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Shawn Maxwell's New Tomorrow: Shawn Maxwell's New Tomorrow

By Dan McClenaghan
September 16, 2016
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Shawn Maxwell's New Tomorrow: Shawn Maxwell's New Tomorrow

Chicago-based saxophonist

Shawn Maxwell

saxophone, alto
b.1976

" data-original-title="" title="">Shawn Maxwell has produced an excellent run of straight ahead CD releases in the past decade, sets like his two self-produced discs, Originals (2006) and Originals II (2008), and Maxwell's House (Chicago Session LTD, 2010) before he changed his game up with Shawn Maxwell's Alliance (Chicago Sessions LTD, 2015), a shift away from mainstream quartet—sax and rhythm section—to a walk-on-the-mini-big-band wild side, with a group that includes French horns, vibes, a vocalist and additional saxophones. So what about the trumpets?

Maxwell seems to have avoided—on record—the standard quintet configuration—sax and trumpet, backed by a piano/bass/drums rhythm section. But he rips into the genre here, and does so in a dynamic, modernist style that gives the music a far-from-standard treatment.

As to the trumpeters, Maxwell uses three of them, rotating them in and out like basketball subs in an all star game:

Victor Garcia

trumpet

" data-original-title="" title="">Victor Garcia,

Chad McCullough

trumpet
b.1981

" data-original-title="" title="">Chad McCullough and

Corey Wilkes

trumpet
b.1979

" data-original-title="" title="">Corey Wilkes.

As usual, Maxwell has penned all the tunes, beginning with deep groove "Embraceable Excuses," featuring Victor Garcia on trumpet.

Junius Paul

bass, electric

" data-original-title="" title="">Junius Paul's steroidal electric bass, combined with Phil Beale's pounding drums, lay a muscular foundation, and

Matt Nelson

saxophone

" data-original-title="" title="">Matt Nelson's Filles de Kilimanjaro (Miles Davis, Columbia Records, 1968)-like electric keyboards pump up the alto sax/trumpet give-and-take from Maxwell and Garcia. "Work In Progress" draws the sound away from the dance-able, celebratory mood of the opener into a dark, exploratory territory. Maxwell's solo is ominous. The rhythm guys shine on this one—with a dark shine, like it's coming off of a chunk of obsidian.

"Throw Away Tune #2" features Corey Wilkes on trumpet, with a gorgeous muted sound on a smooth flowing ballad. "Saturday Morning Dance" sounds like a tune written for a big band, opening with a trumpet/sax fanfare before McCullough takes flight on a soaring solo. "Hitting Streak" showcases Maxwell's sound on flute alongside McCullough's fiery trumpet, adding a different flavor to the uplifting, catchy groove's of this first-rate band.

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Track Listing

Embraceable Excuses; Work In Progress; Responsibility Run; Inside Back; Whole Hearted Half The Time; Unexpected Heel Turn; Progressive Regression; Saturday Morning Dance; Carbird Seat; Three Kinds Of Heat; Throw Away Tune #2; Eustachian Tube Dysfunction; Hitting Streak; Bye For Now.

Personnel

Shawn Maxwell

saxophone, alto

Shawn Maxwell: alto sax, flute; Victor Garcia: trumpet (1, 4, 5, 10); Chad McCullough: trumpet (2, 3, 6, 8 13, 14); Corey Wilkes: trumpet (11); Junius Paul: acoustic and electric bass; Matt Nelson: piano, rhodes, Wurlitzer; Phil Beale: drums.

Album information

Title: Shawn Maxwell's New Tomorrow | Year Released: 2016 | Record Label: OA2 Records

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