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Pete Mills: Sweet Shadow

By Dan McClenaghan
February 24, 2014
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A lot of words have clicked out of the keyboards concerning the possible demise of the compact disc. Maybe CDs will suffer the extinction, maybe not. But one thing is sure: saxophonist

Pete Mills

saxophone

" data-original-title="" title="">Pete Mills' Sweet Shadow is an excellent argument for the survival of the species.

On his fourth release as a leader, Mills has gathered a crack quintet to navigate labyrinths of ten of his modern-bop compositions, along with the Ellington/Strayhorn tune, "The Star-Crossed Lovers," Rolland Kirk's "Serenade to a Cuckoo," and a seemingly odd pick that works to perfection, the standard "Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend."

Mill's opens the disc with his "Shiner," a rousing ride down an open highway, at ninety miles per hour. Mills, with his smooth delivery sizzling along to deliver the a craggy melody, brings the late sax man

Joe Henderson

saxophone
1937 - 2001

" data-original-title="" title="">Joe Henderson, on his classic Blue Note albums, to mind. Or sometimes George Coleman with the fluidity of his lines. Guitarist

Pete McCann

guitar
b.1966

" data-original-title="" title="">Pete McCann and pianist

Erik Augis

" data-original-title="" title="">Erik Augis supply a rhythmic weave behind the horn, and ubiquitous drummer

Matt Wilson

drums
b.1964

" data-original-title="" title="">Matt Wilson and bassist

Martin Wind

bass, acoustic
b.1968

" data-original-title="" title="">Martin Wind are relentlessly propulsive on this vivacious, modern-leaning tune.

"Snagel," another Mills original, is dedicated to a bagel/cream cheese/brown sugar confection. Mills does some of his most ominous blowing here (maybe as a warning for a carbohydrate overload), and McCann takes things out there on the edge with a marvelous guitar solo. Wilson is his exuberant, sharpening that edge to a razor gleam.

Ellington's "Star Crossed Lovers" features McCann on acoustic guitar, backing Mills straight ahead blowing. It a gentle mood that has a Bossa Nova feel. "Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend" is a sparkling bounce of a tune, with beautiful

Red Garland

piano
1923 - 1984

" data-original-title="" title="">Red Garland-like piano work from Augis, and some of his sweet comping behind Wind's robust arco solo.

Sweet Shadow proves itself an excellent, modernistic, straight ahead jazz outing, and throw in the bonus—for those of us who don't believe in the CD's imminent extinction—of a beautifully designed, classic-looking cover.

Learn more about our star rating system

Track Listing

Shiner; Summer; The Snagel; Duo 1; New School; Sweet Shadow; Seranade to a Cuckoo; Close to Nevr; Duo 2; The Star Crossed Lovers; Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend; Blues For Mel; Elora Dolce; Momentum.

Personnel

Pete Mills

saxophone

Pete MIlls: tenors saxophone; Pete McCann: guitars; Erik Augis: piano; Martin wind: bass; Matt Wilson: drums.

Album information

Title: Sweet Shadow | Year Released: 2014 | Record Label: Cellar Live

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