Frank Catalano, Jimmy Chamberlin & David Sanborn - Bye Bye Blackbird (2016/2019) FLAC

Frank Catalano must be fed up with the "young prodigy" label. On the threshold of 40 years with a twenty-year career, the Chicago musician has all the credentials to be considered a leading exponent among the saxophonists Rhythm & Blues, the so-called honkers. He made his debut at 17 with organist Charles Earland, the following year he was already on tour with Carlos Santana and in the following one he signed the first leader album with Delmark.

Since then his collaborations inside and outside jazz are not counted: from Clark Terry, Randy Brecker, Arturo Sandoval, John Medeski to Beyoncé and John Legend.

In this album Catalano pays tribute to the great Chicago tenorists Eddie Harris and Von Freeman and takes up the classic formula of the Hammond quartet, in partnership with Nir Felder on guitar and the former Smashing Pumpkins drummer, Jimmy Chamberlain, more David Sanborn guest in a couple of tracks.
The music fully responds to expectations, remaining firmly anchored to the tradition and the most representative styles of the genre. It ranges from excited funk tracks ("Chicago Eddie," "Shakin") to the inevitable forays into the blues: from the vibrant "Sugar," to the classic Davis "All Blues." And yet the classic ballad ("At Last") that Catalano develops with a long fervent solo. There is not much more to add. David Sanborn adds excellent interventions in "Bye Bye Blackbird" and "Sugar" while Nir Felder develops his inspiration in "Shakin."