Dedicated to You

This, Clarence Johnson III's first album as a leader, runs the musical gamut from passionate excursions into John Coltrane influenced impressionism to the future as heard through the horn of Archie Shepp. Combining monster technical skills with impressive improvisational techniques and multidimensional musical preferences, Clarence Johnson and his musical confreres fervently assault a play list of four Johnson originals, two standards, and a spiritual. Improvisational skills are amply exhibited on Johnson's own "Rose's Rainbow" and Dizzy Gillespie's "Con Alma." On the latter, he turns Gillespie's bop classic inside out, wringing from it every drop of emotion that the song can give. Armenian jazz pianist Vahag Petian, in his only appearance on the album, is Johnson's able accomplice on this tune. The rendition of his ballad "Appeal" reveals a softer, soulful side to Johnson's tenor that is a welcome respite to the frenetic musical comings and goings. Anthony Brown's subtle guitar stroking and Jesse Boyd's bass are prominent in their support. "Watchagondoo" takes Johnson down the Shepp road with honking and squeaks segueing into a blues-based swing, and a bit of a Caribbean beat thrown in. The Roy Haynes inspired drumming of Leon Alexander is featured on this cut. The noble and rousing spiritual "How Great Thou Art" is fitting coda to a session introducing Clarence Johnson's tenor sax and compositional skills to the jazz public.