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Hadley Caliman: Straight Ahead

By Dan McClenaghan
February 9, 2010
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Seattle-based tenor saxophonist, Hadley Caliman took a thirty year hiatus from recording before he released Gratitude (Origin Records, 2008). It was an exceptional mainstream set that displayed Caliman's

John Coltrane

saxophone
1926 - 1967

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

Dexter Gordon

saxophone, tenor
1923 - 1990

" data-original-title="" title="">Dexter Gordon, and

Joe Henderson

saxophone
1937 - 2001

" data-original-title="" title="">Joe Henderson influences, in hints and brief whispers, and reintroduced the saxophonist's own distinctive, full-of-life voicings.

With Straight Ahead, he steps out further into that territory, with a group of Origin Records all-stars on board to give a modern tinge to a tried-and-true format.

The disc's Straight Ahead title, and a lineup of piano/bass/drums rhythm team with a saxophone and trumpet out front recalls the sixties Blue Note Records sound, and that's accurate here. But there's a modernization of sorts, with Eric Verlinde's quirky/pretty, ebullient piano playing, joined in the rhythm section by bassist Phil Sparks, an Origin Records stalwart who stays deep in the pocket beside drummer

Matt Jorgensen

drums
b.1972

" data-original-title="" title="">Matt Jorgensen, who lays down grooves and weaves loose textures.

"Cigar Eddie," a Caliman original, opens the set with a rollicking piano intro followed by on some clean two horn harmony. Trumpeter

Thomas Marriott

trumpet
b.1975

" data-original-title="" title="">Thomas Marriott joins the leader in the front line, blowing with a clean, crisp tone before a Caliman solo blossoms out of the sonic landscape like a surly—but beautiful—wild flower, prickly thorns on its stem.

The Coltrane influence is heard on a pair of Trane vehicles,

Billy Strayhorn

piano
1915 - 1967

" data-original-title="" title="">Billy Strayhorn's lovely "Lush Life" and Weisman/Garrett/Lane's "The Night Has a Thousand Eyes." The former is an intimate, late night piano/sax conversation, the latter a sparkling, up-tempo ensemble romp, with Verlinde rolling into a brief ride on "The Surrey With the Fringe on Top."

Trumpeter Marriott contributes "Cathlemet," an upbeat tune with a fluid vibe. The trumpeter's solo gleams over a shimmering harmony, in front of Sparks' muscular bass.

Lee Morgan

trumpet
1938 - 1972

" data-original-title="" title="">Lee Morgan's "Totem Pole" has the Blue Note Records signature written all over it, in a no frills, straight-up script, with Caliman sounding especially energetic and inspired.

After three decades away from the recording studio, saxophonist Hadley Caliman has his second straight CD hit in two years with Straight Ahead.

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Track Listing

Cigar Eddie; Rapture; You Leave Me Breathless; Cathlamet; Blues for PT; Lush Life; Totem Pole; The Night Has a Thousand Eyes.

Personnel

Hadley Caliman

saxophone

Hadley Caliman: tenor saxophone; Thomas Marriott: trumpet; Eric Verlinde: piano; Phil Sparks: bass; Matt Jorgensen: drums.

Album information

Title: Straight Ahead | Year Released: 2010 | Record Label: Origin Records

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