Jazz Ensemble of Memphis: Playing in the Yard

MEMPHIS INTERNATIONAL RECORDS 2042. (RECORDED JUNE 2023)

Sixty-four years after a group of young musicians from Memphis walked into a recording studio in New York City to record Downhome Reunion: Young Men From Memphis, a similar aggregation of young Memphis musicians walked into a studio in their hometown to record Playing in the Yard. The results of both sessions are the same — introduce us to the best talent from that city in a session packed with familiar tunes, solid arrangements, tight ensemble playing and inspiring solos. The Jazz Ensemble of Memphis demonstrates their potential on seven tracks that cover a wide range of styles — from a funky version of Sonny Rollins’ “Playing in the Yard” to a classic take on Mercer Ellington’s “Things Ain’t What They Used To Be” (a tune recorded on that 1959 session) to the r&b swagger of Willie Mitchell’s “The Crawl.” Members of the group are all given opportunities to step into the spotlight throughout his set of seven tunes. Trumpeter Martin Carodine shows his bop skills on “Night in Tunisia.” “Dark End of the Street” provides tenor saxophonist Charles Pender III with a perfect setting for his big, bluesy sound. The sensitive playing from bassist Liam O’Dell and vibraphonist/pianist DeAnte Payne set the tone for “When You Wish Upon a Star.” Those players as well as drummer Kurtis Gray and soprano saxophonist Jim Spake are all under the age of 30. I mention the names and ages of the Jazz Ensemble of Memphis for one reason — we should keep our eyes and ears on them as they may become part of the jazz legacy like some of those Memphis musicians back in 1959 — alto saxophonist Frank Strozier, pianist Phineas Newborn, tenor saxophonist George Coleman and trumpeter Booker Little. Although Playing in the Yard was the first time many of these musicians played together and their first time in the studio, like the young Memphis musicians who gathered in 1959, these musicians are off to a great start.

BOTTOM LINE: The Jazz Ensemble of Memphis stands on the shoulders of the jazz greats who recorded Downhome Reunion: Young Men From Memphis in 1959. Like that session, Playing in the Yard is packed with energetic solos, tight arrangements and a promise for the future of jazz.