Keefe Marzell And Vintage  - Drawn Windows

 

 

Keefe Marzell has made great contributions to the smooth jazz genre by supporting as a drummer such illuminates as Marion Meadows, Bob James, Kirk Whalum, New Birth and  Commissioned (whose album was produced by Boys 2 Men). Besides this he regularly plays at the Greater Grace Temple Pentecostal church in Detroit. For his debut album Drawn Windows which was released in 2006 he assembled a loose group of top notch musicians now called "Vintage". This group consisted besides Marzell of bassist Terome “T-Bone” Hannon, who died of a brain aneurysm the day after they finished recording, and keyboardist Marcus Abernathy. During the two-year tour with Commissioned, the three musicians began writing their own music and developing the sound that became Vintage. Further guest-musicians on this album are guitarist Tim Bowman, saxophonists Randy Scott and Norma Jean Bell, keyboardist Kevin Crosby, bassists Jimmy Ali and Prince Edward Tate.

"The group is called Vintage,” explains Marzell, “because underneath the smooth jazz melodies, all of our music has an old-school funk feel.  Everything we do is groove-based – not just rhythmic, but groovin’.  In addition to that, most of the musicians on the album have played with contemporary Christian acts and gospel artists as well as in church, so there is a lot of spirituality in this music.  But no matter what our backgrounds are, we all know that to really connect with listeners we have to play with emotion. That’s what makes all the difference.”   

The starter of the album More Is Pleasure is a collaboration of Keefe Marzell and Morris Pleasure whose name mirrors in the title. Morris created the frame of the tune while Markus Abernathy performed a wide soundscape on piano.

The uptempo Now & Forever is build on a dynamic hip-hop beat presenting Randy Scott's fantastic sax performance accompanied by scat singing and humming Tim Slaughter. Randy Scott is a prolific sax player known by his debut album Words Unspoken (2002) which is available at his website.

Love Thinking of U is featuring sax player Lenny Price. Best known for his work with Grammy-winner Earl Klugh, Lenny Price has become recognized as an accomplished performer and jazz educator. Lenny performs an ultra-smooth soprano sax

One of the highlights of this album is the instrumental tune Vintage featuring guitar master Tim Bowman. Tim's guitar walks in ideal partnership with Terome T-Bone Hannon's bass.

Never Learn to Swim is more of an experimental approach following an idea of Markus Abernathy.

The real character of the group is presented by the funky title song Drawn Windows and Norma Jean Bell, an icon of sax player once a member of Frank Zappa's touring band, then bursting out in the house and dance scene on the Pandemonium label. Her sax play brings a special contemporary jazz feeling into the band.

New Jazz Swing is Keefe Marzell's show piece of rocket like drumming. Superb the mixture with rappers Eric Sumler and Harold Edwards.

Through The Night is featuring Norma Jean Bell, the sax miracle. Contemporary jazz with a twist.

Enter Slowly has a touch more of smooth jazz inflamed by Lenny Price. Lenny plays the theme in variations while bass and keys adds some flavor. Then Lenny bursts out into a special sax solo.

Goodbye Terome is Marzell's memorial to his band companion Terome “T-Bone” Hannon, who performs his last bass solo and died so soon.

Final tune is a reprise of Vintage (My Prospective). Anew we have the opportunity to listen to Tim Bowman and a dreamy bass solo of Jimmy Ali. Ali performed with P-Funk and George Clinton. Ali's Sadowsky 5-string J-bass has an unique sound.

Keefe Marzell's debut album Drawn Windows is a mature project with a well-developed sense for everything beautiful in contemporary jazz.

 

 

 

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  • Title: Drawn Windows
    Artist: Keefe Marzell
    Year: 2006
    Length: 0:48:50
    Genre: General Jazz
    Label: SMG


    Tracks: 
    01 More Is Pleasure [6:07]
    02 Now & Forever [5:09]
    03 Love Thinking of U [4:21]
    04 Vintage [3:57]
    05 Never Learn to Swim [5:26]
    06 Drawn Windows [4:33]
    07 New Jazz Swing [2:40]
    08 Through The Night [5:01]
    09 Enter Slowly [4:32]
    10 Goodbye Terome [1:36]
    11 Vintage (My Prospective) [5:28]