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Bob Washut Dodectet: Journey to Knowhere

By Jack Bowers
April 28, 2018
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Even as experience is often the best teacher, so it is that the teacher often has the most useful experience.

Bob Washut

" data-original-title="" title="">Bob Washut, who has been a teacher for roughly four decades, brings that experience and more to bear on Journey to Knowhere, preparing an ambrosial banquet for his twelve-member Dodectet whose main course consists of seven of Washut's engaging compositions.

The inspiration behind the Journey, Washut writes, is the only song on the album that he didn't write,

Kenny Wheeler

flugelhorn
1930 - 2014

" data-original-title="" title="">Kenny Wheeler's well-grooved "Smatter" (which Washut arranged especially for the ensemble, as he did every other number). Elsewhere, there's a traditional twelve-bar blues ("Bluezone"), a jazz waltz / showcase for trombonist

Paul McKee

trombone

" data-original-title="" title="">Paul McKee ("3 for McKee"), bows to pianists

Ahmad Jamal

piano
1930 - 2023

" data-original-title="" title="">Ahmad Jamal ("Nod to Ahmad") and

Brad Mehldau

piano
b.1970

" data-original-title="" title="">Brad Mehldau ("Meltdown"), a buoyant salute to

Bob Brookmeyer

trombone
1929 - 2011

" data-original-title="" title="">Bob Brookmeyer's later work ("Thick Plot"), an Afro-Cuban romp, "Malecon," inspired by its well-known namesake in Havana, and last but not least, the tasteful "Nora Rae," spotlighting tenor saxophonist

Peter Sommer

saxophone, tenor

" data-original-title="" title="">Peter Sommer and trumpeter

Greg Gisbert

trumpet
b.1966

" data-original-title="" title="">Greg Gisbert.

As every member of the Dodectet is not only an outstanding section player but an accomplished soloist as well, Washut assigns to each of them some space in which to ad lib. Besides his lyrical feature, McKee solos with trumpeter

Bobby Shew

trumpet
b.1941

" data-original-title="" title="">Bobby Shew and pianist Dana Landry on the "Poinciana"-inflected "Nod to Ahmad." Shew is out front again (with tenors Sommer and

John Gunther

saxophone, tenor

" data-original-title="" title="">John Gunther) on "Smatter" and with Gunther on "Malecon," while Gisbert, Sommer and Landry turn up the heat on "Melt Down."

Chris Merz

saxophone

" data-original-title="" title="">Chris Merz solos smartly on alto (with trumpeter

Peter Olstad

trumpet

" data-original-title="" title="">Peter Olstad and drummer

Jim White

drums
b.1969

" data-original-title="" title="">Jim White) on "Bluezone," and on soprano (with White and baritone Wil Swindler on "Thick Plot."

Erik Applegate

bass
b.1966

" data-original-title="" title="">Erik Applegate's electric bass is heard on "Malecon."

Proficient as they are, it is Washut's superlative compositions and charts that make this a memorable Journey, to Knowhere or anywhere else.

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Track Listing

Melt Down; Bluezone; 3 for McKee; Smatter; Nora Rae; Thick Plot; A Nod to Ahmad; Malecon.

Personnel

Bob Washut

Bob Washut: composer, arranger, conductor; Greg Gisbert: trumpet, flugelhorn; Bobby Shew: trumpet; Peter Olstad: trumpet; Chris Merz: alto, soprano sax, flute, clarinet; John Gunther: tenor sax, clarinet; Peter Sommer: tenor sax, clarinet; Wil Swindler: baritone sax, bass clarinet; Paul McKee: trombone; Mike Conrad: trombone; Brett Andrews: cello (2); Dana Landry: piano; Erik Applegate: acoustic, electric bass; Jim White: drums.

Album information

Title: Journey to Knowhere | Year Released: 2018 | Record Label: Artist Alliance Records

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