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The Jazz Professors: Blues and Cubes

By Jack Bowers
July 31, 2022
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Yes, the Florida-based Jazz Professors, as befits the name, are smart—but don't let that throw you. They also swing in the best jazz tradition, even though their fourth album, Blues and Cubes, was inspired by the art of Pablo Picasso. Unlike Picasso's works, however, there is scant abstraction here; the Professors embody far more bop than bemusement, more Blue Note than bohemian.

As for day gigs, the Professors maintain theirs at the University of Central Florida in Orlando, on whose faculty everyone serves. That means that Blues and Cubes is the last recording with the group for percussionist

Marty Morell

drums
b.1944

" data-original-title="" title="">Marty Morell who has retired from his teaching position. The balance of the sextet—trumpeter

Dan Miller

trumpet
1969 - 2022

" data-original-title="" title="">Dan Miller, saxophonist

Jeff Rupert

saxophone
b.1964

" data-original-title="" title="">Jeff Rupert, pianist

Per Danielsson

piano

" data-original-title="" title="">Per Danielsson, guitarist

Bobby Koelble

guitar

" data-original-title="" title="">Bobby Koelble, bassist

Richard Drexler

bass, acoustic

" data-original-title="" title="">Richard Drexler—remains intact.

Rupert composed half of the album's ten tasteful numbers, Danielsson two, Drexler one, complementing handsome originals by

Charlie Parker

saxophone, alto
1920 - 1955

" data-original-title="" title="">Charlie Parker (the flag-waving "Segment") and soprano sax legend

Sidney Bechet

saxophone, soprano
1897 - 1959

" data-original-title="" title="">Sidney Bechet (the irrepressible "Promenade aux Champs-Elysees"). "Champs-Elysees" is followed by the bustling "Promenade in Blue," on which Rupert shows (as he does elsewhere) his kinship to such neo-swingers as

Harry Allen

saxophone
b.1966

" data-original-title="" title="">Harry Allen,

Scott Hamilton

saxophone, tenor
b.1954

" data-original-title="" title="">Scott Hamilton and

Ken Peplowski

woodwinds
b.1959

" data-original-title="" title="">Ken Peplowski, with the occasional nod to

Stan Getz

saxophone, tenor
1927 - 1991

" data-original-title="" title="">Stan Getz (most apparent on "Blue Lamp," "Blue Steel," "View of Heaven" and "Picasso's Blue Lobster"). Miller delivers a superb muted solo on "Blue Lamp" and is solid whenever called on, as are Danielsson and Koelble.

Rupert writes as well as he plays—which is high praise indeed—earning top marks for the well-grooved opener, "Blue Lamp," as well as for "Les Demoiselles d'Avignon," "Blue Steel," "Promenade in Blue" and "The Iberian." Danielsson isn't far behind, scoring well for the light-hearted "Dora Maar" and dreamy "View of Heaven," while Drexler's pensive "Picasso's Blue Lobster" is a splendid entr��e to "The Iberian," a brisk and colorful showpiece for the ensemble that ends the session on a swinging note (with Rupert trading his tenor sax for an alto, on which he also excels).

This is a superlative session from end to end, one that belies the adage that "those who can't, teach." These Professors certainly can—and do, producing an album whose highlights are many and whose weaknesses—if any—are beyond the measure of most human ears. Blues and Cubes is Picasso without the caprice, a portrait in sound that should lend pleasure even to those who admire Picasso's singular divergence from the norm.

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Track Listing

Blue Lamp; Dora Maar; Les Demoiselles d��Avignon; Blue Steel; Segment; View of Heaven; Promenade aux Champs-Elysees; Promenade in Blue; Picasso��s Blue Lobster; The Iberian.

Personnel

Dan Miller

trumpet

Jeff Rupert

saxophone

Per Danielsson

piano

Bobby Koelble

guitar

Richard Drexler

bass, acoustic

Marty Morell

drums

Album information

Title: Blues and Cubes | Year Released: 2022 | Record Label: Flying Horse Records

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