Search - Jon Faddis :: Into the Faddisphere

Faddis revisited.

JetTone12 | USA | 01/06/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This album is one of Faddis's most over-looked creations. It makes sense why; he spends so much time in the upper register on this album that it probably would alienate many non-trumpeters. However, this album is amazing to me. Faddis plays a lot of beautiful stuff along with the screaming high note heroics. His tone is much more beautiful than on Legacy, and he sounds less like Dizzy. He admittedly states in the liner notes that he had often consciously sounded like Dizzy throughout his career, and that this album was, in a sense, the first JON FADDIS album. There is something to be said about that. While I hear some Dizzy in his playing here, I also hear some Miles and some Maynard. This release also includes what is, in my opinion, some of the most effortless high register playing ever recorded. It is a Quartet recording featuring Renee Rosnes on piano, Phil Bowler on bass and Ralph Peterson Jr. on drums. The arrangements all have a "modern" feel to them. The title track starts it off with Faddis blowing an amazing cadenza and then proceeding to hold a Double High C for twenty seconds straight before improvising. He does get into some really good stuff and screams away through pretty much the whole track over Rosnes's repetitive piano back-up. "Sambahia" is a very different song though, another composition by Faddis himself, in which he solos over an Afro-latin rhythm with the harmon mute. It's a very beautiful tune and feels very good to listen to. He plays some high notes but keeps them in the appropriate places. "At Long Last" is a ballad, yet another Faddis composition. His sound is very beautiful here, backed well by his rhythm section, and the song is very soulful. This song is followed somewhat abruptly by "The Early Bird (Gets The Short End Of The Stick)", which is a Donald Brown composition. This tension building theme is a good template for the modern arrangement. It's cool when Faddis goes on a high note tangent and then quotes a bugle call. "Many Paths (To The Top Of The Mountain)" is another tension building piece with a heavy amount of high notes from Faddis. "Retro Blue" is a personal favorite of mine because it is a screaming blues where Faddis uses his upper register to his advantage big time. Rosnes also takes a nice solo on this tune and does some great back-up work. "Ciribiribin" is a modal arrangement of the popular standard, with good soloing from the rhythm players, although Faddis does (as Scott Yanow from AllMusic also commented) go completely overboard with the high notes. It's extremely impressive but not called for as much in this setting, and the solo becomes annoying quickly. It's probably the worst spot on this album. "War & Peace" is the ending, a trance piece with a serious war beginning played heroically by Faddis into the sweet, soulful peaceful ending. I love this piece. Faddis created a wonderful composition here. The perfect way to end it.Every Faddis fan should own this album. However jazz purists will be alienated by Faddis constant stratospheric lines, but those who appreciate what Faddis is about (like myself) will really enjoy this."

John Faddis Rules!

Erinn Joslyn | Lansing, MI | 01/07/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"One of the BEST trumpet players of our time, AND a wonderful person to boot!"

Simply Amazing

Eric W. Helwig | Madison, WI USA | 09/15/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"What, you mean to tell me that you don't own this album?



Surely you jest, this is simply and purely one of the greatest jazz trumpet creations of all time. Jon plays an array of varying speeds and styles. His music is too far overlooked, and who could say no his unmatched screaming on his horn? If you don't own this, you should think about picking it up, see what the others have said, this is simply an amazing piece of music. If you are unsure, and Faddis is coming to play near you, go check it out, you won't be dissapointed with his music, sense of humor, or stage presence."