JAZZ ALBUM REVIEW : David Murray in ‘Fast Life’ : *** 1/2: DAVID MURRAY: “Fast Life”: <i> DIW/Columbia</i>
Murray’s strong, talkin’-to-ya tenor style, pumped fat with unexpected leaps and tumbles, is given the perfect showcase here in the company of bassist Ray Drummond, drummer Idris Muhammad and pianist John Hicks, whose solo on “Luminous” fairly glows with gentle warmth.
The selections mirror urban tempos with Murray’s title tune being the most frantic. Fellow saxophonist Branford Marsalis guests on two of the six cuts, and the resonant blend of the two tenors is almost rib-cracking in its strength. “Fast Life” is a wonderfully witty addition to Murray’s now extensive catalogue.
*
Albums are rated on a scale of one star (poor), two stars (fair), three stars (good, recommended), four stars (excellent).
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