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Jean Toussaint: Live At The Jazz Cafe 091218

By Chris May
October 17, 2019
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Jean Toussaint: Live At The Jazz Cafe 091218

Most times, the transatlantic flow of jazz musicians is from east to west. Less frequently, as with

Jean Toussaint

saxophone
b.1957

" data-original-title="" title="">Jean Toussaint's relocation from New York to London, it is contrariwise. Hot from four years as a member of

Art Blakey

drums
1919 - 1990

" data-original-title="" title="">Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers, Toussaint arrived in Britain in 1987. He soon established himself as a bandleader, and also as teacher. One of his first pupils was

" data-original-title="" title="">Ingrid Laubrock. In 2008, Laubrock made the reverse journey, setting up home in Brooklyn. She is sorely missed. You cannot have it both ways.

Live At The Jazz Caf�� 091218 is a recording of a gig Toussaint gave in London in the last few weeks of 2018. The New Year was coming and the event packed a holiday-season vibe with Toussaint's post-Messengers, present-tense hard bop in fierce form.

The sleeve credit should really read Jean Toussaint And His Allstar 6tet, because there are seven musicians present. The lineup spans two generations of London players, from emerging woke jazz bassist

Daniel Casimir

bass

" data-original-title="" title="">Daniel Casimir, through

Empirical

saxophone, soprano

" data-original-title="" title="">Empirical drummer

Shaney Forbes

drums

" data-original-title="" title="">Shaney Forbes and pianist

Andrew McCormack

piano

" data-original-title="" title="">Andrew McCormack, and on to Toussaint, trumpeter

Byron Wallen

trumpet
b.1969

" data-original-title="" title="">Byron Wallen and trombonist

Dennis Rollins

trombone
b.1964

" data-original-title="" title="">Dennis Rollins. Solid ensemble players and top-drawer soloists all.

The set list includes three tracks from Toussaint's album Brother Raymond (Lyte Records, 2018), plus Wallen's "The Gatekeeper," Casimir's "The Missing Of Sleep," Toussaint's Caribbean-flavoured "Mandingo Brass" (co-written with pianist

Jason Rebello

piano
b.1969

" data-original-title="" title="">Jason Rebello) and—as a closer—onetime Messenger the late

Bobby Timmons

piano
1935 - 1974

" data-original-title="" title="">Bobby Timmons' gospel-drenched "Moanin," which sent the Jazz Caf�� audience out into the night on an ecstatic high.

Sound quality is immaculate and Live At The Jazz Caf�� 091218 works not only as a memento of a great evening but also as a stand-alone album.

Learn more about our star rating system

Track Listing

CD1: Amabo (I Shall Love); The Gatekeeper; Doc; Major Changes. CD2: The Missing Of Sleep; Mandingo Brass; Moanin.

Personnel

Jean Toussaint

saxophone

Jean Toussaint: tenor saxophone; Byron Wallen: trumpet; Dennis Rollins: trombone; Andrew McCormack: piano; Daniel Casimir: bass; Shaney Forbes: drums; Williams Cumberbache Perez: percussion.

Album information

Title: Live At The Jazz Cafe 091218 | Year Released: 2019 | Record Label: Lyte Records

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