Thomas Marriott

Screen Time

Imani

West coast trumpeter and composer Thomas Marriott delivers his 15^th album as a leader, “Screen Time.” Bassist and Detroiter Robert Hurst III as well as Philly-based  pianist Orrin Evans and drummer Mark Whitfield Jr. traveled to Seattle to cut this session in March of 2024 consisting of Marriott’s arrangements of popular TV shows and movies as well as a couple of his originals across nine tracks. Evans, the label owner, produced the album. Marriott’s star has glowed luminously recently. He’s the youngest inductee to the Seattle Jazz Hall of fame, and is founder of Seattle Jazz Fellowship, a non-profit dedicated to promoting jazz music and culture in Seattle. In 2024 he was named a “Jazz Hero” by the Jazz Journalists Association for his work in this endeavor, which also drew a feature from “The New York Times.”

The quartet begin with “Summer Night’ from the film “Sing Me a Love Song.”  Marriott’s trumpet soars above the kinetic backdrop of Hurst’s furious plucking, Evans’ dynamic chords, and Whitfield Jr.’s whirlwind kit work. The quartet is reaching high and swinging hard,  painting a joyous cinematic portrait. The tempo slows remarkably as Marriott’s low pitched muted trumpet carries the endearing melody form “Mr. Rogers Neighborhood” in “It’s Such a Good Feeling” as Evans turns to the Fender Rhodes, adding sparkling, resonating notes to balance Marriott’s deep tones.  The rambunctious “Skip Intro’ is a Marriott original that begins with as ostinato and morphs into an angular, swinging piece with each individual delivering high powered chops, bringing it to an explosive finale.

Evans returns to the Fender Rhodes and Marriott blows beautifully, alternating registers on the highly recognizable “You Only Live Twice” from the James Bond film of the same name. Marriott’s solo here is the epitome of aggressive, yet balanced trumpet playing as the rhythm section creates that infectious kind of movement and drama found in Bond movies. “Goodbye/Love Theme from “Predator” has Marriott beginning with somber lines, getting agitated in places while Evans (on Rhodes) and the rhythm section take a most deliberate march-like tempo as the leader sustains his elongated notes, until the back half of the tune mixes in some funky cadences to an abrupt close.  “Pinball Number Count” from “Sesame Street”with its seesaw opening melody yields to another tour de force trumpet solo from Marriott as the backing trio digs into a funky groove, abetted by Shedrick Mitchell’s organ backing Evans who stretches out on the keys.

Whitfield Jr.’s whispering brush work kicks off Randy Newman’s ballad “Dexter’s Tune,” from the film “Awakenings” as Marriott again takes to the mute for those  rapturous low tones while the trio brings delicate, simpatico support.  Evans’ solo is just right; a few well placed notes is all that’s needed for this sublimely gorgeous standout.  The swinging title track is the second Marriott original, as the quartet locks into their locomotive mode, Hurst and Whitfield Jr. stoking the boiler behind Evans’ rambling runs and Marriott’s stratospheric lines, Hurst echoing the trumpeter’s energy. The closer, “Reading Rainbow,” is from the TV show of the same name, a tune more obscure than some of the others but serves almost as a bookend, carrying a joyous vibe similar to the opener at a medium tempo. Whitfield Jr.and Evans dance their way gleefully through the mid-section, carrying that same vibe as Marriott weaves his lyrical lines, mixing bursts and sustained notes as the tempo surges forward.

Marriott and the quartet deliver the full spectrum of jazz here, shifting from unbridled, high energy to tender balladic renderings. It all works superbly.  Grab the popcorn and settle in. You’ll undoubtedly recognize some of these tunes and will like those you don’t know just as much.

– JIm Hynes

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