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Saul Dautch: Music for the People

By Jack Bowers
July 3, 2025
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It is always a pleasure to hear a straight-ahead contemporary jazz quintet whose front line consists of baritone sax and trumpet, especially when it is as well-drawn as Florida-bred baritone

Saul Dautch

saxophone, baritone

" data-original-title="" title="">Saul Dautch's debut recording, Music for the People, on which he shares melodic assignments with trumpeter

Noah Halpern

trumpet

" data-original-title="" title="">Noah Halpern and, to a lesser extent, pianist

" data-original-title="" title="">Miki Yamanaka.

Music for the People means what it says: stylish yet accessible small-group jazz aimed at reaching the widest possible audience. Seven of its eight engaging numbers were written by Dautch (who arranged everything). The exception is

Duke Pearson

piano
1932 - 1980

" data-original-title="" title="">Duke Pearson's buoyant opener, "Hello Bright Sunflower," whose charming melody must surely have chanced upon its roots in the Al Dubin/Harry Warren standard, "Lullaby of Broadway."

The rhythm section plays an essential role there, as it does throughout the session. Besides Yamanaka, the rhythmic aspect is in the capable hands of bassist

Louie Leager

bass, acoustic

" data-original-title="" title="">Louie Leager and drummer

Hank Allen-Barfield

drums
b.1999

" data-original-title="" title="">Hank Allen-Barfield, who provide a smooth and comfortable runway from which Dautch and Halpern can soar into the improv stratosphere. While bass and drums have their solo moments too, the front-liners are more prominently and often showcased, which is as it should be.

Dautch's dark and muscular horn sounds much like such luminaries as

Pepper Adams

saxophone, baritone
1930 - 1986

" data-original-title="" title="">Pepper Adams,

Cecil Payne

saxophone, baritone
1922 - 2007

" data-original-title="" title="">Cecil Payne and

Nick Brignola

saxophone, baritone
1936 - 2002

" data-original-title="" title="">Nick Brignola, the last of whom was one of his early role models and mentors. Halpern, meanwhile, unveils traces of

Don Fagerquist

trumpet
b.1927

" data-original-title="" title="">Don Fagerquist, Blue Mitchell,

Carmell Jones

trumpet
1936 - 1996

" data-original-title="" title="">Carmell Jones and other hard-boppers in his vigorous solos. Yamanaka is yet another stalwart soloist (and accompanist), on a par with many of her peers who call the keyboard home.

Dautch's seven compositions, although bright and well-written, are unlikely to stand out in a crowd of similarly dressed works. On the other hand, they are respectable and get the job done. Which is a fairly accurate appraisal of Dautch, his quintet and the album as a whole. Nothing spectacular, but nothing less than satisfactory. In other words, well and suitably done.

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Track Listing

Hello Bright Sunflower; Nighttime on the Red Line; Odious Din; Grateful; L'Chaim; The Guru; The Climbing Silver; Bacher's Batch.

Personnel

Saul Dautch

saxophone, baritone

Noah Halpern

trumpet

Miki Yamanaka

piano

Louie Leager

bass, acoustic

Hank Allen-Barfield

drums

Album information

Title: Music for the People | Year Released: 2025 | Record Label: Self Produced

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