Jazz Futures - Live In Concert (2023)

When one considers the lineup of talented young musicians (trumpeters Roy Hargrove and Marlon Jordan, altoist Antonio Hart, Tim Warfield on tenor, guitarist Mark Whitfield, pianist Benny Green, bassist Christian McBride and drummer Carl Allen), this CD should have been a classic; instead it is merely good. There is a ballad feature apiece for each of the hornmen, spirited showcases for Green and Whitfield and three group jams. Unfortunately the ballads are disappointing with none of the horns adding anything new to their interprations of standards. Hargroves fares well on "You Don't Know What Love Is" but Jordan falters a bit on "Stardust." The pianist really romps in an Oscar Peterson groove on "Picadilly Square" and Whitfield is memorable on "Medgar Evers Blues" but the tradeoffs on the closing jam, "Public Eye," are self-indulgent and a bit silly. So overall the results are quite mixed.

Review by Scott Yanow