JIMMY GREENE

AS WE ARE NOW

Green Music Works

Jimmy Greene, tenor & soprano saxophones/percussion/composer/arranger; Javier Colon, vocals; Mike Moreno, guitar; Aaron Goldberg, piano/Fender Rhodes Elec. piano; Shedrick Mitchell, Hammond B3 organ; Dezron Douglas, bass; Jonathan Barber, drums; Rogerio Boccato, percussion; Gabriel Globus-Hoenich, congas; Nelba & Isaiah Marquez-Green, spoken word.

All songs on this project are composed and arranged by Grammy-nominated saxophonist, Jimmy Greene except the standard, “Speak Low.”  He opens this album with a prayerful tune he calls “Praises” playing his tenor saxophone with much emotion. Greene’s tone is warm and smooth as velvet.  This is a moderate tempo number, featuring the Hammond B3 organ played by Shedrick Mitchell and Aaron Goldberg also accompanies on piano.

Vocalist Javier Colon sings track #2 called “Seventeen Days” and Greene sounds like a happy bird on his soprano saxophone.  The title tune, “As We Are Now” features the spoken word of Nelba & Isaiah Marquez-Green. Unfortunately, their voices are mixed way too low.  The music overpowers the message.  Still, it’s a pretty, smooth jazz, original composition by Jimmy Greene.  His tenor sax fluidly improvises across the tune, smooth and sweet as syrup on a spoon. Dezron Douglas trades fours with the band, briefly soloing on his upright bass instrument.  This is followed by another original song titled, “Anhelando.” It features a wonderful melody and some interesting intervals. This is one of my favorites on the album. Goldberg explores his 88 keys with creativity.

They ‘swing’ hard on “Flood Stage” taking the tempo up to compliment the rising energy of the arrangement.  Jimmy Greene sounds excited, but still cool and slippery on his tenor saxophone, like melting ice, oh so smooth as he skims along the notes.  Aaron, on piano, takes an extended solo, while Dezron walks his bass briskly, holding the groove tightly in place with Barber’s drums.

They close a notably well-played concert with “Speak Low,” employing the percussive brilliance of Rogerio Boccato. The Latin arrangement is a wonderful change of pace. This quickly becomes another favorite of mine, plucked from this exciting new music by Jimmy Greene.

Reviewed by Dee Dee McNeil

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