Roberto Magris Sextet: Live In Miami @ the WDNA Jazz Gallery

The crowd seems to be having a good old time when the Roberto Magris Sextet takes the stage Live In Miami @ the WDNA Jazz Gallery. The idea for the gig came from Magris fan and Florida radio host Edward Blanco, who invited the pianist to the area to play with trumpeter Brian Lynch, bassist Chuck Bergeron, and drummer John Yarling, all educators in the University of Miami’s Frost School of Music. The sextet is rounded out by tenor saxophonist Jonathan Gomez and percussionist Murph Aucamp, two UM students making their recording debuts. Magris first appeared on record in 1961 as a member of the Gruppo Jazz Marca in Italy, while Yarling debuted on a Curtis Fuller session in 1978. Lynch started his career in the early Eighties, and Bergeron came on the scene later in the same decade. The combination of experienced veterans and fresh players just starting out often leads to an engagingly pleasing ensemble, and that’s certainly the case here. Most of the tunes are by Magris, who writes attractive melodies in a hard-bop vein, frequently with a decidedly Latin influence. The sextet also offers a tender version of Rahsaan Roland Kirk’s seldom performed April Morning, with strong solos by Gomez and Bergeron. Billy Strayhorn’s exceedingly lovely A Flower is a Lovesome Thing is a solo feature for Magris’ energetic piano. The pianist shines throughout the date, a potent soloist and enthusiastic comper who directs the flow of the music from his piano bench. Solo honors go to the estimable Brian Lynch, whose distinctive tone and bountiful musical imagination confirm why he’s been such an in-demand performer for decades. On tenor, Gomez sounds a bit unsure of himself at some points, but he’s got a nicely delineated sound and plenty of ideas. Bergeron and Yarling work very well together, with added rhythmic spice coming from Aucamp on congas. The generously long disc fades out two minutes into Blues for My Sleeping Baby just as Gomez begins his saxophone solo. It’s a classic ruse to leave the listener wanting even more music, and it works perfectly here, leaving me looking forward to the next stage of Magris’ musical journey.
JMood 014; Brian Lynch (tp) Jonathan Gomez (ts) Roberto Magris (p) Chuck Bergeron (b) John Yarling (d) Murph Aucamp (cga); Miami, FL, February 6, 2016; African Mood/ What Blues?/ Song For an African Child/ April Morning/ Chachanada/ Il Bello del Jazz/ A Flower is a Lovesome Thing/ Standard Life/ Blues for My Sleeping Beauty; 76:41. www.jmoodrecords.com