Saturday, January 8, 2022

Farnell Newton - Feel The Love (Posi-Tone Records)

Emotional integrity is the keynote address when Farnell Newton plays his trumpet with heartfelt and hopeful expressiveness entreating us to “Feel the Love.” As this 2021 album covers a wide range of moods and genres, Newton's trumpet playing remains steadily focused on portraying the subtle and tasteful elements of his style. He pushes melodicism to the forefront while also demonstrating his formidable command of the instrument. The whole album is truly a labor of love. To make this happen, Newton traveled east from Portland Oregon to New York City, to work with Posi-Tone and their capable rhythm section of pianist Art Hirahara, bassist Boris Kozlov, and drummers Rudy Royston and Joe Strasser.

The album also features wonderful guest appearances from several of Farnell's favorite saxophonists, including Jaleel Shaw, Braxton Cook, Brandon Wright, and Patrick Cornelius. With an amazing combination of diverse talents, several brilliant performances, and an evocative program of musical compositions, Farnell Newton keeps everything moving steadily straight forward, and continues to announce he is an important and emerging voice on today's jazz scene.
1. Feel The Love 04:43
2. Affectionately Roy 04:16
3. I'll Catch You 04:50
4. A Child Not Yet Born 05:13
5. The Bluest Eyes 06:34
6. Litoral 06:52
7. Pale 06:06
8. The Force Of Gravity 04:34
9. Laws Of Motion 04:37
10. Lawn Darts 05:19
11. Our Chosen Family 05:44

Farnell Newton - trumpet
Art Hirahara - piano
Boris Kozlov - bass
Rudy Royston - drums & percussion on all but 4, 6, 9
Braxton Cook - alto saxophone on 2, 10
Jaleel Shaw - alto saxophone on 3, 5, 7
Joe Strasser - drums on 4, 6, 9
Brandon Wright - tenor saxophone on 4
Patrick Cornelius - alto saxophone on 6, 9
Michael Dease - trombone on 7

Marc Free - producer
Nick O’Toole - engineer
recorded June 21, 2018 & September 17, 2019 (4, 6, 9) at Acoustic Recording, Brooklyn, NY
mixed & mastered at Woodland Studio, Lake Oswego, OR
photography by Andrew Wallner
package design by Jamie Brunson