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Justin Chart: Night Heat

By Hrayr Attarian
November 14, 2024
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Saxophonist Justin Chart is known for his cinematic, entirely improvised, live sessions. A stalwart of the Los Angeles, and Southern California, jazz scene, Chart has several superb albums to his credit. His 2024 record, Night Heat, maintains the same level of sophistication and spontaneity. It is culled from two separate appearances with different sidemen and consists of ten, relatively short, tracks that focus mainly on the intricacy of the melodies and the dynamic ensemble sound.

For instance the simmering "Notes to Myself," from an appearance in Hollywood, is bookended by Chart's incandescent and meandering alto. At its core the band's pulsating vamps create a nocturnal mood that bassist

Michael Selfridge

bass

" data-original-title="" title="">Michael Selfridge's walking lines enhance. Meanwhile, drummer

Cecil Brooks III

drums
b.1959

" data-original-title="" title="">Cecil Brooks III makes his cymbals splash like bright lights glimmering in a dark cityscape.

In contrast, "Scatter Good Seeds in the Field," from a Santa Monica concert, is an energetic musical repartee that deftly matches Chart with trumpeter

Mike Rocha

trumpet

" data-original-title="" title="">Mike Rocha. The exchanges between the horns build the main theme that Chart embellishes with his brief and warm refrains. Drummer

Chris Ross

bass

" data-original-title="" title="">Chris Ross deftly lays down a funky groove while electric bassist

Alejandro Arenas

bass

" data-original-title="" title="">Alejandro Arenas bisects the piece with his muscular phrases.

Chart starts the laid-back "Calling Evans" with a poetic solo that is one of the longest on the recording. This lyrical performance also features keyboardist Mike Saul whose suave pianism matches Selfridge's brief extemporization in elegance and eloquence. Another pianist,

Bob Remstein

keyboards

" data-original-title="" title="">Bob Remstein, adds vibrancy to the soulful "Forthright" with the swagger of his resonant chords. Rocha gets to stretch out with his burnished tones and clear notes, once more acting as the perfect foil for Chart's mellifluous saxophone.

Urbane and engaging Night Heat is another superlative addition to Chart's discography. These tunes are brilliantly formed musical stories that carry Chart's uniquely expressive style that also gives the release its thematic unity. Intriguingly, within each one are the elements of more expansive harmonic tales. This, however, is left to the audience's imagination which makes each replay all the more stimulating.

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Track Listing

Forward Face Grace; We Got Somethin Goin On; Notes to Myself; Scatter Good Seed in The Fields; Somewhat of A Character; Pearl Was; Bassment; Forthright; Calling Evans; Make The Grade.

Personnel

Justin Chart

saxophone, alto

Mike Rocha

trumpet

Mike Saul

piano

Bob Remstein

keyboards

Alejandro Arenas

bass

Cecil Brooks III

drums

Michael Selfridge

bass

Additional Instrumentation

Chris Ross: drums

Album information

Title: Night Heat | Year Released: 2024 | Record Label: Universal Music Group

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