Maxwell, Shawn
OA2 Records, 2018, CD
Instrument: Saxophone
Issue: 24.3
Jazz Ruler Type: Bebop
Performance: 3
Sound: 3
Score: 
O’s Notes: Saxophonist and composer Shawn Maxwell tees up ten new originals performed by a large group of musicians. Pianist Matt Nelson and drummer Phil Beale play on all selections with Maxwell, and Junius Paul plays bass for 6 of the 10 songs. Otherwise the band configurations are varied. Dee Alexander adds vocalizations on three selections typically mirroring trumpeters Chad McCullough or Victor Garcia. This outing has less of the grooving jazz-fusion of prior releases. But when they strike a groove, it’s illuminating as on “Another Monday“, “Glamasue” and “He Gone”. Much has been written about Maxwell’s compositional phasing including in Neil Tesser’s liner notes. The fact is that it works well and identifies his signature!
Publicist: Jazz Promo Services
