With two horns on hand, one anticipates that they will dominate the session. Instead, bass player/leader Sam Sherry has assigned the major instrumental load to the vibraphone and guitar, saving significant space for himself and for drummer Jan Van Voorst Van Beest. Like many of the albums being made by his contemporaries, Sherry has chosen a play list comprised entirely of his compositions. But there is sufficient variety in the music to make the session interesting. His music has character. Critical to this outcome are the arrangements and Steve Shapiro's vibes and Mark Kleinhaut's cleanly plucked guitar. "Back to Back" reveals Sherry's composing versatility. It's a seven-plus minute track with plenty of good solos. The sensuous mood it creates makes it sound like music wafting through the doors of a smoky, intimate lounge on a Saturday night. Jason St. Pierre's tenor engages in significant wailing followed by a semi-funky Kleinhaut guitar; then comes the Bill Watrous-like trombone of Scott Reeves, all glued together underneath by the beat of Sherry's bass and drums of Van Voorst Van Beest. "It's Time" allows Shapiro to display his ability to get an organ-like sound from the vibes. "Earl's Pearls" is one of the few places where horns are prominent. Here it's the free-flowing, extemporizing sax offerings of St. Pierre lighting up a track of swirling, fast-moving music. Funky is the name of the game on "G'Night Again," while a romantic Latin flavor characterizes "Kids," with Kleinhaut's guitar providing some lovely sounds. "Romantic as a Rose" is not the ballad that the name implies. Rather, it kicks off recalling Wes Montgomery's version of "Milestones," again with Kleinhaut's guitar on top. This session certifies that Sherry deserves to follow in the footsteps of great bass players, like Charles Mingus and Ray Brown, who earned sufficient standing in jazz to break out of the rhythm section's supporting role and become leaders. That Sherry is moving to that level comes through not only with his proficient and imaginative playing on the big instrument, but also by his command of the composing art and his discernment in selecting fellow musicians to help him present his music. Recommended.
© Dave Nathan /TiVo