Darrell Grant's MJ New: Our Mr. Jackson
Lair Hill Records
As its name intimates, Darrell Grant's MJ New is a modern-day quartet inspired by the enticing example of the Modern Jazz Quartet. Further to that, the nascent outfit's debut album Our Mr. Jackson pays homage to the original group's vibraphonist Milt Jackson and revives the elegant classical-jazz style made famous by him and drummer Connie Kay, pianist John Lewis, and bassist Percy Heath. Taking their places in MJ New alongside Portland, Oregon-based pianist Grant are vibraphonist Mike Horsfall, bassist Marcus Shelby, and drummer Carlton Jackson. As upbeat as the album generally is, there's a slightly bittersweet quality to it, however, as after it was recorded on November 30, 2018 at Portland's Heavywood Studios Jackson passed away in July 2021 (the drum chair's now helmed by Cecil Brooks III). The release thus celebrates and honours two Jacksons, Milt and Carlton, for different reasons.
Like its predecessor, Grant's quartet cuts a wide swath, stylistically. Classical and jazz come into play, obviously, but other colours emerge on the twelve-track set, gospel, blues, and Brazilian among them. A mere scan of the titles suggests as much, with fresh treatments of standards (“Surrey with the Fringe on Top,” “Autumn in New York”) rubbing shoulders with pieces by Milt Jackson (“Bag's Groove”), John Lewis (“Versailles”), Duke Ellington (“Drop Me Off in Harlem”), Mary Lou Williams (“Cancer,” from her Zodiac Suite), and Terence Blanchard (“Wading Through”). The classical side of things is addressed in a stately Schubert interpretation (“Adagio,” from the String Quintet in C major) and “Bach to Brazil.” Rounding out the release are a couple of Grant originals, the result a thoroughly well-rounded set-list.
As someone who comfortably operates in jazz and classical milieus, Grant's well-qualified for such a project. His playing's assured whether tackling the bluesy bounce of “Bag's Groove” or the formal solemnity of the Schubert “Adagio,” not something every jazz pianist might be able to lay claim to. That Milt Jackson cover also flatters Horsfall, Shelby, and Jackson as much as the pianist when the performance swings so royally. Horsfall's vibes breezily cartwheel across the infectious pulse generated by the others, and Grant picks up where he leaves off with a dazzling solo turn. The quartet format works beautifully in this case for allowing each participant ample space to express himself and do so with clarity. Swinging as fabulously are “Versailles,” “Drop Me Off in Harlem,” and the seriously boppish “Surrey with the Fringe on Top. ”Blanchard's “Wading Through,” on the other hand, shows the four are capable of brooding drama when the material calls for it.
Highlighting the second movement of a suite Grant wrote after moving from New York to Portland in the late ‘90s, “Crossing the Bridge: Vanport” waxes lyrically before escalating rapturously during the leader's solo. Performed by the MJQ on its 1956 Prestige release Django, “Autumn in New York” is given a fittingly languorous reading by MJ New, with vibes amplifying the dreamlike character of the song and the quartet achieving a kind of quiet grandeur in its treatment. Daringly bridging jazz and classical are Williams' ruminative “Cancer” and Grant's cheeky Für Elise-influenced “A Viennese Affair.” Migrating from New York to Germany, Vienna, and Brazil, Our Mr. Jackson offers a credible update on the MJQ's sophisticated chamber-jazz sound and pays tribute to its enduring legacy. Were the original four still with us, they'd no doubt approve of what Grant and company get up to on the release.December 2023