High Crimes and Misdemeanors CD Review

Seattle jazz icon Jay Thomas seems to be in legacy mode. For fifty years, the veteran trumpeter/saxophonist has been at the forefront of the jazz scene in Seattle, along the way gaining international acclaim. His ability to play both trumpet and saxophone with virtuosity is rare indeed, perhaps only equaled by the late in jazz history. This summer, Thomas released Upside, a superb Jim Wilke recording of a quartet performance from 1997.

With his new release, High Crimes and Misdemeanors, Thomas teams up with drummer Matt Wilson, and an all-star cast, for a loose blowing session recorded in the summer of 2019. The recording features a number of bright lights on the Seattle scene, notably bassist Michael Glynn, pianist John Hansen, and guitarist Milo Peterson. Trombonist Dan Marcus holds down the front line with Thomas. Thomas offers two originals, most notably “Big George”, a bluesy homage to George Coleman. Thomas and Peterson find their way through the melody, with Thomas carrying the weight on tenor. The two kick off the solos brilliantly, followed by Hansen’s well-articulated voicings and Wilson’s lively drum and cymbal work. That pattern takes the listener from tune to tune, with stunning melody embellished by artful melodic improvisation.

Ellington’s elegant “Low Key Lightly,” features Marcus and Thomas bringing the rich melody to life, with Thomas’ alto solo reworking the melody with equal elegance. Thelonious Monk’s “Bright Mississippi,” seems to fall back to its contrafact roots in “Sweet Georgia Brown,” with Marcus holding down the bottom end on tuba. Thomas takes on Fats Navarro’s “Nostalgia,” with unshakeable cool on trumpet, weaving in and out of the melody with Peterson’s sparkling single note lines. Throughout each tune, Wilson pushes the band with his brilliant and always playful work on drums.

The rhythm section work on this recording is to be especially noted, with Peterson and Hansen working hand in hand with Wilson to create bountiful space for this all out, session style recording. Glynn is seamless on bass, and offers deft solo work of his own. Bassist Chuck Deardorf guests for Clifford Jordan’s “Bo Till,” and Dan Dean contributes on electric bass on the finale, “Is It True What They Say About Dixie?”–Paul Rauch