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Charlie Porter: Charlie Porter

By Hrayr Attarian
September 9, 2018
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Trumpeter and composer

Charlie Porter

trumpet
b.1978

" data-original-title="" title="">Charlie Porter exhibits his innovative spirit and his brilliant musicianship on his self-titled debut as a leader. Working with a rotating cast of Portland (Oregon) area musicians, Porter performs ten of his originals and one cover with a refreshingly unique style and captivating spontaneity.

Similar in concept to tenor saxophonist

Benny Golson

saxophone, tenor
1929 - 2024

" data-original-title="" title="">Benny Golson's Take a Number from 1 to 10 (Argo, 1961), Porter's release starts off with the unaccompanied trumpet piece "Prologue" that quotes motifs from the other tunes on the recording. Porter then adds an instrument per track until the intricately constructed and dramatic "Brown Study," that features a sextet. Here the similarity with Golson ends as Porter goes back down to smaller and smaller ensembles until his solo, the baroque tinged, "Epilogue."

The album goes from the effervescent to the cinematic and from the whimsical to the haunting. "Mel Smiles," for instance, is a boppish duet with drummer

Mel Brown

bass
b.1939

" data-original-title="" title="">Mel Brown. Porter's vibrant and sonorous phrases alternate with and overlap Brown's energetic polyrhythms. In contrast Porter's dialogue with pianist

George Colligan

multi-instrumentalist
b.1969

" data-original-title="" title="">George Colligan, "Anthem," is melancholic and endowed with a western classical romanticism. The exchanges of the horn's warm lilting tones and the keyboard's bright crystalline cascades are reminiscent of pianist

Jelly Roll Morton

piano
1890 - 1941

" data-original-title="" title="">Jelly Roll Morton and cornetist

King Oliver

trumpet
1881 - 1938

" data-original-title="" title="">King Oliver's classic 1924 recordings.

Elsewhere, the playful "Skain Train" matches Porter's eloquent improvisation with bassist

Cary Miga

" data-original-title="" title="">Cary Miga's thrillingly lithe lines and drummer

Tim Rap

drums

" data-original-title="" title="">Tim Rap's rustling brushes. Violinist

Majid Khaliq

violin
b.1977

" data-original-title="" title="">Majid Khaliq contributes a Hot Club ambience with his mellifluous bowing and gypsy-esque agility. The impressionistic and tense "A Lover Scorned" features Porter at his most contemplative as the rhythm trio percolates in the backdrop. Saxophonist

John Nastos

saxophone

" data-original-title="" title="">John Nastos complements Porter with his passionate, wailing alto and also matches the energy of pianist

Greg Goebel

piano

" data-original-title="" title="">Greg Goebel's fast paced performance.

On this delightful and stimulating work Porter draws on diverse influences, utilizes a large number of sidemen yet crafts a cohesive whole. It is no doubt an ambitious effort the successful realization of which is a testament to Porter's prodigious talent and imaginative creativity.

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Track Listing

Prologue; Mel Smiles; Rondo for Sticky; New Beginnings; A Lover Scorned; Brown Study; Messenger; Skain Train; Morning Glory; Anthem; Epilogue.

Personnel

Charlie Porter

trumpet

Charlie Porter: trumpet; John Nastos: alto and soprano saxophones; David Evans: tenor saxophone; John Moak: trombone; Majid Khaliq: violin; Christopher Woitach: guitar; David Goldblatt: piano; Greg Goebel: piano; George Colligan: piano; Dan Gaynor: piano; Tim Gilson: bass; Cary Miga: bass; Jon Lakey: bass; Chuck Israels: bass; Bill Athens: bass; Alan Jones: drums; Michael Raynor: drums; Christopher Brown: drums; Mel Brown: drums; Tim Rap: drums.

Album information

Title: Charlie Porter | Year Released: 2018 | Record Label: PHP

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