Search - Mark Whitfield :: Raw

Stay Away

Stephen A. Smith | Boston, MA | 05/21/2005

(1 out of 5 stars)

"I don't know why Mark Whitfield recorded this CD. He achieved success as a straight-ahead player, and it's been written that he genuinely enjoys playing more commercial, smooth jazz. This is indeed a "raw" session, aiming almost for the avant garde, for which Whitfield shows little interest and no aptitude. Maybe he wanted to prove something. Maybe he lost a bet.



Whitfield is backed by Robert Glasper (piano), Brandon Owens (bass), and Donald Edwards (drums). Each of the five tracks is an extended jam, the shortest lasting 10:27. There's a lot of music here, some of it very fast and some of it very loud. It's aggressive music. It just doesn't say anything.



I like late Coltrane as much as anyone. In fact, I'll go one better: I like Charles Gayle and David S. Ware. I've got most of their records, and I think their solo work is profound. So when I say that "Raw" is basically noise, it's not because Whitfield stretched outside the blues. There's simply no substance to anything happening on this record. It's a lot of talk with absolutely nothing to say.



Whitfield's career has had some bright moments. "True Blue" is as good as any of the Young Lions records. The playing is top-notch, and Whitfield's original tunes are solid. He was an asset to Jimmy Smith's two Verve all-star CDs. And if he's truly gone down the smooth jazz path, I wish him well. But this CD was an unfortunate and ill-advised diversion. Don't waste your time."