PAPATAMUS REDUX

THATSWAN! RECORDS 1013 (RELEASED MAY 2025)

Drummer Jimmy Bennington unearthed a treasure with the release of Blue Veils and Bright Stars. Recorded in 2005, this session features Bennington with legendary trombonist Julian Priester and Canadian bassist Paul Blaney, truly a talent deserving wider recognition. Bennington and Priester were working with pianist David Haney in Portland at the time. Upon seeing and hearing the chemistry between these two musicians, Haney suggested they record a duo session. He was right. The resulting Portraits and Silhouettes was included in All About Jazz’s Best Records of 2008. At the same time, the duo invited Blaney to join them on a trio session. Had it been released 20 years ago, it most likely would have received the same reception as the duo session. Dedicated to Sun Ra, the eight tunes on Blue Veils and Bright Stars capture the essence of modern jazz (modern at the time of its recording as well as the time of its release)! The tight/loose feel of the recording is timeless as Priester floats in and out of Blaney’s strong bass lines and Bennington’s signature percussive colors. The pieces are structured in a way that provide opportunities for individual solos such as Preister’s heartfelt reading of Duke Ellington’s “Mood Indigo,”  Blaney’s resonant bowed bass solo on “Churchbells” and Bennigton’s brushwork on the title track. The group seamlessly shifts from trio to duo performance such as the drum/bass interchanges that introduce “Another Realm” and “Across the Night Sky” as well as the trombone/bass sections that highlight “Mood Indigo” and “Blount.” As the saying goes, “better late than never,” and Blue Veils and Bright Stars is a testament to the timelessness of great jazz when it is performed by masters such as Bennington and Priester and the rarely heard Blaney. It is a long overdue release that fans of modern jazz will treasure.

BOTTOM LINE: Trombonist Julian Priester turned 90 in June. What better way to celebrate this milestone than the “better late than never” release of Blue Veils and Bright Stars, a session he recorded with drummer Jimmy Bennington and bassist Paul Blaney in 2005. The trio works their magic through seven originals and a reverential version of “Mood Indigo.” The fact that the music sounds as fresh today as it did the day it was recorded is a testament to power and beauty of improvised music.