Trumpeter/flügelhornist
David Weiss founded
the New Jazz Composers Octet in order to showcase the writing and playing of several fellow instrumentalists, as well as his own work. Following a pair of recordings backing the late
Freddie Hubbard (whom
Weiss considers to be an important mentor) and another pair by the octet alone, this edition from 2005 has much of the same personnel, including tenor and soprano saxophonist
Jimmy Greene, alto saxophonist
Myron Walden, trombonist
Steve Davis, pianist
Xavier Davis, and bassist
Dwayne Burno, all of whom are in demand for record dates.
Weiss' hip post-bop chart "The Turning Gate" serves as an excellent introduction, with effective ensembles and tight solos, especially by
Davis.
Burno's bittersweet ballad "Once" suggests the memory of a long lost love, showcasing
Weiss in a melancholy performance.
Davis contributed the six-part "Faith Suite," an inventive work reflecting many influences, though it is heard out of sequence on this release. Recommended.