at a glance...

Hometown: New York, NY
Born: 1963

Members:
Dave Douglas -trumpet
Chris Speed -clarinet, tenor saxophone
Greg Tardy -clarinet, bass clarinet, tenor saxophone
Joshua Roseman -trombone
Uri Caine -piano
James Genus -bass
Joey Baron -drums

Bands In The Family:
Tiny Bell Trio, Charms of the Night Sky, Baron Down, Sanctuary, Parallel Worlds, Satya, Masada, The Same River Twice

Notes:
Dave Douglas grew up in New Jersey and studied music in Barcelona and Boston before moving to New York City in 1984. His first high-profile sideman's gig was with Horace Silver; since then his resumé has included players from both sides of the "in-vs.-out" fence that's divided jazz for forty years. Douglas has recorded a multitude of stylistically diverse albums for various small jazz labels. Soul On Soul is his major label debut.

No one in jazz today better qualifies as an honorific "rising star" than Dave Douglas. He's progressed from high-profile gigs in other people's bands to leading a gaggle of his own groups, with labels as disparate as Avant and Winter & Winter lining up to issue his work. Now he's got his hands on the brass ring -- a major label contract -- and his grip's a tight one.

The quality of many musicians' work drops off when they make the transition to the majors, but Soul On Soul is one of Douglas's strongest recordings. It features his long-standing sextet, which he assembles for projects that celebrate other jazz artists' work. Saxophonist Greg Tardy joins the band on one tune and replaces his counterpart Chris Speed on a few others. This one's subject is Mary Lou Williams, but while it does feature four of her tunes, it's less a tribute album than a collection of compositions inspired by the late pianist and arranger's style-spanning work.

Douglas seems to connect to Williams' soulfulness and spirituality, which helps him to shrug off the stuffiness that's encumbered some of his other recordings. Which isn't to say that he plays with the fire he reserves for his other band, Masada, but he and the rest of his ensemble do let fly with impassioned solo statements and well-executed ensemble passages that acknowledge more recent developments in jazz without letting go of the project's inspiration.

If you like Dave Douglas, check out:
Miles Davis Relaxin' With The Miles Davis Quintet
Miles Davis E.S.P.

-- Bill Meyer