DAVID LARSEN

COHESION

Dayolo Music

David Larsen, baritone saxophone/composer; Zaccai Curtis, piano; Alex Apollo, bass; Wayne Smith Jr., drums; Darryl Yokley, tenor saxophone/composer.

The tight harmonies of David Larsen on baritone saxophone and Darryl Yokley on tenor saxophone opens the first tune on this album and capture my attention. Larsen and Yokley are the composers of these eight tracks.  Six written by David Larsen and two by Yokley.  The composition is titled “Cohesion.”  Certainly, this tune unites and introduces the band, presenting a united whole. It’s based on two modes played at once. In music language, that means the first chord defines the tonal center, while the melody is based on a similar mode a perfect fifth away.   But it’s the second track titled “Down To It” that’s bebop personified. It reminds me of jazz from the 1960s. The tempo races and Alex Apollo steps out with an extraordinary bass solo. Larsen and Curtis lock horns and sing the melody harmonically.  Their melody makes me want to sing along.  This is a great song written by Larsen who steps forward on baritone saxophone to fire out his solo.  Darryl Yokely follows, also empowering his tenor instrument to do his bidding and spreading his joy.  Zaccai Curtis is notably dynamic on piano.   This quintet knows how to set a groove and swing an arrangement. Larsen is an artist based in Spokane, Washington and has performed and/or recorded with numerous artists including Ken Peplowski, Bill Mays, Delbert Anderson, Francisco Torris, the Spokane Symphony orchestra and jazz vocalist Halle Loren, to name only a few.  I love Larsen’s song, “Fedchock.”  When David Larsen steps forward to offer his baritone saxophone solo, I startled my household by shouting out “Yeah” during his soulful solo. There’s nothing I like better than a great baritone player.  This song sounds like a jazz standard.

When David heard these East Coast musicians play, Larsen knew he had to record with them. The baritone master was happy to include two original pieces by Yokley because he said,

“They reminded me of the great Wayne Shorter and John Coltrane compositions.  They are a great challenge to play over, but well worth it!”  

When this composer and baritone sax man met Yokley, Curtis, Apollo and Smith during a countrywide tour they were making, he knew he wanted to record with them and get their ‘take’ on his original compositions. He brought the group out to work with students at Spokane Falls Community College and to appear as guests for the local jazz workshop.  During that invitation, Larsen asked if they would like to go into the studio to record this album. What a blessing that they said, yes!

“This project was a great stretch for me as a player and composer, but it has been an absolute joy to put together, and I hope you enjoy listening to it as much as I enjoyed making it,” David Larsen summed up this production.

It was also a joy to listen to David Larsen.  Thank you for sharing!

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