Joe Lovano, Us Five
Folk Art
Blue Note / 2009
1. Powerhouse
2. Folk Art
3. Wild Beauty
4. Us Five
5. Song For Judi
6. Drum Song
7. Dibango
8. Page 4
9. Ettenro
Joe Lovano, saxophones, composer
James Weidman, piano
Esperanza Spaulding, bass
Otis Brown III, drums
Francisco Mela, drums
JOE LOVANO formed a new band that he calls US FIVE to record Folk Art, his 22nd effort for Blue Note. In the liberated spirit of 1960s avante-garde and 1970s loft scenes — featuring rising stars Esperanza Spalding on bass, Francisco Mela and Otis Brown III on drums and percussion, and James Weidman on piano — this is Joe’s first album of all original compositions, mixing his native-tongue free jazz elasticity with nuanced Latin grooves and meditative lyricism. The recording captures the edge-of-the-seat group interaction of US5 as the band intuitively interprets Lovano’s compositions in a loose and joyous way.
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