| Jazz |
Here is an excellent album with the only flaw being that it put the best track first. Indeed, it starts with “Dislocation Blues” performed by the outstanding Paul Jost. Inevitably, everything that follows seems too conventional, even if magnificently performed. Paul Jost has managed to imprint both a modern way of interpreting vocal jazz and an imposing style that leaves little room for anything else behind him. In fact, I would have preferred to have artists like Michael Mayo and a few others, who follow this path of modernizing and imposing their style with elegance, after this first track, which unfortunately is not the case.
Nevertheless, this big band is truly fascinating, and the impressive musical parts at all levels prove it. The origins of Captain Black date back to 2007, when Evans was invited to lead a big band at the Guimarães Jazz Festival in Portugal. As a long-time member of the Mingus Big Band, he had years of experience playing with a large ensemble, but the success of this concert convinced him to try leading his own big band, despite the obvious financial and logistical obstacles. It was named after Evans’ father’s favorite tobacco brand, which had previously given its name to Evans’ 1998 album on Criss Cross, *Captain Black*.
No matter how much I listen and re-listen to this album, I remain frustrated that not all the vocal parts are in the vein of modernity, as this big band fits better with artists like Paul Jost than with the others, probably a matter of generations and artistic paths. The predecessors of these albums have also been critically acclaimed. Captain Black made its debut with a self-titled album in 2011, followed by *Mother’s Touch* in 2014 (both on Posi-Tone). The group was named Rising Star Big Band of the Year in DownBeat’s 61st Annual Critics Poll and ranked among the top five for Big Band of the Year several times. These accolades were accompanied by the rise of Evans’ profile, who notably won the “Rising Star” category for pianists in DownBeat’s Critics Poll and received his first article in the New York Times.
Or perhaps it is the opposite; maybe Paul Jost should not have been invited to this album to make it a classic jazz album. But as it stands, it creates a significant imbalance on the CD. Fortunately, Paul Jost returns for a majestic “If” to conclude this album, which makes you forget everything else. It reminds me of seeing Nguyen Le play with more classical artists; the phenomenon was the same. For this reason, I will only give this album three stars due to the lack of unity in the artistic approach, which does not detract from the overall quality of the album.
Thierry De Clemensat
USA correspondent – Paris-Move and ABS magazine
Editor in chief Bayou Blue Radio, Bayou Blue News
PARIS-MOVE, August 8th 2024
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To buy the album Orin Evans and The Captain Black Big Band – Walk a Mile In My Shoe
Orin Evans and The Captain Black Big Band’s Website