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Matt Slocum: Portraits

By Mark F. Turner
February 22, 2010
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Matt Slocum's multicolored traps—at times forceful or delicate, creatively painting varied tempos with the essence of swing—define the drummer's debut, Portraits. Hailing from St. Paul, Minnesota, Slocum's introduction carries forward the torch of patriarchs

Max Roach

drums
1925 - 2007

" data-original-title="" title="">Max Roach and

Elvin Jones

drums
1927 - 2004

" data-original-title="" title="">Elvin Jones amongst others, but he also carves out his own rhythmic patterns with young contemporaries such as

Eric Harland

drums
b.1976

" data-original-title="" title="">Eric Harland and

Johnathan Blake

drums

" data-original-title="" title="">Johnathan Blake.

Slocum is joined by equally distinguished peers: award-winning pianist

Gerald Clayton

piano

" data-original-title="" title="">Gerald Clayton, whose own debut, Two-Shade (ArtistShare, 2009), was well received; and resolute bassist

Massimo Biolcati

bass
b.1972

" data-original-title="" title="">Massimo Biolcati, a longtime associate of guitarist

Lionel Loueke

guitar
b.1973

" data-original-title="" title="">Lionel Loueke. Portraits is mostly a trio outing, with special guest saxophonists

Walter Smith III

saxophone, tenor
b.1980

" data-original-title="" title="">Walter Smith III,

Jaleel Shaw

saxophone, alto
b.1978

" data-original-title="" title="">Jaleel Shaw and

Dayna Stephens

saxophone, tenor

" data-original-title="" title="">Dayna Stephens, all noteworthy young voices, appearing on a couple of tracks.

Slocum presses forward with scintillating new material that has emotion and drive, unveiling nuanced charts like the stylish "Cambria," whose melody is suffused with a swinging glow. The trio's communication is palpable—each player's effervescence supporting and lifting each other and the music to higher grounds. But fertile soil is also tilled to great effect on the cover of

Duke Ellington

piano
1899 - 1974

" data-original-title="" title="">Duke Ellington's "Daydream," where Smith plays with a deep tone, like an old soul from times past, and where Slocum's cymbal and mallet touches are simply haunting.

"Seven Stars" shifts with ease between heated modality and cool, marked by ubiquitous drums, torrential horns salvos and complexity touching sweet melodism to create one of the recording's best pieces. The remainder of the set follows form, including "Illusions and Delusions," featuring Stephens' tenor providing warmth, and "Avenida del Paraiso," with Biolcati's quaking bass and Slocum's spidery traps creating an intricate web for Clayton to navigate.

Present day jazz is clearly not stagnate in the very good hands (and sticks) of Matt Slocum—a young drummer who plays with empathy and verve.

Learn more about our star rating system

Track Listing

Homage; Cambria; Daydream; Shadows; For Alin; Seven Stars; Portraits; Illusions and Delusions; Avenida del Paraiso.

Personnel

Matt Slocum

drums

Gerald Clayton: piano; Massimo Biolcati: bass; Matt Slocum: drums; Walter Smith III: tenor saxophone; Jaleel Shaw: alto saxophone; Dayna Stephens: tenor saxophone.

Album information

Title: Portraits | Year Released: 2010 | Record Label: Chandra Records

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