Braden, Don
High Note, 2004, CD
Instrument: Saxophone
Issue: 10.1
Jazz Ruler Type: Kool
Performance: 4+
Sound: 4-
Score: 
O’s Notes: While Don plays straight-ahead jazz, he manages to extend his audience to some contemporary jazz fans on songs like the R&B hit “Through The Fire”. He plays his sax with a lot of soul and they really cook on “No Complaints”. His quartet includes Kyle Kohler (organ), Conrad Herwig (tb) and Cecil Brooks III (d). Don’s relationship with Brooks is lengthy and this release is a tribute to his new Club in NJ (Cecil’s, The New Hang). We’ll check it out soon! The quartet becomes a trio sans organ and sans trombone on several cuts. In each case, they continue to cook, never holding back and always swinging.
