The Gift: Volume Nine

For the past few years, young Denmark Vessey has been releasing a series of albums, both as a leader of carious groups and as a sideman in various others, which definitely mark him as one of the most exciting young players in music. Vessey’s last album prior to this (2013’s Cult Classic) employed Scud One for the rhythm section. Vessey, in his own playing suggest that he may be forging a link between the new mainstream and prior innovations. It is to Vessey’s credit that this album achieves a surprising degree of unity. There is little of the haphazard feeling that too often arrends blowing sessions by pick-up bands. It would be easier to mistake this for a group which works regularly. Part of that is simply because Vessey is a part of the new mainstream, the part that is seeking beyond the accepted common language to find ways of extending it. The rest is because of Vessey’s unusual talent.