Introducing the C.J. Heptet

About “Introducing the C.J. Heptet”

“In the note that accompanied this recording, we learn that over the past 25 years, Cleave Guyton Jr. has worked in the reed sections of such formidable organizations as The Count Basie Band,
The Lionel Hampton Orchestra and an ensemble led by Abdullah Ibrahim, among dozens of other prime musical endeavors. This, however, is his first session in a leadership role, and it’s an intriguing one from a few perspectives. First, Guyton’s versatility is impressive. I mean, how many jazz musicians pick up the piccolo and make it work perfectly on Clare Fischer’s lyrical piece, “Pensativa”? Another aspect of this session that really jumps out at you is the fact that Guyton’s colleagues include two tenor sax players, one of whom doubles on baritone. Now think about how many possibilities that give you with the leader all over the place on reeds! Another “semi-oddity” is the absence of a pianist. That’s not uncommon, to be sure, but the group is completed with trombone, guitar, bass, and drums. A myriad of musical ideas is simply “built-in” with such instrumentation. Besides “Pensativa,” the other standard here is the Kurt Weill and Ira Gershwin beauty, “My Ship.”

The remainder of the disc is devoted primarily to Guyton’s original compositions. As you might expect, he takes full advantage of the variety afforded by a talented group of players.”