In Honor of Duke, a tribute to
Duke Ellington lovingly performed by
the Marcus Roberts Trio, displays two facets of
Roberts' performing style. One is his unrepentant traditionalism.
Roberts likes his jazz pure, and delving into
Ellington's music provided a whole palette of bits to shine and rearrange without having to cross any musical boundaries. This album also shows off
Roberts' technical virtuosity -- he is an expert arranger and an extremely gifted pianist, and he has surrounded himself with the kind of musicians who can make his interpretations communicate the delicacy and energy of the compositions they are based on.
Roberts actually makes it his goal to make the trio a more balanced showcase for all of its musicians. "Rickitick Tick," the first track on
In Honor of Duke, shows off this style. The bass and drums lead the song, and when the piano line comes in, it simply fills out the arrangement instead of relegating the rhythm lines to the background. Drummer
Jason Marsalis and bassist
Roland Guerin never fully sink into the roles of accompanists; instead, they weave in and out of solos throughout the album in a seamless manner. Most of the album stays with the traditional trio format; however, for tracks four and five,
Antonio Sanchez is brought in as percussionist and drummer, respectively, to lend a deeper texture and a Latin flavor to the songs.
Sanchez, who has sparkled as a member of pianist
Danilo Perez's trio, is a fine addition to the formula
Roberts has concocted.
Roberts isn't really breaking any new ground here, but you may not care. The music is lush and the musicianship is precise, making for a very enjoyable album for
Ellington fans and jazz fans in general. ~ Stacia Proefrock