Posted on: October 29, 2011 Posted by: James McQuiston Comments: 0

There is an absolutely sage sound to the tracks on Resilience that belies the youth of tenor sax player Tim Mayer. While a more youthful disposition would have Mayer push eirself to the front of each of the album’s 10 tracks, Resilience has a much more varied and intelligent use of the aforementioned instrument. Nowhere is this heard as well as during the introductory For Miles; the track is able to have all members of Mayer’s band add significantly to this and subsequent tracks.

It is the interplay that is had between Mayer’s sax, Dezron Douglas’ bass, the drums by Willie Jones III and George Cables’ piano that make this album such a must-listen. When there are guest stars on a track (Mayer plays with such current luminaries like Claudio Roditi, Don Braden and Mark Whitfield), they take the same approach to creating music that Mayer does. This soft-spoken sound makes for incredibly sharp and strong versions of classics like Monk’s Work and the stunning Dance of the Infidels. There is a vitality present on Resilience that simply is not present on many albums.

While jazz may not be everyone’s cup of tea, I feel that the way in which Mayer orients each of the cuts on this album should be seen by anyone that is looking to create an impressive album. Taking Resilience as a blueprint, artists would be able to make an album that impresses musically as well as emotionally. Check this CD out from Jazz Legacy Productions today, and see which releases and recordings Mayer plays on through the end of 2011 and beyond. You will not be disappointed.

Top Tracks: I Guess I’ll Hang My Tears Out To Dry, Dance of the Infidels

Rating: 8.7/10

Tim Mayer – Resilience (CD) / 2011 Jazz Legacy Productions / 10 Tracks /

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