Donelian, Armen

Sunnyside, 2011, CD
Instrument: Piano

Issue: 17.4

Jazz Ruler Type: Fusion
O's Jazz Ruler

Performance: 4
Performance Chart

Sound: 3
Sound Chart

Score:
Score Chart

O’s Notes: Leapfrog is a game where everyone has fun and there are no losers. This is the approach pianist Armen Donelian takes with life and on this recording. For the listener it means all of the members of his quintet have a chance to get in the spotlight. The best example is “Inner Sanctum”. Marc Mommaas (sax), Mike Moreno (g), Dean Johnson (b) and Tyshawn Sorey (d) are assertive throughout the set with Donelian acting as the glue. But Armen also steps up on many occasions to make a splash as on the syncopated passages of “Smoke”! Donelian composed all 8 songs with the exception of “Bygone” written by Mommaas.

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Publicist: Terri Hinte