Too often now a days jazz is associated with elevator music. Well, this ain’t elevator music. It’s Everyday Magic
What’s more, this album was recorded in Nashville – Music City USA. Nashville may be forever associated with country music, but, let me tell you, they have some cats down there that can blow. The band, also called Everyday Magic, is composed of Barber on tenor, alto and soprano sax as well as flute. Adam Agati on guitar, pianist Jody Nardone, Jerry Navarro on bass (and what a tasty bottom end he plays) and Nioshi Jackson on the skins. Rahsaan’s twin brother, Roland Barber is on trombone on two hot tracks, as is percussionist Giovanni Rodriguez. The album is released on Rahsaan’s newly formed Jazz Music City label.
The album is laid out to display Rahsaan’s virtuosity on all the saxes and flute, as well as his various influences. It opens with a bopping tenor show case tune, “Jubilee”.The first thing that becomes apparent is Rahsaan’s articulation on whatever instrument he features. It matters not how fast the tune, the clarity of the notes are amazing. This tune just grooves and brings back memories of John Coltrane or Kenny Garret.
The next two tunes are in remembrance of the 2010 Nashville Flood victims, “Lost and Found” is kind of a tone poem that brings to mind a jumble of debris crashing down the maelstrom, and “Floodsong” is an Avant garde, bluesy number. Rahsaan gives the tenor a workout that few players can manage.
“Manhattan Grace” is a gospel inspired love song that feels like a prayer and sounds like heaven. Rahsaan’s alto sax is just as smooth as his tenor work. Perhaps my favorite tune on the whole album is “Why So Blue”, an in-your-face blues romp that’ll make you think of Stanley Turrentine. Twin brother, Roland Barber is featured on some fine trombone work where he seems to be echoing Rahsaan’s gritty tenor. Great work, family style.
Another highlight is, “Innocence”, featuring soprano sax work that continues to show of Rahsaan’s mastery of the different saxophones. The drummer, Nioshi Jackson, lays down an infectious stutter-step solo and the interplay between the sax and the guitar is just killer. Close your eyes, and you can see a couple of kids playing in a spring garden. In “Adagio”, Rahsaan finally shows off his flute work. As the title suggests, this is a sweet, quiet, slow tune. Rahsaan says it was composed on a dare to create a meditative spa kind of music. The album closes out with “Memphis Soul”, a tight, electronic groove featuring percussionist Giovanni Rodriguez of the Latin-jazz septet, El Movimeinto which is co-lead by Rahsaan.
This is a great debut for the label and a more than fine sophomore effort from Rahsaan and Everyday Magic. It may not be elevator music, but it is going nowhere but up.
Rahsaan Barber studied music at University of Indiana under the esteemed David Baker. Along with his twin brother, Roland, they were named after the jazz great Rahsaan Roland Kirk. He lists as his influence Stanley Turrentine and John Coltrane. He earned his masters in music at The Manhattan School of Music and has taught at Belmont University and is one of four Americans to perform at the 2003 World saxophone Competition at the Montreaux Jazz Festival.
The Dirty Lowdown
Article first published as Music Review: Rahsaan Barber - Everyday Magic on Blogcritics.
Copyright © 2011 Robert Carraher All Rights Reserved
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