Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Jimmy Masters: When Trees Speak

Jimmy Masters: When Trees Speak

By Edward Blanco
October 8, 2013
View read count

Bassist Jimmy Masters from Virginia Beach, VA has been playing the bass for the better part of thirty years and has countless recordings as a side man to his credit. Though he continues to be a fixture in the local jazz scene and a regular at the Havana Nights Dining & Jazz club in Virginia Beach, Masters celebrates his emergence on the national stage as leader presenting a debut of sharp original compositions on the very accessible When Trees Speak. Influenced by the great

Ray Brown

bass, acoustic
1926 - 2002

" data-original-title="" title="">Ray Brown early on in his youth, Masters gravitated to jazz studying the bass under

Rufus Reid

bass, acoustic
b.1944

" data-original-title="" title="">Rufus Reid and

Cecil McBee

bass
b.1935

" data-original-title="" title="">Cecil McBee and has since, shared the stage with some of the best jazz musicians in the world. It only takes one sampling of this dynamite session to find that the former student is capable of delivering an impressive lesson or two of his own and does so, on this solid and compelling first effort.

Offering a primarily straight ahead set, the program begins with the reflective "Fair with Me, Fair with You" featuring a host of local players including saxophonist

JC Kuhl

saxophone

" data-original-title="" title="">JC Kuhl an educator at Virginia Commonwealth University and pianist

John Toomey

piano

" data-original-title="" title="">John Toomey who directs jazz studies at Old Dominion University in Norfolk. The following creative piece "More Than Two, It's Five," finds Kuhl and Trey Pollard on electric guitar on the front line joined by vibraphonist and jazz luminary

Joe Locke

vibraphone
b.1959

" data-original-title="" title="">Joe Locke who appears on the first of four tracks. With the leader providing a strong and vibrant bass background, the group which on this piece, features one of the many performances from pianist

Justin Kauflin

piano
b.1986

" data-original-title="" title="">Justin Kauflin as well as drummer

Brian Jones

" data-original-title="" title="">Brian Jones, captures the haunting down tempo mood of "Nightwalk" quite well.

One thing is for sure, and that is that the original "Nothing for Certain," a lively brisk burner, is a definite highlight of the disk while the only vocal tune of the set, "The Storm," features a special treat for Masters, his wife Mary Lou Osterhous on acoustic guitar and delivering the lyrics on a light and beautiful number. Masters provides pronounced bass work as well as a warm gentle solo on the album's finale "The Water Is Wide," a piece dedicated to the wife but not before performing on one of the other outstanding tracks of the disc "Special Ones," featuring the saxophonist, guitarist and terrific vibes from Locke. Rounding out the recording is the swinging "Shaggy's Delight" where the rhythm section is particularly assertive with Toomey on piano accompanied by Kauflin's organ play.

An unselfish leader, bassist Jimmy Masters chose not to be the center of attraction with his play allowing his band to shine in the limelight with their performances. Yet, they do so playing his compositions which, in the end, carries the date and provides the main reason why When Trees Speak is such a forward-looking and entertaining debut.

Learn more about our star rating system

Track Listing

Fair with Me, Fair with You; More Than Two, It's Five; Alone In The Field; Nightwalk; Nothing For Certain; A Flock of Blackbirds; The Storm; Special Ones; Shaggy's Delight; The Water Is Wide.

Personnel

Jimmy Masters

bass

Jimmy Masters: acoustic bass; JC Kuhl: tenor saxophone, soprano saxophone; Justin Kauflin: piano, electric piano (1, 6), organ (9); John Toomey: piano (1, 6, 9); Joe Locke: vibraphone (2, 7, 8); Trey Pollard: electric guitar (2, 7, 8); Mary Lou Osterhous: acoustic guitar, vocals (7); Bill Gurley: mandocello (7); Brian Jones: drums.

Album information

Title: When Trees Speak | Year Released: 2013 | Record Label: Self Produced

PREVIOUS / NEXT

Stellar Power
< Previous

John Hollenbeck's September Songs
Next >

Jimmy Masters Concerts

Sep 20 Sat

Jaleel Shaw

Attucks Theatre
Norfolk, VA

Oct 18 Sat

Joel Ross

Attucks Theatre
Norfolk, VA

Nov 15 Sat

Ken Peplowski

Attucks Theatre
Norfolk, VA

Jan 17 Sat

Joel Frahm

Attucks Theatre
Norfolk, VA

Feb 7 Sat

René Marie

Attucks Theatre
Norfolk, VA

Mar 14 Sat

Anaïs Reno

Attucks Theatre
Norfolk, VA

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.