(Post-Bop, Saxophone Jazz) Michael Marcus Trio with Rahn Burton / Nasheet Waits - In the Center of it All - 1999, APE (image+.cue), lossless

by Charlie Wilmoth
Michael Marcus, a performer on various reed instruments, possesses a full, rich tone and a logical yet open-ended style of phrasing that reflects his background in both bop and free jazz. From 1977 to 1980, Marcus toured with blues artists Bobby "Blue" Bland and Albert King. He made his recording debut in 1982 on Sonny Simmons and Billy Higgins' Backwoods Suite. Marcus continued to play and study jazz in New York for the next decade, but his work from this period is largely undocumented. 1992, however, saw the release of Under the Wire, featuring William Parker, Joseph Bowie, Ted Daniel, and Reggie Nicholson, among others. Marcus continued to record in earnest throughout the '90s, performing on a string of albums under his own name. The first of those was 1994's Here At!, which marked the only time that Fred Hopkins had recorded with either Denis Charles or William Parker. 1995 saw the release of a self-titled album by SaxEmble, in which Marcus played with Frank Lowe, James Carter, and others. In 1996, CIMP released two albums by Simmons that featured Marcus. In 1997, Marcus toured with pianist Jaki Byard, and their collaboration, Involution, was released in 1998. In 1998 and 1999, Marcus' other projects included writing string arrangements for his compositions. His 1999 release In the Center of It All marked the first of two collaborations with organist Rahn Burton. During the '90s, Marcus also appeared on plenty of festival bills in the United States and Europe. Since 2000, Marcus has continued to perform and record frequently. With Simmons, he co-led two albums by the Cosmosamatics, and he also performed on Jemeel Moondoc's big-band date Spirit House. He also played on his own albums, including Live in N.Y., Sunwheels and the solo album Speakin' Out.

by Michael G. Nastos
As an exponent of Rahsaan Roland Kirk, Marcus uses a sound on his stritch, saxello, and sopranino saxophone that has a sour, bread-like taste, slightly askew, brimming with life. He's pushing the harmonic envelope while remaining tuneful. For this date, Rahn Burton, longtime pianist for Kirk, is on the organ, an instrument he has rarely recorded with. His approach is very different, more patient, expansive, mellow. Chords linger, burn is minimal. Drummer Nasheet Waits, son of the late drummer Freddie Waits, more than follows in his fathers footsteps, he's circling them, making his own mark as a fine jazz rhythm maker. Of these ten selections with eight originals by Marcus, there's a seething-under-the-surface quality, nothing outrageous, but reverent and patient, as if the trio is waiting for the spirit to pay them a visit rather than endlessly searching for it. Several easy grooves appear as on "Visiting Moments," with slight bossa nova inferences, or the waltz "Flight of the Monarch," where a sopranino's cocooning melody becomes a large butterfly. The title track and "San Francisco Calling" have more church-flavored overtones, the former with dual woodwinds played à la Kirk, the latter with Burton's Sunday morning-informed groove spurred on by two-note horn lines from trombonist Clark Gayton and trumpeter Gary Strauss. The brass duo also shows up for "Goodbye to the Smile" for Marcus' previous bandmate and a Kirk alum, the late pianist Jaki Byard, whom this CD is dedicated to. On this solemn ballad, the horns echo pain and sweetness in a melody quite similar to Thelonious Monk's "Ask Me Now." Best cuts are the lowdown blues stroll "Badwater," the Afro-Cuban-tinged arrangement of the standard "Invitation," and a roaring, hard bopping "Walking on Fire," with a distinct Native American-metered coda. The ballad take of Monk's "Pannonica" is also unique in that it takes the angularity of the melody and tilts it more askew without damaging its original intent, a refreshing interpretation. Michael Marcus is on to something here. Hopefully the organ trio concept is not a one shot, but with the demonstrated fertile mind of the leader, it's likely he'll continue to try different combinations of musicians. This triad hit the K spot. Recommended.

Michael Marcus - stritch, saxello, sopranino sax;
Rahn Burton - Hammond B3 organ;
Nasheet Waits - drums.
Special guests on #7,10:
Clark Gayton - trombone;
Gary Strauss - trumpet.