Isrea Butler - Congo Lament

(Vegas Records, 2024)

Jazz Promo Services

Trombonist Isrea Butler, first chair in the present Count Basie Orchestra, releases a respectful homage to two trombone titans, Bennie Green and J.J. Johnson. This recording featured material from Green’s 1959 release Bennie Green Swings The Blues (Enrica), which contributed the single song “Pennies From Heaven” with the remaining six songs deriving from tenor saxophonist Ike Quebec’s Easy Living (Blue Note, 1962/1987) which featured Green on trombone. J.J. Johnson appears in spirit only, that master informing on the bebop-infused “I.Q. Shuffle” and “B.G.’s Groove Two” while the remaining songs marinate in Green’s downhome vernacular.

This urbane mainstream recording enjoyed and benefitted from Chuck Foley’s crack engineering with all instruments captured in sharp relief. Butler’s trombone, a troublesome instrument to record, is prominently captured as is the tenor saxophone of his Basie bandmate Doug Lawrence. The performances approach the elan of 1950s and ‘60s blowing sessions without the wreckless execution that leads to acceptable realization. The band excels as one on the Stanley Turrentine blues “Que’s Pills” and Ma Rainey’s “See See Rider,” with the band executing slickly on the former and dirty in the drain on the latter.