Brass Ecstasy Finds Its Spirit
A smaller brass band that stays rich, subtle, and still fun, paying tribute to Lester Bowie by doing something original.
Spirit Moves came out in 2009 on Douglas's own Greenleaf Music label, and it drew attention mostly from people already following him. JazzTimes critic Josef Woodard singled out the balance on the record, praising how Douglas paired an intriguing set of originals with inventively reworked cover songs, and how his cohorts played with real conviction. It was not a loud, headline-grabbing release. It was the kind of record that rewards listeners who go looking for it.
The band, Brass Ecstasy, is a brass-only quintet built around Douglas on trumpet, with Luis Bonilla on trombone, Vincent Chancey on French horn, Marcus Rojas on tuba, and Nasheet Waits on drums. Without a piano or saxophone to carry the harmony, the group has to sound lean and clear, and it does. PopMatters writer Will Layman noted that the album works as a tribute to Lester Bowie, but that the better tribute is originality, and that Douglas delivers that by keeping the sound rich, impressionistic, and versatile while still making it fun. That is the best description of what you hear here.
As a place in Douglas's catalogue, this is a solid, enjoyable entry rather than a summit. If you want his most ambitious work, start elsewhere. If you want to hear him swinging with a compact, playful ensemble, this is a good one to pick up.
Who's playing
Dave Douglastrumpet
Luis Bonillatrombone
Vincent ChanceyFrench horn
Marcus Rojastuba
Nasheet Waitsmembranophone
Where next?
More by Dave Douglas
All 38 albums →
The musicians on this record
Their own records, close in time
