Brandon Wright
“Journeyman” (Posi-Tone)
Wright comes right out of the gate with a swagger akin to the great West Coast tenor man Pete Christlieb. “Shapeshifter,” a Wright original based on the standard “What Is This Thing Called Love,” is a hard bop burner on which fellow members of the Mingus Big Band — pianist David Kikoski, bassist Boris Kozlov and drummer Donald Edwards — fly.
At 30, Wright is from a generation not very familiar with jazz, generally speaking. That’s one reason he chose to include the Pearl Jam staple “Better Man” on the recording. Sounding similar to the late Michael Brecker, Wright evokes the rising intensity of the original in his melodic interpretation and solo.
He also covers “Wonderwall” by Oasis and “He’ll Make Me Happy” from the movie “The Muppets Take Manhattan.” Both demonstrate that melodic materials from wide sources are good fodder for a jazz approach.
Six of the 10 songs are originals, and showcase Wright’s ability to compose in varying moods and tempos, from gritty funk and melancholic remembrance to uptempo flag-wavers and fusion-like evocations of the groups Steps Ahead and the Yellowjackets.
The title of Wright’s sophomore recording is appropriate: Wright’s embrace of his journeyman status, smack dab in the middle between apprentice and master, is refreshing and bodes well for this young man’s trek to mastery.
