Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Duane Eubanks Quintet: Things Of That Particular Nature

Duane Eubanks Quintet: Things Of That Particular Nature

By Dan Bilawsky
February 8, 2015
View read count

Duane Eubanks Quintet: Things Of That Particular Nature

Things Of That Particular Nature is the record that the jazz world has been waiting for from trumpeter Duane Eubanks. My Shining Hour (TCB Records, 1999) and Second Take (TCB Records, 2001) put Eubanks on the map as a leader, positioning him as a purveyor of all manner of bop-derived music. He instantly came off as one to watch, but his voice was tied to the past on those releases, both through the material he covered and the debts that his sound betrayed. Now, with more than a decade of experience under his belt since those albums were released, Eubanks is speaking with a voice that's all his own.

The music presented herein is cool-headed and warm-blooded, sometimes all at once. Eubanks makes his mark as composer, having penned nine of the ten album tracks, and player, delivering performances that are strong yet level-headed and confident but never brash. Along the way, Eubanks pays tribute to the grounding forces in his life—his father, his wife, and his mentor, the late pianist-educator

Mulgrew Miller

piano
1955 - 2013

" data-original-title="" title="">Mulgrew Miller—but he never falls into the sentimentality trap along the way. There's flat out groove music to be found ("Aleta's Dance"), smoky and moody after-hours jazz to absorb ("Aborted Dreams"), lighthearted waltzing to breath in (Miller's "Holding Hands"), and R&B-laced sounds to soak up ("Rosey"). There might be hard bop-esque drive behind one song ("As Is") and slow movement and gentle undulation beneath another ("Anywhere's Paradise"). In every case, the music sounds natural as can be.

The majority of the credit for this project obviously goes to Eubanks, but his band mates do plenty of heavy lifting along the way. Pianist

Marc Cary

piano

" data-original-title="" title="">Marc Cary is a soloist of seemingly endless means and resources, and a colorist with strong instincts;

Abraham Burton

saxophone, alto
b.1971

" data-original-title="" title="">Abraham Burton proves to be a well-matched front line partner for Eubanks;

Dezron Douglas

bass

" data-original-title="" title="">Dezron Douglas buttresses the band at every turn; vibraphonist

Steve Nelson

vibraphone
b.1954

" data-original-title="" title="">Steve Nelson shines on "Holding Hands" and "Aborted Dreams"; and one only need hear drummer

Eric McPherson

drums

" data-original-title="" title="">Eric McPherson 's introduction and subsequent ebb and flow work on "Slew Footed" to appreciate his skills. But as good as the individual work is here, the simple act of group creation and movement often trumps individual contributions as Eubanks and company gel in fine fashion.

Learn more about our star rating system

Track Listing

Purple, Blue, And Red; As Is; Rosey; Holding Hands; Beer & Water; Anywhere Paradise; Dance With Aleta; Aborted Dreams; Slew Footed; "P."

Personnel

Duane Eubanks

trumpet

Duane Eubanks: trumpet, flugelhorn; Abraham Burton: tenor saxophone; Marc Cary: piano, Fender rhodes; Dezron Douglas: bass; Eric McPherson: drums; Steve Nelson: vibraphone.

Album information

Title: Things Of That Particular Nature | Year Released: 2015 | Record Label: Sunnyside Records

PREVIOUS / NEXT

Jimmy Greene: A Beautiful Life
< Previous

Real World Records: Passion and Auth...
Next >

Support All About Jazz

All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who make it. Our enduring commitment has made "AAJ" one of the most culturally important websites of its kind, read by hundreds of thousands of fans, musicians and industry figures every month.

Go Ad Free!

To maintain our platform while developing new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity, we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for as little as $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination vastly improves your AAJ experience and allow us to vigorously build on the pioneering work we first started in 1995. So enjoy an ad-free AAJ experience and help us remain a positive beacon for jazz by making a donation today.