It's really a beautiful melody and those passages are incredible, and beautiful to hear on vibes with the saxophone. One of the writers who wrote about the record commented that it sounds like it was written for vibes. The only thing that makes it sound extremely unique is that we have vibes there. The arrangement is actually his exact arrangement. Are those in his recording on Let Freedom Ring? WE: Yeah. AAJ: It also has those rubato sections after the solos. Once the solos start, we're just exploring and seeing where the music can take us. In the recording that we did, we try to keep within that. That piece really has all of those elementsa very soulful melody, and in the improvisation, the band just opens up and everyone goes wherever they want to go, wherever they feel like taking it. He's about being soulful and swinging and grooving, and also stretching and going outside and searching. In many ways, it's reminiscent of Jackie and his whole concept. I think the melody's very unique and it can go in a lot of different places. Will you talk about the track and about Jackie? Wayne Escoffery: I've always wanted to record that tune since the first time I heard it on Let Freedom Ring (Blue Note, 1962).
All About Jazz: As a way back into the past, let's talk about the last track on your new record, which is an amazing performance of a Jackie McLean tune, "Melody for Melonae. All About Jazz contributor Jason Crane talked with Escoffery about Jackie McLean, jazz education, and improbable meetings on Valentine's Day. His new album is Veneration (Savant, 2007). From his early days with the Jazzmobile and Artists Collective to his time at The Hartt School and the Thelonious Monk Institute, Escoffery used every opportunity to grow as an improviser, composer and bandleader. Saxophonist Wayne Escoffery has plotted a smart course to success in jazz, one based on strong educational foundations and constant exposure to the best musicians in the business.
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