Kenny Garrett - Seeds from the Underground

[Aggie87]

Garrett has a new cd out, "Seeds from the Underground". This is the first review I've read of it, but it sounds promising!

Kenny Garrett - Seeds From the Underground (Mack Avenue, 2012)

Kenny Garrett is a powerful alto saxophonist who began his career as a sideman in the Duke Ellington Orchestra (ghost band) and then a five year mentorship with Miles Davis in the late 1980's. He has had a solo career as a bandleader stretching over two decades in addition to projects like the Five Peace Band supergroup. On this album he returns to his strength playing mostly storming post-bop with a supportive group that includes the leader on alto and soprano saxophones, Benito Gonzalez on piano, Nat Reeves on bass, Ronald Bruner on drums, Rudy Bird on percussion and Nedelka Prescod on vocals. The uptempo songs were my favorites, I love to hear Garrett improvise at speed. I saw him take a breathtaking twenty minute improvised solo at a concert in Princeton a few years back that practically raised the roof. He doesn't disappoint here, giving a nod to Jackie McLean on "J. Mac"where he brings forth the fresh freebop that McLean pioneered in the mid sixties and shows how tart, exploratory improvisation will always be at the heart of jazz. "Seeds from the Underground" seems to be a hat tip to the avant-garde, or at least the Loft Scene of the 1970's where Garrett's gales of saxophone and Gonzalez's piano recall the spirit of McCoy Tyner's explosive early 70's groups. There are some wordless vocals at times like on "Welcome Earth Song" with the scatting fitting in well with the group dynamic and Garrett's soloing. The pace is slowed further for the moody "Ballad Jarrett." It seems that Keith Jarrett was an influence on this music as well, and Gonzalez is particularly impressive. This is a wonderful return to for for Kenny Garrett, and the music recalls fond memories of his classic albums Triology and Pursuance. He's a powerful presence on the modern jazz scene that we need to hear more of. Seeds From the Underground - amazon.com

[CJ Shearn]

I reserved a copy at B&N as its on sale FWIW. I heard it on Rhapsody and I think on one listen it's better than "Sketches of MD", but I don't think it's on the same level as "Pursuance", "Triology", "Songbook", "Beyond the Wall" or "Standard of Language". If Warner had released live things say from Sweet Basil in 1995 or the Knitting Factory in 1996, all Kenny Garrett studio releases would have a LOT to live up to. "Seeds" will be my 9th Garrett CD in my collection. Hoping the mastering isn't messed up, there was distortion on Rhapsody.

[David]

I'll definitely check this one out!

I've been a fan of Garrett ever since Songbook, which is still my favorite album of his. I just wish he had been able to record more with Kenny Kirkland.

[CJ Shearn]

Mack Avenue is definitely letting Kenny do what he wants because he's making the records through his own production company and leasing them to the label, at least was the case with "Sketches of MD". My link

Edited April 12, 2012 by CJ Shearn

[GA Russell]

Amazon has been heavily promoting this album when I log onto their website.

[Mark Stryker]

I think it's a strong record. Kenny's best in a while.

[Chuck Nessa]

Never "connected" with him.

[jeffcrom]

Never "connected" with him.

It's funny - I don't seek out Kenny Garrett, but almost always enjoy him when I come across him. There's a three-tune sequence from his album African Exchange Student that gets all over me: "Mack the Knife," "African Exchange Student," and Donny Hathaway's "Someday We'll All Be Free." The rest of the album is okay, but those three tunes should have been the whole album; that sequence is just brilliant. I always have a lump in my throat by the end of "Someday."

[JSngry]

I always have a lump in my throat by the end of "Someday."

That tends to happen to me as well, no matter who's doing the song.

But that's a part of Garrett's thing I've noticed less and less of as time passes, that "soul singer" thing in his playing...it's still there, but I always like it when he indulged it, because he souned so moving when he did.

I wonder does he still live in New York?

[felser]

I always have a lump in my throat by the end of "Someday."

That tends to happen to me as well, no matter who's doing the song.

I openly cried the first time I heard/saw this when the 9/11 concert was broadcast.

[relyles]

I was a little disappointed after a couple of spins of this recording. I think of myself as a Kenny Garrett fan, but a couple of tracks on the new recording just did not do it for me. I plan to revisit it some time soon.

[CJ Shearn]

The mastering is horrible on the album I think also. It takes a bit to get into the music on this records because the last 2 studio albums have had such a high, intense energy level.

[king ubu]

Reminds me how slow I am in catching up with new releases... just got his "Beyond the Wall" today, and haven't even listened attentively to "Standard of Language" yet.

[CJ Shearn]

What did you think of "Beyond the Wall"? I think its Kenny's strongest studio date after "Standard of Language", however its a shame like the latest, the mastering is so, so bad.