We here at jazzreloaded are happy to announce another album release from the man that can be considered the Godfather of the jazzreloaded vibe -Onaje Allan Gumbs has provided inspiration for this project in the truest sense of the word:
ONAJE ALLAN GUMBS “Sack Full of Dreams” 18th & Vine
PIANIST ONAJE ALLAN GUMBS’ “Sack Full of Dreams” wasn’t intended to please listeners who aren’t necessarily jazz fans. But the 10-track CD often comes across that way just the same, buoyed by soulful, instantly accessible arrangements of “Cantaloupe Island,” “Up Jumped Spring” and that Mayberry perennial “The Fishin’ Pond,” which is set to a swift but still whistle-inducing pulse. The album’s title track, warmly sung by Obba Babatunde, isn’t exactly charm deficient, either.
Without making tiresome concessions to smooth-jazz tastes, Gumbs, a veteran keyboardist with an illustrious resume (stints with Woody Shaw, Nat Adderley and Betty Carter, among many others), sustains several inviting moods here. The bright lyricism he displays at the keyboard on the jazz samba “Destiny” and other tracks ranks high on the list of the album’s allures. In fact, it’s right up there with Gumbs’ brand of effortless, small-combo swing (check out his flowing solo on the self-penned “Nitelife”) and his frequent embrace of soul jazz grooves that brings out the best in his bandmates, including guitarist Bob DeVos and drummer George Gray. “Lament”, however, mines deeper emotions. A jazz elegy written by Gumbs after the Attica prison revolt in 1971, the piece boasts a new arrangement that showcases saxophonist Mark Shim’s somber and stirring tenor.
This article written by Mike Joyce ( Washington Post). To find out more about Onaje Allan Gumbs and his work, read this in depth article posted at All About Jazz, or check out Onaje’s Myspace