Myron Walden - This Way

[gnhrtg]

Just out on Fresh Sound New Talent. A quartet disc playing an eight track program of all originals by Walden,

Myron Walden - Alto Sax

Jimmy Greene - Tenor Sax

Vicente Archer - Bass

E.J. Strickland - Drums

Seeing that Fnac finally has new FSNT releases at more humane prices, I picked this up even though I haven't heard anything by Waldon, or Greene for that matter, as a leader (might have heard them as sidemen but if so I can't remember those at the moment). This one's still wrapped so I can take it back for exchange, so I'd like to know whether someone here has heard it and would comment a little. Thanks.

[chuckyd4]

Walden has very rarely let me down, so I would guess it's a safe bet. Although I haven't heard this particular session, and haven't heard anything he's done in a couple years, so not really sure what direction he's headed in at this point. If he's kept developing like he was, though, should be a great listen.

[Jazz Kat]

Buy it, you'll love it!!

[dononjazz]

Gokhan, don't let this killer cd out of your sight. Myron will surprise you with his passion & creativity on this session. He swings hard also, and the band ROCKS.

As an added bonus, the engineering is superb. Enjoy!

[gnhrtg]

Thanks everyone. Well, I've decided to keep this and will unwrap it tomorrow and give it a first spin. I will let you know how I like it.

[dononjazz]

gokhan, I'm looking forward to your review (as always). For me, it's Myron's best release to date, although my wife thinks it's a bit on the aggressive side. But hey, she rarely agrees with my taste in music. Hope you enjoy it.

Don (aka jazzfiend)

[cannonball-addict]

This is a beautiful release. Greene and Walden are similar players and they worked together on some tom harrell stuff before. Vicente Archer is really quite the solid bassist. I've heard him on a lot recently - some Bruce Barth live set (bootleg) and on the Nicholas Payton Sonic Trance album. I am really happy to be spinning this on the radio here in pittsburgh. FSNT finally got some distribution going on outside NY and Europe!

matt

[mikeweil]

Bought an older Myron Waldon CD earlier this week for five bucks - Hypnosis. Very passionate player with a sound of his own.

Good to hear an alto conception beyond Bird and Cannonball.

[JSngry]

Just got to hear it. Kinda too "straight-line"-y in the soloing for me to enjoy at length, but there's no denying the fire and sincerity. Waldren bears some Kenny Garrett in his sound and conception, but as a starting point, not as a goal. Greene bugs me on this one, not enough variety in any aspect of his playing. Pretty sure I've heard him elsewhere to better effect, but not certain. Archer is the hero of the date for me. While everybody else is riding the ride, he quietly and assuredly is making sure that the thing stays on its tracks. Some very solid playing on his part, I'd like to hear more things that he's on to check him out. Strickalnd seems to feel that Ralph Peterson is too subtle, and seems hellbent on showing him the error of his ways. Hey, I was young once, too...

Glad to see that younger cats like this are getting an opprotunity to make records and air it out w/o compromise. The whole thing's got that "New York Claustrophobia" vibe to it that's been a part of so much jazz since the late-60s, but hey, that's where they are, and that's how they're living, so that's how they should play.

Not so sure that a change of scenery wouldn't be for the better for all (except Archer), but whatcha' gonna do 'bout that, huh?

[gnhrtg]

So been through this a few times. In general, I like this format - blowing trio/quartet without chord instrument - and I like it better when the frontmen can generate enough momentum and interest without the added input from a guitar/piano/vibes player. I think Walden and Jimmy Greene are both more than able to thrive in this format and sustain interest, yet here it happens on certain tracks rather than frequently enough to characterize the whole album. Anyway, this is still good and tracks 6 and 7 contain some killer stuff - great solos and trades. On the other hand, I think they really chose the wrong track to open the album - or they should have done another take. The lowpoint for me was the sax/drums duo passage on the 3rd track, 3 up 4 down, as it contains some of the least authoritative and directionless playing on the album, imho. As others have noted, it's refreshing to hear players who are not mere-near-copycats (though that's not to say they don't repeat themselves a bit too much every now and then - which is a different issue), and this is even truer of Walden's playing. I will be going back to this after another week or so to see if I feel differently.

And I guess I was too hung up on trying to decide what I think of the frontmen to give the rhythm team a critical ear.

edit: JSngry, agreed about the similarity to Garrett in conception, though, as you imply, in what we end up hearing, there's little resemblance - it's most obvious on track 6, Like I See It.

Edited July 17, 2005 by gnhrtg

[montg]

Archer is the hero of the date for me. While everybody else is riding the ride, he quietly and assuredly is making sure that the thing stays on its tracks. Some very solid playing on his part, I'd like to hear more things that he's on to check him out

I like Archer on Jeremy Pelt's 'Insight'. Here's a discography from his web site.

vincentearcher