Description
Continuing a long tradition of wonderful jazz saxophone quartet recordings FOUR adds trumpet, trombone, piano, guitar, bass and drums for a smorgasbord of new tunes by the amazing composer, Mark Watkins.
FOUR is Mark Watkins, soprano saxophone; Ray Smith, alto saxophone; Sandon Mayhew, tenor saxophone; and Jon Gudmundson, baritone saxophone.
They are joined by Derrick Gardner, trumpet (Count Basie Band); Vincent Gardner, trombone (lead trombone with the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra); Justin Nielsen, piano; Corey Christiansen, guitar; Braun Kahn, bass; and Kobie Watkins, drums (Sonny Rollins). (See Gordon Goodwin’s review in the FOUR bio and Mark’s own notes.)
The tunes are significantly different from each other and offer a varied tour of styles with the inventive twist of Mark Watkins. Perhaps it should be noted that Mark wrote and recorded the tunes after he went completely blind. This is one unique recording not to be missed in the plethora of new recordings coming out.
