits
Jones' sliding-between-the-notes technique, while Cooper-Moore's diddley-bo (a one-string bass of sorts) adds an element of danger and funk to the mix -- this peculiar instrument is featured in a couple of tunes, and makes an appearance at the tail-end of "Forgive Me." After the main eight-piece program comes a ten-minute bonus track, "Chaych," recorded live in August 2008 with a different trio featuring Adam Lane on bass and drummer Jason Nazary: a raw recording of a scorching composition, energetic for sure but coarse, a bit of a letdown after such a stellar main event.
Darius Jones' recording debut as a leader turned out to be one of the jazz highlights of 2009. This sets the bar pretty high for the young saxophonist's next move.