Philip Dizack - End Of An Era (2012)

Philip Dizack: trumpet; Jake Saslow: tenor saxophone (1, 2, 5, 6, 8); Aaron Parks: piano (1-3, 5, 7); Sam Harris: Fender Rhodes (5, 6, 8); Linda Oh: bass (1-3, 5, 7); Joe Sanders: bass (4, 6, 8); Kendrick Scott: drums (1-3, 5,7); Justin Brown: drums (4, 6, 8); Reinaldo DeJesus: percussion (4); Maria Jeffers: strings (1, 5, 7); Matt Aronoff: strings (1, 5, 7); Nora Krohn: strings (1, 5, 7); Brooke Quiggins Saulnier: strings (1, 5, 7).

Philip Dizack's End of an Era is a resounding album that is solidified by fine ensemble work and composition that breathes emotion and thoughtfulness. Since his 2005 debut, Beyond a Dream on Fresh Sound Records, Dizack has crafted his skill as a trumpeter and composer. This sophomore release is a statement of maturity that is born out of personal life experiences. The music's sweeping and heartfelt themes are realized through two different lineups that include the likes of up-and-comers such as bassists Joe Sanders, Linda May Han Oh, drummer Kendrick Scott, and pianist Aaron Parks, as well as the incorporation of luxuriant strings that further enhance Dizack's verdant compositions. The nine tracks form soundscapes that blend the freedom of jazz with meticulous composition witnessed in title's cinematic depth or the jubilant circuitous vamp in "Growth," where the trumpeter fervently spars and harmonizes with yet another bright horn player, saxophonist Jake Saslow.

Dizack's pens all about one piece, but it's probably the most haunting—a touching rendition of Coldplay's "What If" where the trumpet's mute pours out emotion as lush strings color the British rock group's hit melody. The writing's emotional fervor is another factor—the resonant horn-play in "Book of Stones" or the playful banter between percussion and bass in "Thuja Nigra" ---as each track is imbued with a sense of purpose and hopeful sentiment.

The contemporary jazz trumpet is in very good hands with a growing roster of emerging players such as Ambrose Akinmusire, Nate Woolley, and Jonathan Finlayson. Named by Downbeat Magazine as one of 25"Trumpet Players for the Future," Philip Dizack's End of an Era is proof that he should be counted in that number. ~Mark F. Turner