at a glance...

Hometown: Scotch Plains, NJ
Year born: 1949

Personnel:
David S. Ware -tenor saxophone
Matthew Shipp -piano
William Parker -bass
Guillermo E. Brown -drums

Bands In The Family:
In Order To Survive, Other Dimensions In Music, The Little Huey Orchestra, The Matthew Shipp Quartet, Apogee, The David S. Ware Quartet

Sonny Rollins once released a record called Saxophone Colossus; although the title was self-referential, it could also describe David S. Ware. Few men can match the breadth and power of his tone, few bands can summon the weighty power of his quartet's performances.

Surrendered stands apart from most of his recordings; albums like Dao and Go See The World are crushing, intense performances stocked with long, stormy improvisations by the saxophonist and his crew. This time he turns things down a couple of notches, unreeling yearning melodies rather than blowing full force gales.

Pianist Matthew Shipp shadows him every step of the way, fleshing out the tunes with prismatic harmonies similar to those that McCoy Tyner played with John Coltrane. New drummer Guillermo Brown, who replaces rising star Susie Ibarra, and veteran bassist William Parker stoke the music's furnace with swingng, pulsing rhythms. Everyone in the band gets some solo space, but their most important function is to frame Ware. He matches the cover portrait's prayerful demeanor with full-throated cries that radiate spirituality.