Unlimited Streaming
Listen to this album in high quality now on our apps
Start my trial period and start listening to this albumEnjoy this album on Qobuz apps with your subscription
SubscribeEnjoy this album on Qobuz apps with your subscription
Digital Download
Purchase and download this album in a wide variety of formats depending on your needs.
Over 18 years and three previous albums, drummer Brian Blade & the Fellowship Band has kept its core quintet in saxophonists Myron Walden and Melvin Butler, pianist Jon Cowherd, and bassist Chris Thomas. Landmarks sees the band returning to Blue Note after a brief sojourn with Verve for 2008's Seasons of Changes. The only fluctuations for the group have been in the guitar chair, and the departing Kurt Rosenwinkel has been replaced by either Marvin Sewell or Jeff Parker for this date. The group's raison d'etre has always been to tell narrative musical stories, through jazz based on root American forms. They do so exceptionally here. The Fellowship Band's M.O. has never been about solo virtuosity (though its members possess it abundantly) so much as group interplay. Interestingly, the title track (which follows a short flute-like Mellotron solo intro by Cowherd) commences with a folk-inspired melodic bass solo by Thomas with the pianist accompanying. The band doesn't enter until about 2:30, iterating a song-ish theme followed by economic yet soulful soprano and bass clarinet solos. Cowherd restates the theme before extending his solo in narrative yet questing fashion while Blade dialogues underneath with Thomas in circular rhythm. On "State Lines," Sewell plays an unaccompanied, ambient slide guitar solo with the Delta blues in full view. The 12-minute "Ark. La.Tex." commences on a slowly evolving five-note melodic theme that recalls Jim Pepper's Native American jazz motifs. Blade's tom- toms and the saxophonists gradually expand that theme in rounds with lilting lyric asides and modal considerations until it opens wide. Thomas and Blade move afield as Butler quotes loosely from "A Love Supreme" at the beginning of his tenor solo and the tune gains in momentum with Cowherd's continued comping while subtly exploring the melody. Its theme eventually returns after two more group lyric sidebars. Cowherd's pump organ introduces "Shenandoah," performed with hymn-like restraint -- in striking contrast to their live version. "He Died Fighting" commences with a Blade solo. Its raspy alto and tenor contrast with Sewell's lyrical guitar; it is positively songlike in construction and flow, with a killer bridge interlude. The first 40 seconds of "Friends Call Her Dot" feature Walden's bass clarinet completely solo before Butler and Parker join him in the four-chord motif, driven by Blade's confident understatement. Cowherd and Walden slip off and dazzle with counterpoint before the pianist delivers a dazzling bluesy solo rippling with imagination. Where "Bonnie Be Good" is a slow but gradually dynamic piece that melds modalism and lyric harmony in a folk-like structure (with gorgeous chord voicings from Parker), the short closer "Embers" evokes country music with its circular line via the prismatic lens of gospel. On Landmarks, the Fellowship Band continues its exploration of American folk styles in a highly original, thoroughly modern jazz, rich in harmonic inquiry and rhythmic attraction, with compositions that speak from the mysterious heart of song itself.
© Thom Jurek /TiVo
You are currently listening to samples.
Listen to over 100 million songs with an unlimited streaming plan.
Listen to this playlist and more than 100 million songs with our unlimited streaming plans.
From €13,50/month
Andy Vandette, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Brian Blade, Producer, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Christopher Thomas, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Jon Cowherd, Producer, Piano, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Brian Blade & The Fellowship Band, MainArtist - Myron Walden, Saxophone, AssociatedPerformer - Melvin Butler, Saxophones, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2014 Mid City Records, LLC, Under Exclusive License To Blue Note Records
Andy Vandette, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Chris Bell, Mixer, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Brian Blade, Producer, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Christopher Thomas, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Jon Cowherd, Producer, Piano, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Brian Blade & The Fellowship Band, MainArtist - Myron Walden, Saxophone, AssociatedPerformer - Melvin Butler, Saxophones, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2014 Mid City Records, LLC, Under Exclusive License To Blue Note Records
Andy Vandette, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Chris Bell, Mixer, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Marvin Sewell, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Brian Blade, Producer, Drums, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Christopher Thomas, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Jon Cowherd, Producer, Piano, AssociatedPerformer - Brian Blade & The Fellowship Band, MainArtist - Myron Walden, Saxophone, AssociatedPerformer - Melvin Butler, Saxophones, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2014 Mid City Records, LLC, Under Exclusive License To Blue Note Records
Andy Vandette, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Chris Bell, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Marvin Sewell, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Brian Blade, Producer, Drums, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Christopher Thomas, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Jon Cowherd, Producer, Piano, AssociatedPerformer - Brian Blade & The Fellowship Band, MainArtist - Joe Barbaria, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Myron Walden, Saxophone, AssociatedPerformer - Tim Marchiafava, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Melvin Butler, Saxophones, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2014 Mid City Records, LLC, Under Exclusive License To Blue Note Records
Traditional, ComposerLyricist - Andy Vandette, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Chris Bell, Mixer, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Brian Blade, Producer, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Christopher Thomas, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Jon Cowherd, Producer, Piano, AssociatedPerformer - Brian Blade & The Fellowship Band, MainArtist - Myron Walden, Saxophone, AssociatedPerformer - Melvin Butler, Saxophones, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2014 Mid City Records, LLC, Under Exclusive License To Blue Note Records
Andy Vandette, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Chris Bell, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Marvin Sewell, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Brian Blade, Producer, Drums, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Christopher Thomas, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Jon Cowherd, Producer, Piano, AssociatedPerformer - Brian Blade & The Fellowship Band, MainArtist - Joe Barbaria, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Myron Walden, Saxophone, AssociatedPerformer - Tim Marchiafava, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Melvin Butler, Saxophones, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2014 Mid City Records, LLC, Under Exclusive License To Blue Note Records
Andy Vandette, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Tucker Martine, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Brian Blade, Producer, Drums, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Jeff Parker, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Christopher Thomas, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Dave Coleman, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Jon Cowherd, Producer, Piano, AssociatedPerformer - Brian Blade & The Fellowship Band, MainArtist - Joe Barbaria, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Myron Walden, Saxophone, AssociatedPerformer - Tim Marchiafava, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Melvin Butler, Saxophones, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2014 Mid City Records, LLC, Under Exclusive License To Blue Note Records
Andy Vandette, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Chris Bell, Mixer, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Marvin Sewell, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Brian Blade, Producer, Drums, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Christopher Thomas, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Jon Cowherd, Producer, Piano, AssociatedPerformer - Brian Blade & The Fellowship Band, MainArtist - Myron Walden, Saxophone, AssociatedPerformer - Melvin Butler, Saxophones, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2014 Mid City Records, LLC, Under Exclusive License To Blue Note Records
Andy Vandette, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Chris Bell, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Tucker Martine, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Brian Blade, Producer, Drums, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Jeff Parker, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Christopher Thomas, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Jon Cowherd, Producer, Piano, AssociatedPerformer - Brian Blade & The Fellowship Band, MainArtist - Joe Barbaria, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Myron Walden, Saxophone, AssociatedPerformer - Tim Marchiafava, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Melvin Butler, Saxophones, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2014 Mid City Records, LLC, Under Exclusive License To Blue Note Records
Andy Vandette, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Chris Bell, Mixer, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Marvin Sewell, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Brian Blade, Producer, Drums, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Christopher Thomas, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Jon Cowherd, Producer, Piano, AssociatedPerformer - Brian Blade & The Fellowship Band, MainArtist - Myron Walden, Saxophone, AssociatedPerformer - Melvin Butler, Saxophones, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2014 Mid City Records, LLC, Under Exclusive License To Blue Note Records
Album review
Over 18 years and three previous albums, drummer Brian Blade & the Fellowship Band has kept its core quintet in saxophonists Myron Walden and Melvin Butler, pianist Jon Cowherd, and bassist Chris Thomas. Landmarks sees the band returning to Blue Note after a brief sojourn with Verve for 2008's Seasons of Changes. The only fluctuations for the group have been in the guitar chair, and the departing Kurt Rosenwinkel has been replaced by either Marvin Sewell or Jeff Parker for this date. The group's raison d'etre has always been to tell narrative musical stories, through jazz based on root American forms. They do so exceptionally here. The Fellowship Band's M.O. has never been about solo virtuosity (though its members possess it abundantly) so much as group interplay. Interestingly, the title track (which follows a short flute-like Mellotron solo intro by Cowherd) commences with a folk-inspired melodic bass solo by Thomas with the pianist accompanying. The band doesn't enter until about 2:30, iterating a song-ish theme followed by economic yet soulful soprano and bass clarinet solos. Cowherd restates the theme before extending his solo in narrative yet questing fashion while Blade dialogues underneath with Thomas in circular rhythm. On "State Lines," Sewell plays an unaccompanied, ambient slide guitar solo with the Delta blues in full view. The 12-minute "Ark. La.Tex." commences on a slowly evolving five-note melodic theme that recalls Jim Pepper's Native American jazz motifs. Blade's tom- toms and the saxophonists gradually expand that theme in rounds with lilting lyric asides and modal considerations until it opens wide. Thomas and Blade move afield as Butler quotes loosely from "A Love Supreme" at the beginning of his tenor solo and the tune gains in momentum with Cowherd's continued comping while subtly exploring the melody. Its theme eventually returns after two more group lyric sidebars. Cowherd's pump organ introduces "Shenandoah," performed with hymn-like restraint -- in striking contrast to their live version. "He Died Fighting" commences with a Blade solo. Its raspy alto and tenor contrast with Sewell's lyrical guitar; it is positively songlike in construction and flow, with a killer bridge interlude. The first 40 seconds of "Friends Call Her Dot" feature Walden's bass clarinet completely solo before Butler and Parker join him in the four-chord motif, driven by Blade's confident understatement. Cowherd and Walden slip off and dazzle with counterpoint before the pianist delivers a dazzling bluesy solo rippling with imagination. Where "Bonnie Be Good" is a slow but gradually dynamic piece that melds modalism and lyric harmony in a folk-like structure (with gorgeous chord voicings from Parker), the short closer "Embers" evokes country music with its circular line via the prismatic lens of gospel. On Landmarks, the Fellowship Band continues its exploration of American folk styles in a highly original, thoroughly modern jazz, rich in harmonic inquiry and rhythmic attraction, with compositions that speak from the mysterious heart of song itself.
© Thom Jurek /TiVo
About the album
- 1 disc(s) - 10 track(s)
- Total length: 00:53:19
- Main artists: Brian Blade & The Fellowship Band
- Composer: Various Composers
- Label: Blue Note Records
- Genre: Jazz
© 2014 Mid City Records, LLC, Under Exclusive License To Blue Note Records ℗ 2014 Mid City Records, LLC, Under Exclusive License To Blue Note Records
Improve album informationWhy buy on Qobuz...
-
Stream or download your music
Buy an album or an individual track. Or listen to our entire catalogue with our high-quality unlimited streaming subscriptions.
-
Zero DRM
The downloaded files belong to you, without any usage limit. You can download them as many times as you like.
-
Choose the format best suited for you
Download your purchases in a wide variety of formats (FLAC, ALAC, WAV, AIFF...) depending on your needs.
-
Listen to your purchases on our apps
Download the Qobuz apps for smartphones, tablets and computers, and listen to your purchases wherever you go.