One of the strongest virtues of trumpeter Tatum Greenblatt’s Imprints is his selection of material. “Paris Is Burning,” written by young electric guitarist singer-songwriter St. Vincent (Annie Clark), makes use of traditional jazz devices applied to a very contemporary composition. Sting’s “Consider Me Gone,” from his recording The Dream of the Blue Turtles, makes good textural use of Adam Birnbaum’s Nord keyboard, giving this 80s piece a 60s Hammond feel for the head, which also features effective interval work from Greenblatt and saxophonist Geoff Vidal. The tour de force of the recording is Greenblatt’s arrangement of Clifford Brown’s “Daahoud,” contrasting oddmeter and driving swing sections, skillfully executed by bassist Boris Kozlov and drummer Donald Edwards. Also on the release: guitarist Simon Kafka and vocalist Sofia Tosello. While opening track “Frafrito Malenke Bonacci (Diap!)” flirts with over-production – layers of overdubbing – and “Silhouette” may be too trite, Greenblatt has fully harnessed both his education and his influences. Imprints is a well-conceived, wellproduced recording by one of jazz’s rising stars. Educated in Seattle’s Garfield jazz program, New York’s New School and Juilliard, young Greenblatt is a virtuoso in his own right and has adroitly incorporated his primary influences – Wynton Marsalis, Clifford Brown, Lee Morgan and, most audibly, Freddie Hubbard. This third release reflects the virtuosity of a well-schooled musician.
– Fred Kellogg
