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The Reid Hoyson Project: Your Move

By Jack Bowers
February 13, 2022
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The

Reid Hoyson

drums

" data-original-title="" title="">Reid Hoyson Project consists of two groups, each of which showcases the insuperable talents of saxophonist

" data-original-title="" title="">Keith Bishop who plays tenor with a close-knit quintet, alto with the more spacious octet. Drummer Hoyson, a fixture on the Pittsburgh jazz scene for roughly half a century, waited until Bishop was available before recording his latest album, and listeners can be thankful that he did, as it is hard to imagine what the enterprise might have resembled without him. While the groups are proficient in their own way, it is Bishop who provides the harmonic compass that leads them in a brighter and more fruitful direction.

If you dig

Houston Person

saxophone, tenor
b.1934

" data-original-title="" title="">Houston Person,

Harry Allen

saxophone
b.1966

" data-original-title="" title="">Harry Allen,

Frank Morgan

saxophone, alto
1933 - 2007

" data-original-title="" title="">Frank Morgan or

Richie Cole

saxophone, alto
1948 - 2020

" data-original-title="" title="">Richie Cole, you're sure to appreciate Bishop who has enriched legendary big bands led by

Buddy Rich

drums
1917 - 1987

" data-original-title="" title="">Buddy Rich,

Woody Herman

band / ensemble / orchestra
1913 - 1987

" data-original-title="" title="">Woody Herman,

Les Brown

composer / conductor
1912 - 2001

" data-original-title="" title="">Les Brown,

Glenn Miller

trombone
1904 - 1944

" data-original-title="" title="">Glenn Miller and

Artie Shaw

clarinet
1910 - 2004

" data-original-title="" title="">Artie Shaw and performed with countless smaller groups at home and abroad, as well as in many Broadway pit orchestras. Like others at his elevated level, Bishop makes everything sound so ridiculously easy that one is liable to lose sight of how demanding it is to sound so calm and assured.

While it may be logical to observe that Hoyson's groups simply follow Bishop's lead, there is far more to it than that. Granted, they do lend needed support, and Bishop is given the lion's share of solo space, but he in turn leans on their expertise, and they don't let him down. Hoyson is a splendid drummer, and the rhythm sections in each ensemble are earnest and attentive. Bassist

Ava Lintz

bass

" data-original-title="" title="">Ava Lintz and pianist Jeff Lashway solo ably with the quintet; Lashway, trumpeter

James Moore

trumpet

" data-original-title="" title="">James Moore and trombonist

Jeff Bush

trombone

" data-original-title="" title="">Jeff Bush with the octet. The playlist is impeccable, from

Benny Carter

saxophone, alto
1907 - 2003

" data-original-title="" title="">Benny Carter's "When Lights Are Low" through Johnny Mercer/Jimmy Van Heusen's "I Thought About You." The other standards—"Speak Low," "Out of Nowhere," "Nobody Else But Me"—are interspersed among

Benny Golson

saxophone, tenor
1929 - 2024

" data-original-title="" title="">Benny Golson's "Stablemates,"

Jaco Pastorius

bass, electric
1951 - 1987

" data-original-title="" title="">Jaco Pastorius' "Three Views of a Secret," Bruno Martino's "Estate," Debora Gurget's "Domingo" and

Sonny Stitt

saxophone
1924 - 1982

" data-original-title="" title="">Sonny Stitt's "Eternal Triangle," the last reined in to some degree from its usual frenetic tempo. Bishop, who divides his time equally between tenor and alto sax, also arranged every number;

This is plain-spoken old-school jazz, awash in delightful melodies, harmonies and rhythms. In other words, a pleasure to kick back and groove on. Let's hope that Bishop soon makes a return visit to the Steel City, home of hard-nosed football and no-nonsense jazz, to record another session as cordial and charming as this.

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Track Listing

When Lights Are Low; Stablemates; Speak Low; Three Views of a Secret; Out of Nowhere; Estate; Domingo; Nobody Else But Me; The Eternal Triangle; I Thought About You.

Personnel

Reid Hoyson

drums

Keith Bishop

saxophone, tenor

Ava Lintz

bass

Jeff Lashway

piano

George Jones

percussion

Eric DeFade

saxophone

James Moore

trumpet

Jeff Bush

trombone

Jeff Grubbs

bass

Album information

Title: Your Move | Year Released: 2022 | Record Label: Self Produced

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