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James Brandon Lewis: Divine Travels

By Mark Corroto
February 4, 2014
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An auspicious major label debut for a young saxophonist, Divine Travels eschews flamboyance for a deferential, mostly unpretentious bluesy free jazz recording. Lewis, a thirty-something tenor saxophone phenom chose to record here in trio without the safety net of a pianist or accompanying horn.

He chose wisely though, enlisting two superstars musicians, bassist

William Parker

bass
b.1952

" data-original-title="" title="">William Parker and drummer

Gerald Cleaver

drums
b.1963

" data-original-title="" title="">Gerald Cleaver. Parker, the current godfather of the avant-garde in jazz, leads his own bands and has been a key figure in the careers of

Matthew Shipp

piano
b.1960

" data-original-title="" title="">Matthew Shipp,

David S. Ware

saxophone, tenor
1949 - 2012

" data-original-title="" title="">David S. Ware, and

Cecil Taylor

piano
1929 - 2018

" data-original-title="" title="">Cecil Taylor. Likewise, Cleaver's drum-work intersects with Parker and artists such as

Ivo Perelman

saxophone, tenor
b.1961

" data-original-title="" title="">Ivo Perelman,

Craig Taborn

piano
b.1970

" data-original-title="" title="">Craig Taborn, and

Joe Morris

bass, acoustic
b.1955

" data-original-title="" title="">Joe Morris.

Lewis goes about this session undaunted by his collaborators. The disc opens with the meditative "Divine," the saxophonist's breathy delivery part-

John Coltrane

saxophone
1926 - 1967

" data-original-title="" title="">John Coltrane spirituality and part-

Sonny Rollins

saxophone
b.1930

" data-original-title="" title="">Sonny Rollins inventiveness. Throughout, he possesses an assured calmness of an old soul inhabiting his sound. Each piece ripens, unhurried and unruffled. Lewis weaves "Wade In The Water" and "Sometimes I Feel Like A Motherless" into one prayer, "Wading Child in The Motherless Water." With Parker's bass as choir the saxophonist's incantation blossoms with Cleaver first accenting, then driving the piece with his sinewy drumming.

He traces a bit of blues through the bebop convention of

Sonny Rollins

saxophone
b.1930

" data-original-title="" title="">Sonny Rollins with "Tradition," works through a three-way open-ended improvised piece "Enclosed," and runs wind sprints with Cleaver and Parker on "A Gathering Of Souls," a display of his nimble touch. Two tracks "The Preacher's Baptist Beat" and "Organized Minorities" feature poet Thomas Sayers Ellis reading with the trio. Lewis assimilates every part of his experience into this spiritually infused jazz session.

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Track Listing

Divine; Desensitized; Tradition; The Preacher��s Baptist Beat; Wading Child in The Motherless Water; A Gathering Of Souls; Enclosed; No Wooden Nickels; Organized Minorities; Travels.

Personnel

James Brandon Lewis

saxophone, tenor

James Brandon Lewis: tenor saxophone; William Parker: bass; Gerald Cleaver: drums; Thomas Sayers Ellis: spoken word (4, 9).

Album information

Title: Divine Travels | Year Released: 2014 | Record Label: Okeh

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