Trumpeter
Cuong Vu built a reputation out of his original compositions and their high levels of ambience and envelopment of the listener. With
Leaps of Faith, he moves into the territory of jazz standards, applying sonic methods to constantly recognizable songs until they just break into unrecognizability. With a pair of electric basses, drums, and his own trumpet,
Vu and his quartet start the album out by reworking songbook standards "Body and Soul," "All the Things You Are," and "My Funny Valentine" into experimental, looping soundscape versions of their former selves. A couple of originals provide slightly darker, more throbbing compositions and perhaps a nice look at
Vu's usual methods for a new listener. The album ends with one more
Vu original sandwiched between interesting takes on
George Harrison's "Something" and
Jackson Browne's "My Opening Farewell" -- slowed-down, almost entrancing versions of their original forms. Between stretched-out trumpet lines and the dual basses,
Vu's sound is enveloping, bathing the listener at all times. And it has a strong point to make about the relevance of avant-garde jazz. ~ Adam Greenberg