Three months officially remain in the quickly aging year that is 2024, and as the clock ticks away, many critics are starting to prepare their annual “best-of” lists. This as many record labels are winding down their annual “summer push” (as this critic has come to call it). The push is that annual massive load of new releases. The jazz community has seen just as many notable new releases this year as any other music community, including the Patrick Wolff Quintet’s latest offering, Bay Blue. Released June 11 through Bop City Music, the nine-song record is an enjoyable offering from the clearly talented saxophonist and his fellow musicians, as each of its arrangements prove. While the arrangements are unquestionably engaging and enjoyable, each in its own right, the lack of any liner notes discussing the songs detracts from the record’s enjoyment to some level. This will be discussed a little later. The sequencing of the fully immersive arrangements works with the songs to make the whole a record that is still largely successful offering from Wolfe and company.
Bay Blue, the recently released album from the Patrick Wolff Quintet, is a mostly positive new offering from the veteran saxophonist and his fellow musicians – Mike Olmos (trumpet), Keith Saunders (piano), Eric Markowitz (bass), and Evan Hughes (drums). The album’s success comes in large part through each of its featured musical arrangements. Their diversity in regard to sound and style offers plenty for audiences to appreciate. That 63-musical adventure opens with a light bop style composition in the form of ‘Cool Stones.’ Wolff leads the way in this seven-and-a-half-minute composition and is complimented just as expertly by Saunders’ bouncy chords and Hughes’ steady time keeping. Olmos gets his moment in the light, too, making for a great counter to Wolff. The way that the musicians each play off of each other throughout makes the song so rich in its approach.
As Wolff and company finish ‘Cool Stones,’ they change things quite noticeably in ‘Some of Frank’s Things.’ Not to get too far off topic here, but noting again, the lack of any liner notes, there is no background on who “Frank” is or was and what his “things” are or were. Having some background certainly would have helped audiences have more than a surface appreciation for the song. Getting back on the main topic, this arrangement is more of a light swing style work that conjures thoughts of some of jazz legend Frank Sinatra’s lighter lounge type works. Again, the whole group bounces well off of one another from beginning to end of this nearly seven-minute opus, each doing his own part to impress as the group changes gears.
The changes continue once again in the album’s title track, which is also its third track. The group slows things down quite a bit here with this subtle, bluesy composition. There are moments in this arrangement that conjure thoughts of old Duke Ellington pieces, believe it or not what with the way the group somehow manages to create a sense of a big band here even being a small group. It honestly shines as one of the album’s best entries.
Wolff and company keep things interesting as the album’s title track ends and leads into the record’s next track, ‘Ole.’ That is because in this track, the group has gone from a blues/jazz composition to a much different vein in the Latin jazz realm. What is so interesting in this offering is just how light the group keeps the feeling. Somehow the group manages so well to balance its American jazz leanings with those sounds of Cuba that so many people love. The result is a composition that is unique in its own right.
As the album reaches its midpoint, ‘Mister Softee,’ the diversity in the album’s arrangements continues so fluidly. There is more blues style jazz here, but it is different from that presented in ‘Bay Blue.’ This even as the Ellington comparison comes back into play. From here to the album’s finale, the group continues changing things up from one song to the next, keeping things plenty interesting. All things considering, the diversity in the album’s musical arrangements makes for plenty for listeners to appreciate from this record.
As much as the diverse arrangements do to make Bay Blue worth hearing, the lack of any background on the songs anywhere in the album’s packaging detracts from that appeal. As noted already, a song, such as ‘Some of Frank’s Things’ leaves one wondering about the identity of the “Frank” in question and his “things.” Having that background would certainly deepen the appreciation for this composition. On another note, a song, such as ‘Hurricane, which closes out the album, is an energetic work. It would be wrong to call it frenetic in its energy, but it certainly has a lot going on. To that end, it would be interesting to know how that energy and the song’s title tie in together. But again sadly, there is no background information to help appreciate that tie. To that end, it is yet another example of the importance of said content. On yet another example, ‘Back Road’ is a much more laid back composition with vibes of works from the likes of Neal Hefti. The very title ‘Back Roads’ conjures the thoughts of driving along…well…a back road, enjoying the scenery and the lighter mood that it sets versus the stress of being on so many of America’s major interstate highways. The song’s mood seems to mirror that thinking, too, as relaxed as it is. Again, the problem is that there is no background to certify that seeming connection. So once again to that end, that lack of information on the song is proof of how much extra enjoyment could have been added to the album. Keeping all of this in mind, it is clear that the lack of any information on the songs anywhere in the album’s packaging detracts notably from the album’s enjoyment. It is not enough to doom the recording, but it certainly would have enhanced that engagement and entertainment.
Knowing that the lack of any background on the songs is not enough to doom the album, there is at least one more positive to note here. That positive is the sequencing of the album’s diverse arrangements. As has been pointed out, Wolff and company keep things interesting from one song to the next. The sounds and styles change quite notably throughout its first half and a little more subtly in its second half. Through it all the sounds and styles change just enough and keep the album’s energy moving fluidly. The result is that hearing the album’s overall content (and even the production thereof) is sure to keep listeners engaged and entertained right to its end. To that end, Bay Blue proves to be a record that while imperfect due to its lack of liner notes, is still largely successful and another welcome addition to this year’s field of new jazz albums.
Bay Blue, the recently released new album from the Patrick Wolff Quintet, is a mostly positive new offering from the group that most jazz finds will find enjoyable. That is due in large part to its featured arrangements. The arrangements take listeners in a variety of directions stylistically and in regard to sound from one to the next from the album’s opening to its end. As much as the album’s songs do to make it worth hearing, the lack of any background on the songs detracts from the ensured engagement and entertainment at least to a point. What it takes from the album’s appeal is not enough to doom the album, though. Keeping that in mind, the album’s sequencing works with the songs themselves to make for more enjoyment. That is because it shows the clear time and thought that went into making sure the songs’ styles and sounds kept listeners engaged. The result is an impact that is just as positive as the album’s content itself. That content and the sequencing together make for plenty of reason to hear this record and one more welcome addition to 2024’s field of new jazz albums.
Bay Blue is available now. More information on the album is available along with all of Patrick Wolff’s latest news at https://patrickwolffmusic.com.