Steve Turre – Woody’s Delights – High Note

by | Jan 9, 2012 | Jazz CD Reviews

Steve Turre – Woody’s Delights – High Note 7228, 67:24 ****:
(Steve Turre, trombone and shells; with guest trumpeters, Jon Faddis (#1-2), Wallace Roney (#3-4), Claudio Roditi (#5-6), Chocolate Armenteros (#7), Freddie Hendrix (#8-9); Xavier Davis or Luis Perdomo, piano; Aruan Ortiz, Fender Rhodes; Buster Williams, Andy Gonzalez, Corcoran Holt, Nilson Matta, bass; Dion Parson or Duduka Da Fonseca, drums; Jimmy Delgado, Pedro Martinez, and George Delgado, Latin percussion)
Although Steve Turre has been a professional musician since he was a young teenager playing with a “who’s who” of Rahsaan Roland Kirk, Art Blakey, Chico Hamilton, Cedar Walton, and Elvin Jones; it is with the great trumpeter, Woody Shaw from 1981 to 1989 (when Shaw tragically died) that Turre recorded 14 records. Shaw let Steve take musical risks to fully develop his craft.
Turre, in his latest High Note release, has honored his muse by bringing four veteran trumpeters onboard as well as the oncoming talented younger trumpeter, Freddie Hendrix. Three of the veteran trumpeters are nationally known stars, Jon Faddis, Wallace Roney, and Claudio Roditi. Each is featured on two tracks, as is Hendrix. The fourth trumpeter is 83 year old Chocolate Armenteros, who is well known in Latin circles from Conjunto Libre. Armenteros plays on “Manny’s Mambo,” dedicated to Oquendo, a timbales master who fostered Steve’s passion for Latin music.
Turre wrote all the nine tracks on Woody’s Delight. He generously spreads out the compositions among three keyboard players, four bass players, two drummers, and three bongo, timbales, and conga percussionists. In addition to Woody Shaw, other tracks are dedicated to Sweets Edison, Hilton Ruiz (“Adios Mi Amigo”) and even a limo driver who musicians loved, “Brother Bob” (Colley).
As this album presents, Turre’s influences are numerous and this CD includes blues, samba, Cuban, mambo, as well as the modal post bop that Woody Shaw is most remembered.
Jon Faddis honors Woody and his own primary influence, Dizzy Gillespie, on the title track, while Sweets Edison and the swing era are feted  on “Something for Sweets.” “In Retrospect” has Wallace Roney’s muted trumpet bringing to mind Miles Davis, as does “Luna” which has shades of Miles doing “Solar.”
Brazilian trumpeter, Claudio Roditi, delivers an authentic samba with Turre showing his prowess on the shells. The youngest trumpeter on board, Freddie Hendrix. shows his blues chops on “3 for Woody” as well as on the longest track, “Brother Bob” where again Turre adds the inimitable shells before Hendrix brings a ’60s Blue Note Freddie Hubbard to mind.
Woody’s Delight offers a jazz smorgasbord that fully encompasses Turre’s talents and influences. There is something here for fans of the full spectrum of jazz genres.
Tracklist: Woody’s Delights, Something for Sweets, In Retrospect, Luna, Annette’s for Sure, Adios Mi Amigo, Manny’s Mambo, 3 for Woody, Brother Bob
—Jeff Krow

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