Jacob Chung: The Sage

CELLAR MUSIC (RELEASED NOVEMBER 15, 2024)

The Cellar Music label does it again with a retro hardbop session! This time they pair members of the newest crop of young lions with a few former young lions to create a recording that is clearly reminiscent of the music of the original young lions from the 1950s! Although it may be refreshing to hear youngsters such as tenor saxophonist Jacob Chung embracing the musical styles of their elders, they seem more comfortable maintaining the status quo of that era rather than moving forward. However, they do an admirable job of it! For his second session as a leader, Chung balanced the youthful energy of pianist Tyler Henderson and bassist Caleb Tobocman with the mature energy of alto saxophonist Vincent Herring and drummer Joe Farnsworth. Combine that with six original Chung tunes, a ballad (“Embraceable You” ) and a jazz standard (Duke Pearson’s “Jeannine’) and you have the recipe for a straight-ahead, in-the-tradition and tasty hardbop session. Kudos to Chung’s composing skills for capturing the classic hardbop sound on tunes such as the Latin-esque “My Aspirations,” the “Killer Joe” feel of “Thompson’s Pulpit,” the alto/tenor interchanges on “The Sage” and the race to the finish sprint on “Dim Sum.” Chung and Herring are the perfect partners to tackle “Jeannine,” while Chung caresses “Embraceable You” with his warm and big tenor sound. Farnsworth’s swing, Tobocman’s strong walking lines and Henderson’s bluesy solos are ideally suited for this classic sounding session. Therein lies my issue with The Sage — it is a classic session played with precision, energy and elegance, but lacking the one sound that keeps us listening to this music — the sound of surprise. Fans of hardbop will most likely enjoy The Sage as much as they enjoyed the classic sessions from the past. But if you are new to this genre, it’s time to acquaint yourself with some of the original young lions!

BOTTOM LINE: The Sage is a great example of how today’s young lions (with the addition of some older lions) are embracing the classic sound of the hardbop era. Nothing new here — except some of the names — tenor saxophonist Jacob Chung, pianist Tyler Henderson and bassist Caleb Tobocman — and some well-written hardbop originals.