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ELLERY ESKELIN
The Sun Died (Soul Note)
Like the Chicago tenor this recording compliments, Ellery Eskelin blows fat and blustery
all over The Sun Died. Recording an homage to Gene Ammons makes perfect sense for
Eskelin. Ammons was a muscular, post-bop blower with a death-lock on the blues, paying no mind as his soul-tinged successes alienated the jazz purists. Eskelin, a fierce,
Manhattan-based modernist, slides into Ammon's melodic domain nicely, nailing his
slippery tone with distinction, while Marc Ribot's jittery guitar clusters and Mark
Wollesen's artillery drums provide unconventional, and phenomenal, backup. Eskelin spent
his early years performing with Joey Baron, Ray Anderson, Joe Lovano, Paul Motian,
and many others of similar stature, putting in his time with the group Joint Venture
before embarking on his own. The Sun Died, his sixth album, zig-zags through Ammon's
long career with aplomb and intensity, interspersing classics like "Twistin' the
Jug" and "Seed Shack" with obscure treasures; every selection on the album sings.
The purists might hate it, but Jug would have stood and applauded.
(4.5 stars) -- Jeff McCord
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