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Kasan Belgrave: Dual Citizen
ByKasan Belgrave
saxophone, alto
Marcus Belgrave
trumpet1936 - 2015
Dual Citizen (Tribe, 2025) is a running start for Belgrave, in no small part due to his abilities as a bandleader. He surrounds himself with stellar young talent with whom he is well acquainted, young Detroiters who, like himself, are beneficiaries of the school of mentorship inspired by his father. There is a strong connection with the

Rodney Whitaker
bassb.1968

Andrew Bishop
saxophone, tenor
Benny Green
pianob.1963

Robert Hurst
bass, acousticb.1964
The album's ten tracks are all swinging, with the exception of the more R&B-tinged "Switch Lanes." This is a positive in that Belgrave's compositions are adaptations of a bebop language that carries a heavy dose of the blues. There is a groove aspect to the music as well, something one can expect from that sound that is identifiably from Detroita sound that preceded Motown pop and established the city as a jazz hotbed. The opener, "Step Back," is a case in point. Belgrave's work on alto, his most frequently used tool in the toolbox, is laid back, full of wispy figures articulated with a sense of ease and freedom. The backbone of the band here is drummer
Louis Jones III
drumsMichael Abbo
trombonePersonnel-wise, "Ryo" is an assemblage Belgrave performs with on stages around his hometown. Bassist
Jonathan Muir-Cotton
bass, acoustic
Elvin Jones
drums1927 - 2004

Ron Carter
bassb.1937

Brendan Davis
bass, acousticAllen Dennard
trumpet"Hold Up" introduces us to pianist
Jordan Anderson
piano
Julian Priester
tromboneb.1935
Dual Citizen is on the revived Tribe label, a collective founded in part by his father. From performing at clubs that once featured the great Marcus Belgrave in residency to the amphitheater stage at the Detroit Jazz Festival, where now both father and son have performed, Kasan Belgrave will always bear the legacy of his father. It will speak to him throughout his life in music. Even now, his sound and personal approach carries something identifiable that is all Detroitand jazz is better for it. ">
Track Listing
Stepback; Down 4 The Cause; Take Off; Madness; Ryo; Mirror, Mirror; Hold Up!; Dual Citizen; Switch Lanes; Ponder.
Personnel
Kasan Belgrave
saxophone, altoAllen Dennard
trumpetJonathan Muir-Cotton
bass, acousticLouis Jones III
drumsMichael Abbo
tromboneJordan Anderson
pianoRobert Hurst
bass, acousticMichael Reed
drumsAlbum information
Title: Dual Citizen | Year Released: 2025 | Record Label: Self Produced
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