Christian Scott – Yesterday You Said Tomorrow – Concord Music Group CJA-31412-02 68:26 ****:
(Christian Scott, trumpet; Matthew Stevens, guitar; Milton Fletcher, piano; Kris Funn, bass; Jamire Williams; drums)
Clearly, Christian Scott has taken inspiration from the musical, social and political upheaval of the 1960’s. The concept of art being influenced by social context outlined the music of John Coltrane, Miles Davis, Freddie Hubbard, Jimi Hendrix and Bob Dylan. Scott has adopted this dogma into his latest CD, “Yesterday You Said Tomorrow”. The New Orleans native, and Berklee School Of Music alumnus has created an emotional and sonically beautiful narrative that captures the complexity of modern jazz.
With his customized Bb trumpet and peculiar “whispering technique”, this 26 year old bandleader has assembled a skilled quintet to deliver an amalgam of jazz styles. In an ambitious ten song (with nine original compositions) session, the group is able to explore a darker side of the human condition with musical passion and creativity.
The political subtext is apparent from the start with the high octane, “K.K.P.D." (Klu Klux Police Department), an intense piece notable by the fused rhythm section of Kris Funn’s bass and Jamire Williams’ frenetic drums. On “Angola, LA & the 13th Amendment" (an indictment of the American prison system), the listener experiences the nuanced “whispering” in a trumpet solo. There is symmetry in the interplay between Scott and Milton Fletcher’s precise and elegant piano and a fluid guitar solo by Matthew Stevens. Both “The Last Broken Heart” (a reflection on California’s Proposition 8), and “Jenacide” reiterate present-day political climate. Stevens wrote two songs, “After All” (a blues piece with great trumpet runs, subtle piano chording and a “heartbeat” bass), and a collaboration with Scott on a haunting “The Roe Effect Refrain in F# Minor”.
A change of pace is provided by “Isadora” an exquisite ballad that seems to wrap the piano around the trumpet lead play. Additionally, “The Last Broken Heart” settles into a slow jazz arrangement full of tempo changes, guitar grooves, and a soaring trumpet melody line. A surprising turn at Radiohead’s “The Eraser” is evocative and sustains a jazzy waltz time delivery.
Brilliant and uneven at times, this collection of urban hymns will serve as a contemplative, provocative observation of 21st century America.
TrackList: K.K.P.D.; The Eraser; After All; Isadora; Angola, LA & the 13th Amendment; The Last Broken Heart (Prop 8): Jenacide (The Inevitable Rise and Fall of the Bloodless Revolution); Americant; An Unending Repentance; The Roe Effect Refrain in F# Minor.
——Robbie Gerson
