Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Devin Daniels Quintet: LesGo!

Devin Daniels Quintet: LesGo!

By Joshua Weiner
August 17, 2024
View read count

Devin Daniels

saxophone, alto

" data-original-title="" title="">Devin Daniels is an up-and-coming Los Angeles-based alto saxophonist whose debut album, Trio Exposition, dropped in 2022 on The Village label. Having toured with

Herbie Hancock

piano
b.1940

" data-original-title="" title="">Herbie Hancock and played at an all-star tribute to

" data-original-title="" title="">Wayne Shorter at the Hollywood Bowl in the summer of 2023, it would seem that his star is rapidly rising. This new album, recorded live with his quintet at the Sam First jazz club near LAX and released on its new audiophile label, explains why: Daniels is an intriguing musician with his own voice, and writes excellent tunes that bring classic 1960s styles up to date. His quintet here—including

Julien Knowles

trumpet

" data-original-title="" title="">Julien Knowles on trumpet,

Chris Fishman

piano
b.1997

" data-original-title="" title="">Chris Fishman on piano,

Jermaine Paul

bass

" data-original-title="" title="">Jermaine Paul on bass and

Benjamin Ring

drums

" data-original-title="" title="">Benjamin Ring on drums—are all accomplished young musicians with burgeoning pedigrees including recording and touring with the likes of

Pat Metheny

guitar
b.1954

" data-original-title="" title="">Pat Metheny and

Billy Childs

piano
b.1957

" data-original-title="" title="">Billy Childs.

The audiophile vinyl LP release, limited to 1000 copies, features 4 lengthy tunes and sounds fantastic, with lacquers cut by master engineer Bernie Grundman; the digital release adds a number of bonus tracks from the live sessions recorded February 16th and 17th, 2024. The title track opens with a soliloquy by the leader that dances around the main theme before the band enters. "LesGo!" is an instantly memorable fanfare-like theme with a gospel finish, and Daniels' solo exhibits an impressive range of commentary on that theme, most excitingly when everyone but Ring drops out and a sax-drum duet ensues. As this tune winds down, Fishman and Daniels enter into a conversation that slowly develops into

John Coltrane

saxophone
1926 - 1967

" data-original-title="" title="">John Coltrane's classic tune from Giant Steps, "Spiral." Knowles takes the first solo, which goes to interesting places as Ring moves from a Latin feel into a broad swing that leads into Daniels' solo. The leader is expansive, ably navigating Coltrane's logic while avoiding clich��s and creating his own appealing melodic inventions. This 14-minute track closes with a superb drum solo from Ring, prompting enthusiastic applause from the club's audience.

Side two opens with Daniels' and Knowles' "Reckon," whose wistful tune is played in harmony by the two writers. Apparently, this recording captures the first time the group ever played this tune, but one would never know it from their sympathetic accompaniment. The closing track with the redacted title is meant as a tribute to The Pan African Peoples Arkestra, an avant-garde organization founded by

Horace Tapscott

piano
1934 - 1999

" data-original-title="" title="">Horace Tapscott with whom Daniels has recorded. This odd-metered track has a suitably knotty introduction, framed by collective interjections by the band before enthralling solos by Daniels, Knowles, and then both together. On this, and all of the tracks, the soulful bass of Paul provides the sonic glue that holds the band together with enough flexibility to allow the grooves to breathe.

Everything on this album just feels "right," and identifies Daniels as a musician from whom we can expect big things.

Learn more about our star rating system

Track Listing

LesGo!; Spiral; Reckon; N**'s N**

Personnel

Devin Daniels

saxophone, alto

Julien Knowles

trumpet

Chris Fishman

piano

Jermaine Paul

bass

Benjamin Ring

drums

Album information

Title: LesGo! | Year Released: 2024 | Record Label: Sam First Records

PREVIOUS / NEXT

'Kind of Bill' Garda Jazz Festival 2...
< Previous

Satoko Fujii: Composing Beyond the J...
Next >

Support All About Jazz

All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who make it. Our enduring commitment has made "AAJ" one of the most culturally important websites of its kind, read by hundreds of thousands of fans, musicians and industry figures every month.

Go Ad Free!

To maintain our platform while developing new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity, we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for as little as $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination vastly improves your AAJ experience and allow us to vigorously build on the pioneering work we first started in 1995. So enjoy an ad-free AAJ experience and help us remain a positive beacon for jazz by making a donation today.