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Kent Engelhardt & Stephen Enos: Madd For Tadd

By Jack Bowers
September 26, 2023
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Kent Engelhardt & Stephen Enos: Madd For Tadd

The masterworks on this second edition of Madd for Tadd are presented on two discs, one of which bears the name of one of composer/pianist

Tadd Dameron

piano
1917 - 1965

" data-original-title="" title="">Tadd Dameron's classic themes, "Our Delight." Oddly, the other is named for the only non-Dameronian item on the menu, "Central Avenue Swing," written by saxophonist and Dameron chronicler

Kent Engelhardt

saxophone
b.1963

" data-original-title="" title="">Kent Engelhardt who adapted the composer's tasteful charts for a big band and co-leads the ensemble with trumpeter

Steve Enos

trumpet

" data-original-title="" title="">Steve Enos.

Although he is most closely associated with the emerging bop movement of the early to late-1940s and beyond, Dameron (who was born in 1917) also penned charts for swing bands including Kansas City's Harlan Leonard and His Rockets, nine of which are presented on "Central Avenue Swing," with one other, "Heaven's Doors Are Open Wide," written for

Miles Davis

trumpet
1926 - 1991

" data-original-title="" title="">Miles Davis. "Our Delight" is more bop- centered, with themes composed for

Fats Navarro

trumpet
1923 - 1950

" data-original-title="" title="">Fats Navarro,

John Coltrane

saxophone
1926 - 1967

" data-original-title="" title="">John Coltrane,

Billy Eckstine

vocals
1914 - 1993

" data-original-title="" title="">Billy Eckstine,

Blue Mitchell

trumpet
1930 - 1979

" data-original-title="" title="">Blue Mitchell and others. Engelhardt, who has set for himself the daunting task of transcribing, notating and editing all of Dameron's music, assembled an all-star group of musicians for this recording, and they have no problem assimilating and enriching Engelhardt's admirable arrangements. In fact, they do it so well that the entire narrative calls to mind a pleasurable trip down memory lane.

While Dameron's propensity to swing is widely recognized, his extraordinary gift for melody is every inch as salient and impressive. Even today, several of his compositions are performed or recorded often by jazz groups of every shape and temper, as they have become (well- deserved) jazz standards. "Our Delight" is certainly one, as are "Lady Bird," "Cool Breeze," "Hot House," "If You Could See Me Now" and "Good Bait"—and there are others that deserve no less than honorable mention including "The Squirrel" and four written for

John Coltrane

saxophone
1926 - 1967

" data-original-title="" title="">John Coltrane: "Handy Andy," "Soultrane," "Mating Call" and "Super Jet," all of which are included here.

The ensemble gives each of them a thrilling ride, the kind that Dameron would no doubt have appreciated. Besides working flawlessly as a team, every member of the band is a perceptive soloist in his own right, which makes every ad lib a pleasure to hear. Trumpeter

Brad Goode

trumpet
b.1963

" data-original-title="" title="">Brad Goode, who has veered toward the avant-garde in recent years, reverts to hard-swinging form (good news indeed) and is featured extensively on "Central Avenue Swing" with fellow trumpeter

Tim Leahey

trumpet

" data-original-title="" title="">Tim Leahey, tenor saxophonists

Dave Kana

saxophone, tenor

" data-original-title="" title="">Dave Kana and

Mike Tomaro

saxophone
b.1958

" data-original-title="" title="">Mike Tomaro (great to hear from him again), trombonists

Jeff Bush

trombone

" data-original-title="" title="">Jeff Bush and

Michael Dease

trombone
b.1982

" data-original-title="" title="">Michael Dease, baritone

Tom Reed

saxophone, baritone

" data-original-title="" title="">Tom Reed (who has the floor to himself on "My Dream") and pianist

Phil DeGreg

piano

" data-original-title="" title="">Phil DeGreg.

Kana, Leahey, Tomaro and Dease return on "Our Delight," teaming with trumpeter

Dominick Farinacci

trumpet
b.1983

" data-original-title="" title="">Dominick Farinacci, alto

John Orsini

saxophone

" data-original-title="" title="">John Orsini, trombonist

Chris Anderson

trombone
1926 - 2008

" data-original-title="" title="">Chris Anderson, pianist

Jackie Warren

piano

" data-original-title="" title="">Jackie Warren, bassist

Dave Morgan

bass, acoustic
b.1957

" data-original-title="" title="">Dave Morgan and drummer par excellence

Jim Rupp

drums

" data-original-title="" title="">Jim Rupp (who anchors the band's outstanding rhythm section). Engelhardt solos on "Lady Bird," "Soultrane" and "The Squirrel," while Enos sits in for

Blue Mitchell

trumpet
1930 - 1979

" data-original-title="" title="">Blue Mitchell on "A Blue Time" and (muted) "Smooth as the Wind," on which he is featured.

The ensemble moves seamlessly from bop to swing, nailing it on "Central Avenue Swing" (which sounds like it could have been written by Dameron himself) and such early-career gems as "Dameron Stomp," "400 Swing," "Keep Rockin,'" "Society Steps Out" and "Rock and Ride." "Our Delight" is no less pleasing, as Dameron's memorable themes are wonderfully reimagined by Engelhardt, Enos and their talented teammates. There are four vocals, two on each disc.

Erin Keckan

vocals

" data-original-title="" title="">Erin Keckan acquits herself well on "Heaven's Doors," "Dig It," "Lady Bird" and "I Think I'll Go Away." The last was scored for sextet, as were "Lady Bird`" and "The Squirrel."

If you were not Madd for Tadd before encountering this recording, it may well change your mind while serving as an excellent introduction to one of the bop era's leading composers, the great Tadd Dameron.

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Track Listing

Disc 1��Central Avenue Swing; Dameron Stomp; A La Bridges; 400 Swing; Heaven��s Doors Are Open Wide; Dig It; Keep Rockin��; Society Steps Out; My Dream; Rock and Ride; Take ��Um. Disc 2��Our Delight; Lady Bird; Soultrane; Cool Breeze; A Blue Time; Handy Andy (Gnid); I Think I��ll Go Away; Smooth as the Wind; Mating Call; Super Jet; The Squirrel.

Personnel

Steve Enos

trumpet

Scott Belck

trumpet

Scott McKee

trumpet

Brad Goode

trumpet

Jim Rupp

drums

Tim Leahey

trumpet

Dominick Farinacci

trumpet

Tom Lehman

trumpet

Kent Engelhardt

saxophone

John Orsini

saxophone

Mike Tomaro

saxophone

Dave Kana

saxophone, tenor

Tom Reed

saxophone, baritone

Jeff Bush

trombone

Michael Dease

trombone

Chris Anderson

trombone

Dave Brockett

french horn

Phil DeGreg

piano

Jackie Warren

piano

Dave Morgan

bass, acoustic

Additional Instrumentation

Erin Keckan: vocals.

Album information

Title: Madd For Tadd | Year Released: 2023 | Record Label: Self Produced

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