John Fedchock, one of the great trombonists of our times, has recently released a coveted tenth album as a leader entitled Into the Shadows! Known for composing and arranging timeless music for his big band, he has transplanted these creative endeavors into his NY sextet, which seems to at times have the fullness of a big band with just the three horns! He is joined by a fantastic line up of seasoned veterans in Scott Wendholt on trumpet, Walt Weiskopf on tenor saxophone, Allen Farnham on piano, David Finck on bass, and Eric Halvorson on drums.
The opening track, RSVP, is a crafty contrafact written over the changes to the classic jazz standard, Invitation. The soloing done by everyone comes out the gates at full speed just like the melody, making this opening track the perfect introduction to grab a hold of your ears, and it doesn’t let go. Alpha Dog, much in the vein of Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers, is a swingin’ shuffle that makes you just want to snap your fingers and dance around the room! The diversity in Fedchock’s writing and style of play comes to light even further with Manaus, a bossa nova style that is full of lush harmonies much like the greenery of the Amazon forest it is meant to depict. Always aware of the past, but looking forward, Fedchock’s arrangement of I Should Care encompasses past, present, and future. The uptempo interpretation of this tune works so well and I feel we’ll start hearing more young musicians start to follow suit.
Nature Boy has an Afro-Cuban feel to it and the entire ensemble seems to stretch the rhythms and harmonies to their fullest potential. The title track Into the Shadows is truly a gem and Fedchock was right in naming the album after this track. The trombonist starts with himself and drums before the band joins in. This ballad is hauntingly beautiful, filled with a captivating melody that is accentuated by the rich harmonies played by the other horns. Among all the tracks on this album, all of which are great masterpieces in themselves, the ballad truly stands out for its change of pace and color, making the listener pause for a minute and reflect on the listening experience. Fedchock does a very creative arrangement of one of my favorite jazz standards, Star Eyes. With some dense harmonies that change rapidly, along with the even eighth note feel turns this standard on its head and makes for an interesting listening experience. The final track on the album, On the Edge, is an uptempo blues that will truly leave you on the edge of your seat waiting for more and the only thing you lament at the end of this track is that it is the end!
Fedchock and the NY Sextet have truly presented a masterclass in the history of jazz as the playing on this album draws from the rich history of this music. And as I mentioned before, we can hear the influences of today, and I believe it will be an album students of the music in the future will be studying and learning from on many levels. Into the Shadows is a truly astounding masterpiece and many listeners including myself will be “on edge” and waiting “in the shadows” for the next album!
Photo: Aaron Gertler, courtesy KHS America, Inc.
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