Something that distinguished tenor saxophonist Dan Pratt’s 2016 release Hymn for the Happy Man, along with the crushing rhythm section of Christian McBride and Greg Hutchinson, was the musical spark and simpatico between Pratt and the eloquent, versatile Michael Eckroth on piano. That program of mostly Pratt originals laid the groundwork for what Eckroth suggested as the next step: a genuinely co-led project, later named The Relay, to showcase writing by both principals, as performed by a stellar quartet with sought-after bassist Matt Clohesy (Darcy James Argue’s Secret Society) and drummer Allan Mednard (Kurt Rosenwinkel, Jeremy Pelt). With the band’s eponymous debut, Pratt and Eckroth paint vivid artistic self-portraits, offering songs full of infectious rhythm, memorable melody, swirling improvisation, and self-assured execution.
Discussing his piece “Spirit Walk,” says Eckroth, “I was interested while composing this batch of tunes, in de-emphasizing the intellectual element and going for things that would allow us to play from the spirit. I have always been drawn to the spiritual side of the music, and this tune is about walking in that state while you’re in performance.” Pratt agrees and adds: “That’s become kind of the seed or principle of the band, the way we want to keep it: the music doesn’t have to be too cerebral, doesn’t need explanation, and yet it has depth and lots to dig into harmonically and rhythmically.”
Pratt played both tenor and alto saxes on Hymn for the Happy Man, but on The Relay it’s tenor all the way — “kind of in keeping with that same idea of relative simplicity,” he observes. “Let’s say what we have to say on one voice, without switching it up. Tenor is my instrument, and it was time to focus on what’s essential.” As composers, Pratt and Eckroth share a fondness for harmonic color, and an aesthetic that as Eckroth puts it “balances many disparate influences, the need for tuneful presentation of thematic material, and open and expressive soloing.” Pratt, a longtime member of the Grammy-winning Christian McBride Big Band, also notes Eckroth’s playing with the GRAMMY-nominated Cuban ensemble Orquesta Akokán and his deep scholarship in Latin and Afro-Caribbean music, elements of which come into his writing for The Relay.
Pratt’s leadoff track “Four For” is a statement of intent with room for ambiguity — “here are the four of us, getting together for … and the listener can answer that.” His “One Right” is a through-composed blues in three, while “Song of Babes” he describes as “a gift from my babe,” the older of his two young children, who one day sang the three notes that would become Pratt’s central motif. Eckroth’s “Road Traveled” and “Lost in Brazil” imbue the set with lyrical beauty, evoking long-haul musical journeys both figurative and literal. His “Novo Sete” is a new piece in seven, while “Anabell’s Ballad” is a song of devotion to his beloved wife. As a collection, the songs perfectly capture the band’s alert and supple interplay and virtuosic poise.
The choice of one standard tune, most likely a ballad, was left to the day of, in keeping with the session’s governing principle of spontaneity. It turned out to be “Polka Dots and Moonbeams,” a favorite of Pratt’s, played by just tenor and bass until the first bridge, when Eckroth enters with a harmonic flavor and soulfulness reminiscent perhaps of Hank Jones. Other than the initial duo feature the tune is unarranged, a first take. “It’s something we could reconnect on,” says Pratt, “something basic that grounded the whole session, that campfire of our meeting place that kept us all connected to each other’s tradition.”
Dan Pratt has released four solo albums and has served as a soloist and section member in some of the finest ensembles in jazz, both as a regular member of the Grammy-winning Christian McBride Big Band and with such artists as the Village Vanguard Orchestra, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Fantasia, and Usher, in venues from Birdland to the White House and festivals from Tokyo to Newport.
Michael Eckroth is a multi-genre musician whose work is grounded in the jazz tradition. Based in the New York area since 2006, he’s known for his work with jazz icon John Scofield as well as being the composer-pianist for the GRAMMY-nominated Cuban ensemble Orquesta Akokán. In recent years he’s performed in venues and festivals throughout Europe and the Americas, from WOMAD in Australia and New Zealand to the North Sea Jazz Festival. The recording is available from April 8th, 2022, from Same Island Music.
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