Description
Double bassist Harish Raghavans debut album as leader, Calls for Action, delivers the fundamental essence of jazz as a progressive, evolutionary art form. His markedly lithe quintet features a band of bright new stars, including alto saxophonist Immanuel Wilkins, pianist Micah Thomas, vibraphonist Joel Ross and drummer Kweku Sumbry.
Since arriving to New York from Illinois by way of California in 2007, Raghavan has recorded and toured with numerous artists including Ambrose
Akinmusire, Kurt Elling, Taylor Eigsti, Vijay Iyer, Charles Lloyd, Walter Smith III, Logan Richardson and Eric Harland.
The groups connection on Calls For Action is tangible across this program of originals. Once tunes became second nature, we could deconstruct them. Much of the music comes from my own improvisations on bass, expanded to a quintet format. The album title alludes to that evolution: a wake up call. Like a tune where each section changes and dramatically shifts the energy of the piece. In recording, I wanted to capture the energy of the band playing live.
Following his bass intro, Raghavans first four tracks represent a suite unto itself, and the earliest material written for the quintet. Feel the pulsating momentum of Newe, where shared alto saxophone and vibraphone lines sparkle over the leaders bass-led melody and relish Sangeet, conjuring the euphoria of his recent wedding. Los Angeles evokes a cityscapes afterglow with elegant, sustained phrases and percussive flair; and the other tracks include the yearning Ill Go and Come Back (a loose translation of Goodbye from Raghavans parents mother tongue of Tamil) references his thoughts on an older generation moving on.
I tried to create pieces that would allow the band to explore as a whole but also allow the members total freedom to interpret, explains Raghavan. The vitality of Calls for Action is unquestionably testament to all that.
Intro
Newe
Los Angeles
Sangeet
Ill Go And Come Back
Caged
Seaminer
The Meters
4560 Round Trip
Shift
Lunatico
Junior
Calls For Action
Seven
AS
- Internal ID: JITRE
- Format Detail: CD
- Handling Note: **Please allow an additional 72 hours for this item's shipment.**
- Format: CD
- Genre: Jazz
- Released: 12/6/19