With his warm, woody tone and agile improvisational lines, Dezron Douglas is one of the most sought after and recognizable bassists of his generation. A graduate of the Hartt School of Music where he was mentored by legendary saxophonist Jackie McLean, Douglas has risen from an ear-turning young lion to a broad-minded stylist whose work straddles adventurous post-bop, earthy soul-jazz, and elements of the avant-garde; all of which he touches upon on 2022's vibrant Atalaya. If you happened to catch Douglas' magical 2020 duo ...
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With his warm, woody tone and agile improvisational lines, Dezron Douglas is one of the most sought after and recognizable bassists of his generation. A graduate of the Hartt School of Music where he was mentored by legendary saxophonist Jackie McLean, Douglas has risen from an ear-turning young lion to a broad-minded stylist whose work straddles adventurous post-bop, earthy soul-jazz, and elements of the avant-garde; all of which he touches upon on 2022's vibrant Atalaya. If you happened to catch Douglas' magical 2020 duo collaboration with harpist Brandee Younger, Force Majeure, you'll already be familiar with his knack for both grounding a song while filling out the edges with his rich sound and nuanced harmonic choices. It's a vibe that also distinguished his early, 2013 quintet album Live at Small's. However, where that album was his take on the classic Blue Note sound of the 1960s, Atalaya has the atmospheric warmth of a '70s CTI or ECM production. Helping him achieve this tactile and enveloping vibe is his quartet, featuring pianist George Burton, saxophonist Emilio Modeste, and drummer Joe Dyson, Jr. Also featured is Cuban vocalist Melvis Santa, who brings her hushed style to "Wheeping Birch," a floating, modal song that evokes the work of Gal Costa. Equally compelling is "Rose," a delicate 3/4 piece showcasing Modeste's yearning soprano sound. More frenetic are instrumentals like "Coyoacan" and "Luna Moth, skittering free jazz numbers rife with full-throated tenor squawks and shattered mirror piano runs that sound something like Sonny Rollins playing capture the flag with Cecil Taylor. Douglas can still swing though, as he does on "More Coffee Please" and "J Bird," leading his quintet like a hard-driving basketball point guard; pushing the groove and passing off the lead to each soloist. Perhaps most compelling is his woozy, effects-laden solo bass track "Octopus," a soulful, vocal-like improvisation that conjures the feeling of Stevie Wonder cooing a ballad through interstellar space. ~ Matt Collar, Rovi
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