Music reviews. CD reviews. Critically hip!

Sketched in the background on the cover of Paul Carr’s latest release Musically Yours, is face of man by the name of Joe Henderson. Henderson (1937-2001) left an incredible amount of material and inspiration with jazz music over his career, appearing with such heavy hitters as Horace Silver, Freddie Hubbard, Bobby Hutcherson and Herbie Hancock. He also left an autograph copy of a one his own records with Paul Carr, which he signed: “To Paul, Musically Yours, Joe.”Carr, on Tenor Sax, teams up with fellow educator Terell Stafford (trumpet), Mulgrew Miller (piano), Michael Bowie (bass) and Lewis Nash (drums), to choose five Henderson charts among with works by Cole Porter, Louis Scherr, Tad Dameron and even Carr himself. The musicians kill every solo with finesse and flavor while maintaining the unity required in all jazz settings. Technically speaking, Joe Henderson is one of the most challenging players for any saxophone player to approach on the horn. On Carr’s latest record he embraces and re-invites you into the works of the tenor legend.

Carr hails from Washington, DC where he gigs, teaches and is the director of the Jazz Academy of Music Inc., a non-profit organization that he founded in 2002. His wisdom as both an educator and performer shines though his hard-charging and soulful post-bop talent. His tone, wide and smooth then wailing in heavy intervals sounds dangerously close Henderson’s approach to the tenor saxophone. “Joe’s musicianship and teaching principles are what I strive for in my musical career”, says Carr.

The album kicks off with its title track written by Carr, entitled Musically Yours. Nash on drums provides the crisp swing and active pulse behind Stafford on trumpet, who wails his way though alternate chord changes. The intensity brought by this ensemble from the very first tune, ensures that this album will not be an average homage, tribute album that we often see cats crank out. Highlights on the record include latin inspired charts like Y Todavia LaQuiero which featrures a fantastic piano introduction by Miller and a drum solo by Nash.  The other latin chart is“Mamacita and with its funky latin groove, it is easy to get sucked into its blues rhythms. I couldn’t help but bob my head; each solo was as interesting as the next. One of the more passionate pieces on the album is Black Narcisus, a Tenor Sax and Piano duet.

The mission statement on this record seems clear: to honor of the great himself, what he stood for and play some killin’ Henderson charts. Carr and his top-notch combo create an element of pure musicianship. Musically Yours is a reflection of Joe Henderson’s influence on not only Carr but jazz music entirely.