Street Date 02/28/12
Good things come to those who wait. While you have to wait roughly a month for the release date, don't feel bad as Johnathan Blake waited well over two years to see this project come to light. Long story short, the wait for The Eleventh Hour is indeed time well spent.
The eleventh hour is a colloquial expression meaning "a time which is nearly too late".
Better late than never!
Blake is perhaps best known as the drummer for the Tom Harrell Quintet, arguably one of the finest quintets in the bop and post bop era of jazz. The musical resume of Blake extends to other musicians including David Sanchez, Russell Malone and the great Kenny Barron. For the uninitiated, Blake plays with the finesse of Paul Motian, the rhythmic feel of a Max Roach and the intensity of a Philly Jo Jones. Far more than a rhythmic timekeeper, Blake is a prolific instrumentalist and composer that captures a unique sound for this release with an all star cast including Jaleel Shaw, Ben Street, Robert Glasper, Tim Warfield and a special cameo from the incomparable Tom Harrell.
There is a retro yet subtle contemporary feel to this release, something warm and familiar yet fresh with vitality. Opening with "The Eleventh Hour" there is the old school rhodes sound played by Robert Glasper which is punctuated with horns, harmonica and the intricate subtleties of Blake's work in the pocket. The over looked composition from Tom Harrell "Blue News" features the man that blows more horn than anyone while Blake swings hard and here lies the secret to this magnificent recording. The Eleventh Hour is not a self indulgent "bash fest" typical of some drummers but instead the sound of the collective ensemble along with stellar arrangements pushing the music front and center allowing each artist a time to shine.
Two of the best tunes ( there are no bad tunes here ) include Blake's "Time to Kill" which is a lyrical gem featuring the wonderful Jaleel Shaw on alto saxophone. A keen harmonic development and a definite lyrical sense of purpose drive this tune to a level some players work decades to achieve. The second tune to jump out is the smoker "Of Things to Come" where Blake again swings like a beast but remains the glue binding this stellar ensemble together.
Johnathan Blake is one of the many reasons that I shy away from the technical review. A 12-tone row and a melody that is kicked up a notch and built on 4ths is essentially meaningless to anyone other than a seasoned musician. The bottom line is that with The Eleventh Hour, Johnathan Blake makes a dramatic musical statement as a performer and especially as a composer having written seven of the ten tunes on this release. Blake swings hard and firmly establishes himself in the upper eschelon of drummers working today. Johnathan Blake looks past the music to the sound of where post bop jazz is heading and creates a release of tremendous depth and lyrical character.
A review that writes itself.
5 stars!
Tracks: The Eleventh Hour; Rio's Dream; Blue News; Dexter's Tune; Time To Kill; Of Things To Come; Freefall; No Left Turn; Clues; Canvas.
Personnel: Johnathan Blake: drums; Jaleel Shaw: alto saxophone (all tracks except 3,4,8 & 10); Mark Turner: tenor saxophone ( except track 5); Kevin Hays: piano, fender rhodes (all tracks except 1,5,6 & 10); Ben Street: bass.
Special Guests: Tom Harrell: trumpet, flugelhorn ( tracks 3 & 5); Gregoire Maret: harmonica ( 1,10); Robert Glasper: piano, fender rhodes (1,5 & 10); Tim Warfield: tenor saxophone (8).
Video via You Tube
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