DAVID WEISS SEXTET

AUTEUR

Origin Records

David Weiss, trumpet/composer; Myron Walden, alto saxophone; Nicole Glover, tenor saxophone; David Bryant, piano; Eric Wheeler, bass; E. J. Strickland, drums.

An “Auteur” is a filmmaker who exhibits so much influence and artistic control over a movie that the filmmaker is regarded as the author of the movie. In this case, “Auteur” reflects the David Weiss artistic vision, as a bandleader, a trumpeter and composer.  There are three key elements of an ‘Auteur.’ One is technical competence, two is distinguishable personality, and the most important principle is interior meaning; the intangible seat of the soul. David Weiss is said to possess all three of these qualities.

Weiss has composed all the songs on this album, save two. The ensemble gives their spirited rendition of the Freddie Hubbard tune “Rebop” beginning with E. J. Strickland’s drums slamming during the intro and briefly soloing again, several bars into the tune. Then the band takes off like a rocket ship, straight-ahead all the way. Freddie Hubbard was one of the Weiss mentors.

The Weiss original, “Too Little, Too Late” swings hard too.  They open his album with this tune, establishing influences from the bebop era with post-bop traditions leading to inspired horn solos. On a tune he calls “The Mirror,” Weiss features Nicole Glover’s tenor saxophone on this pretty ballad. She does not disappoint.

“Just like politics, jazz has no middle anymore. All the best music was developed in the middle, with elements of everything pushing and pulling against each other,” Weiss states in his liner notes.

I suppose Weiss means you’re either all in or all out, or perhaps that the middle is not necessarily the safest space to occupy.  It could, in fact, be the riskiest place to be.  A tune called “Resilience (for George)” waves a lovely melody at me like a flag.  It flutters and sings from the piano fingertips of David Bryant. When Weiss enters, his trumpet re-establishes the melody before taking off into his own creative atmosphere. His arrangements embrace tempo changes and mood fluctuations.

David Weiss seems to be at the peak of his career, making assured and measured statements with his composition skills.  He presents straight-eighth songs with rhythmic shifts and complex harmonies for the band to sing.  Like any great artist, Weiss is dedicated to taking uncharted paths and telling new stories to his listening public.

Reviewed by Dee Dee McNeil

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