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Cliff Brucker: Full Circle, Vol. 2

By Dan McClenaghan
July 11, 2018
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Drummer

Cliff Brucker

" data-original-title="" title="">Cliff Brucker is based in New York, but it is not the big city. He and his crack quintet—two horns, piano/bass/guitar drums—are settled in upstate, in Albany. They revisit the sound of the Blue Note Records' heyday on this follow up to Full Circle (Self Produced, 2016), with Full Circle, Vol 2.

A revisitation/celebration of a classic jazz era—the late fifties through the late sixties—Full Circle, Vol. 2 embraces the mainstream sound and the attitude that evolved post-Charlie Parker.

Dylan Canterbury

trumpet

" data-original-title="" title="">Dylan Canterbury's trumpet shines bright and sassy, a la

Freddie Hubbard

trumpet
1938 - 2008

" data-original-title="" title="">Freddie Hubbard; and the sextet displays the interactive elan of the best of the classic ensembles—those of

Horace Silver

piano
1928 - 2014

" data-original-title="" title="">Horace Silver,

Art Blakey

drums
1919 - 1990

" data-original-title="" title="">Art Blakey,

Hank Mobley

saxophone, tenor
1930 - 1986

" data-original-title="" title="">Hank Mobley—on a collection of familiar tunes that receive a precision tune-up by Brucker and company. And if the group needed an ace in the hole (it doesn't, but they brought one anyway) they've got tenor saxophonist

Leo Russo

" data-original-title="" title="">Leo Russo—eighty-one years old at the time these tracks were recorded—sitting in, sounding as cool, eloquent and articulate as any sax man out there.

The second ace in the hole is guitarist

Mike Novakowski

" data-original-title="" title="">Mike Novakowski, who—in cahoots with pianists

Larry Ham

piano

" data-original-title="" title="">Larry Ham and

Pete Levin

keyboards
b.1942

" data-original-title="" title="">Pete Levin—crafts a gorgeous harmonic backdrop for these tunes every jazz fan has heard a hundred times—Jerome Kern's "This Song Is You,"

Sonny Rollins

saxophone
b.1930

" data-original-title="" title="">Sonny Rollins' "Airegin,"

Benny Golson

saxophone, tenor
1929 - 2024

" data-original-title="" title="">Benny Golson's "Step Lightly"—in this masterclass of the art of classic jazz.

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Track Listing

This Song Is You; Airegin; Laura; Just Friends; Emily; Deception; Pensativa; Crazyology; Nostalgia; Step Lightly; Full Circle.

Personnel

Cliff Brucker

Cliff Brucker; drums; Leo Russo: tenor saxophone; Dylan Canterbury; trumpet, flugelhorn; Larry Ham: piano; Peter Levin: piano; Mike Novakowski: guitar; Otto Gardner: bass.

Album information

Title: Full Circle, Vol. 2 | Year Released: 2018 | Record Label: Self Produced

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