Search - Metta Quintet :: Going to Meet the Man

Assembled by the New York-based nonprofit organization JazzReach, Metta Quintet is a jazz supergroup of sorts, featuring young guns such as tenor saxophonist Mark Turner, guitarist Kurt Rosenwinkel, and pianist Brad Mehldau. Inspired by the short stories of author James Baldwin, each musician composed material that reflected the stories' individual mood and tone. Thus, each song's performance has a unique flavor, and rises above individual personalities to create an unusually cohesive whole. "Previous Condition" dazzles with a long willowy melody played in unison by the ensemble. "Harriett Pts. I, II & III" glows, a ballad of weight and sensuous sound, which segues into a simmering Latin mood. You can almost hear the musicians imagining the stories' characters, so unselfish and involved are their collaborations. Occasionally, Mehldau's propensity for ponderous statements clogs Metta's arteries, but they soon recover, off to tell more brilliant tales. --Ken Micallef