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Thomas Marriott: Romance Language
ByMarriott's previous releases reflect what he and his bands do live: take risks and create excitement. Romance Language, his eleventh release for the Origin Records label, reins this approach in, with an attempt to showcase "the simple beauty of a well-played melody." With this set of gorgeously executed ballads, he could not have been more successful at that attempt.
The band is a perfect conglomeration. Marriott on trumpet and flugelhorn, joined by drummer John Bishop and bassist Jeff Johnsonthe Origin Records house rhythm section guysvibraphonist Joe Locke, from Marriott's New York days, and Ryan Cohen on keys and programming (more on Cohen later).
Most any artist in any format tries to create some form of beauty. Romance Language, with its focus on the melodies of ten well-chosen (sometimes surprisingly chosen) tunes, offers up a transcendent tranquility and purity of approach that glows with a lovely and understated allure.
Pop songster and soundtrack composer Randy Newman's "Dexter's Tune," from the 1990 Awakenings (Columbia Pictures), opens the album, walking a line between melancholy and hopefulness. Also included are two tunes from the pen of vibraphonist Locke; one from the disc's co-producer Cohen, one from Stephen Sondheim, another from vibraphonist Bobby Hutcherson, guitarist Pat Metheny and more. Then the closer, a surprise: Harold Arlen's "Somewhere Over the Rainbow." Each tune shaped and produced flawlessly.
Now, back to Ryan Cohen, who, as well as playing keys, provides the lush-but-subtle orchestrations and the "software instrument performances and programming." The sophistication of his contribution is understated but immense. Some of the post-recording accentuations of Creed Taylor's CTI Records label (often unfairly maligned) of the late '60s come to mind, with the translucent sweeteners and transformative and soothing string-like backdrops.
All those words, and no mention yet of Marriott's horn-playing. So let's go: straight at you, relaxed, pure-tonedopen horn or mutedand spot-on in the rendering of the simple beauty of the melodies. His strongest recording to date.
Track Listing
Dexter's Tune; Forgiveness; I Remember Sky; Piggyback; Always And Forever; Kampala Moon; Ghost In This House; Now; Alibi Room; Somewhere Over The Rainbow.
Personnel
Thomas Marriott
trumpetThomas Marriott: trumpet, flugelhorn; Joe Locke: vibraphone, drum programming (9); Ryan Cohen: piano, fender rhodes, orchestration & software performances, programing; Jeff Johnson: bass; John bishop: drums.
Album information
Title: Romance Language | Year Released: 2018 | Record Label: Origin Records
Comments
About Thomas Marriott
Instrument: Trumpet
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