Trumpeter and composer Jason Palmer drew on a most unusual inspiration for his latest Giant Step Arts project, The Concert: Musings For Isabella. The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston was the victim of theft in 1990, with 13 valuable pieces of art stolen. To this day, it remains the largest unsolved art heist in history. When Palmer moved to the city in 1997 to study at the New England Conservatory, he became fascinated by the mystery surrounding the theft and the whereabouts of the art. This suite of a dozen compositions offers one piece for each of the stolen items, except for Program for an Artistic Soirée (Degas), a selection that represents a pair of related sketches. A glance at the song titles and artists represented will reveal a wide range of artistic expression that includes works by Vermeer, Rembrandt and several Impressionists, as well as a 10-inch tall bronze finial of a French Imperial eagle and a gu, a bronze beaker from the Shang dynasty. The intricate tunes that Palmer constructed are the basis for a dozen intricate and spirited performances by his quintet, with tenor saxophonist Mark Turner, vibraphonist Joel Ross, bassist Edward Perez, and drummer Kendrick Scott. The up and coming Ross is new to Palmer’s orbit, but the other musicians have recorded together before, on a pair of Palmer’s SteepleChase releases, 2010's Here Today and 2013's Places. Recorded live over two nights in New York City, the quintet stretches out at length. With three outstanding and intrepid soloists in Palmer, Turner, and Ross, plus the dependable bass of Perez and the hard-swinging drums of Scott, the results are deeply satisfying. One highlight among many is Christ in the Storm on the Lake of Galilee (Rembrandt). The track features Ross soloing at length, with energetic drumming by Scott and deftly arranged horn parts that both support and amplify Ross’ lines, sending him skittering off into new directions. Chez Tortoni (Manet) is another favorite, with Palmer, Turner, and Ross trading solos over Scott’s cheerfully aggressive drumming. The beautifully entwined horns at the start of Program for an Artistic Soirée (Degas) lead into an especially lovely performance that includes a sensitive and well-constructed trumpet solo. Ross delivers an exquisite vibes solo, hushed at first with only Perez in accompaniment and growing more heated as Scott reenters. There’s plenty more to savor, in two and a quarter hours of well-wrought and passionate modern jazz. One of the best releases of the year, and strongly recommended.
Giant Step Arts GSA 004; Jason Palmer (tpt) Mark Turner (ts) Joel Ross (vib) Edward Perez (b) Kendrick Scott (d); NYC, May 23-24, 2019; Disc 1 (69:03): A Lady and Gentleman in Black (Rembrandt)/ Cortège aux Environs do Florence (Degas)/ La Sortie de Pesage (Degas)/ Christ in the Storm on the Lake of Galilee (Rembrandt)/ A French Imperial Eagle Finial/ Chez Tortoni (Manet). Disc 2 (65:56): Program for an Artistic Soirée (Degas)/ An Ancient Chinese Gu/ The Concert (Vermeer)/ Landscape with an Obelisk (Flinck)/ Self Portrait (Rembrandt)/ Three Mounted Jockeys (Degas). www.giantsteparts.org
