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Human Spirit: Dialogue

By Dan McClenaghan
May 18, 2012
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The three players who now call themselves Human Spirit—drummer

Matt Jorgensen

drums
b.1972

" data-original-title="" title="">Matt Jorgensen, trumpeter

Thomas Marriott

trumpet
b.1975

" data-original-title="" title="">Thomas Marriott and alto saxophonist

" data-original-title="" title="">Mark Taylor—have a very successful track record of recording together. They teamed up on Jorgensen's magnificent Tattooed by Passion (2010) and Another Morning (2008), and on Marriott's strange and splendid Crazy: The Music of Willie Nelson (2008) and Flexicon (2009), all on Seattle's Origin Records. But the idea of the group's name came certainly from Marriott's Human Spirit (Origin Records), teaming the trio with organist

Gary Versace

piano

" data-original-title="" title="">Gary Versace for one of 2011's most dynamic and modern-sounding recordings.

Dialogue finds the group—with special guests sitting in on piano and bass—in a live setting at the Earshot Jazz Festival, and sounding very spirited indeed. Jorgensen, Marriott and Taylor have a special genius for for taking the standard jazz quintet—sax, trumpet and rhythm section—and breathing new life into the format. The distinct ensemble sound comes, in part, from the melding of Taylor's tart tone, with its "lemonade a couple of teaspoons short on the sugar" tang blending with Marriott's clean, pure timbre. A vibrant simpatico rises up, whether the horn men are playing unison lines or interweaving long notes, leading to always-inspired soloing. Jorgensen, in the drum chair, channels tumultuous grooves and—as the best of the best drummers seem to do (like the late

Paul Motian

drums
1931 - 2011

" data-original-title="" title="">Paul Motian, and

Al Foster

drums
1944 - 2025

" data-original-title="" title="">Al Foster)—makes everyone sound better, as he subtly boosts the music and catches the ear with the unexpected.

Dialogue's tunes are all originals: two by Jorgensen; two from Taylor; and four from perhaps nominal leader Marriott. It's a live show, and the energy level is high, with mostly up-tempo workouts and lots of fire. And the special guests are inspired choices, as they've always been with Human Spirit—whether, as on previous recordings, it was guitarist

Corey Christiansen

guitar

" data-original-title="" title="">Corey Christiansen and keyboardist

Ryan Burns

piano
b.1972

" data-original-title="" title="">Ryan Burns, or bassists

Geoff Harper

bass, acoustic

" data-original-title="" title="">Geoff Harper,

Dave Captein

bass

" data-original-title="" title="">Dave Captein or

Jeff Johnson

bass
b.1954

" data-original-title="" title="">Jeff Johnson. The guest slots on Dialogue go to pianist

Orrin Evans

piano
b.1975

" data-original-title="" title="">Orrin Evans, who plays with percussive gusto, and bassist

Essiet Essiet

bass
b.1956

" data-original-title="" title="">Essiet Essiet, who supplies a solid foundation for the horns' soaring free flights.

Human Spirit offers up high wire jazz quintet sound with Dialogue, an outing that takes a standard lineup and shifts it into a different dimension.

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Track Listing

In Unity; Stepford and Son; Reversal of Fortune; Song for Samuel; After Hours; 148 Lexington; Pelham Gardens.

Personnel

Thomas Marriott: trumpet; Mark Taylor: alto saxophone; Matt Jorgensen: drums; Orrin Evans: piano; Essiet Essiet: bass.

Album information

Title: Dialogue | Year Released: 2012 | Record Label: Origin Records

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