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The Mark Masters Ensemble: Blue Skylight

By Dan McClenaghan
March 5, 2017
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Mark Masters

arranger
b.1957

" data-original-title="" title="">Mark Masters has made his name in the banderleader/arranger arena fronting The Mark Master Ensemble, in various forms, with personal tributes to past masters: saxophonist

Dewey Redman

saxophone, tenor
b.1931

" data-original-title="" title="">Dewey Redman,

Duke Ellington

piano
1899 - 1974

" data-original-title="" title="">Duke Ellington, trumpeter

Clifford Brown

trumpet
b.1930

" data-original-title="" title="">Clifford Brown, and present master, alto saxophonist

Lee Konitz

saxophone, alto
1927 - 2020

" data-original-title="" title="">Lee Konitz, who played as the featured artist on One Day With Lee (Capri Records (2000). These are all top notch recordings, affording Masters the opportunity to craft his own beguiling interpretations of the artistries of recognized giants of jazz.

With Blue Skylight he embraces two icons: baritone saxophonist

Gerry Mulligan

saxophone, baritone
1927 - 1996

" data-original-title="" title="">Gerry Mulligan and bandleader/composer/arranger

Charles Mingus

bass, acoustic
1922 - 1979

" data-original-title="" title="">Charles Mingus.

The ensemble alternates between Mingus and Mulligan tunes from the more obscure side of their songbooks, laying them down not so much in the spirits of the personalities of the protagonists—mercurial for Mingus; laid back and cool for Mulligan—but rather as redefinitions of the frameworks, with a big dose of Masters' own spirit. The Mulligan pieces feature a four reed front line and a rhythm section. The Mingus compositions drops two reeds and adds a trumpet and a trombone.

In Ellington-ian fashion, Master writes for his players. Alto saxophonist

Gary Foster

woodwinds
b.1936

" data-original-title="" title="">Gary Foster has probably the highest profile of the Mulligan tune's front-liners. He is joined by

Jerry Pinter

saxophone, tenor

" data-original-title="" title="">Jerry Pinter on tenor and soprano saxophones,

Gene Cipriano

saxophone

" data-original-title="" title="">Gene Cipriano on tenor and

Adam Schroeder

saxophone, baritone
b.1978

" data-original-title="" title="">Adam Schroeder on baritone sax. On the Mingus tunes, Cipriano and Schroeder sit out, and trumpeter

Ron Stout

trumpet

" data-original-title="" title="">Ron Stout and trombonist

Les Benedict

trombone

" data-original-title="" title="">Les Benedict sit in.

Beginning with "Monk, Bunk and Visa Versa," a tune that appeared on Mingus' Epitaph (Sony Records, 1990), the sound is packed with swirling, diaphanous, harmonies and inspired soloing all around. And the swing is unrelenting. It is the quality—in conjunction with Masters' superb arrangements—of a foundation laid by a smooth, in-the groove rhythm section perfection that gives the set such a continuity of focus. A tip of the hats for this to pianist

Ed Czach

piano

" data-original-title="" title="">Ed Czach, drummer

Kendall Kay

drums

" data-original-title="" title="">Kendall Kay, and

Putter Smith

bass, acoustic

" data-original-title="" title="">Putter Smith. And two more hat tips to the veteran horn guys, and to Mark Masters for his terrific charts.

Learn more about our star rating system

Track Listing

Monk, Bunk and Visa Versa; Out Back of the Barn; So Long Eric; Wallflower; Peggy's Blue Skylight; Strayhorn 2; Duke Ellington's Sound of Love; Apple Core; Eclipse; Birds of a Feather; Motel.

Personnel

Mark Masters

arranger

Gary Foster: alto saxophone; Jerry Pinter: tenor and soprano saxophones; Gene Cipriano: tenor saxophone (2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 11); Adam Schroeder: baritone saxophone (2; 4; 6; 8; 10, 11); Ron Stout: trumpet (1, 3, 5, 7, 9); Les Benedict: trombone (1,3,5,7,9); Ed Czach: piano; Putter Smith: bass; Kendall Kay: drums.

Album information

Title: Blue Skylight | Year Released: 2017 | Record Label: Capri Records

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