Native Son

Drummer-composer Michael Waldrop is a musical veteran with two big band projects (Time Within Itself and Origin Suite) behind him. This recording is an interesting instrumentation piano trio plus percussion. And these aren't just "any" percussionists, Brad Dutz is a percussionist who has made hundreds of recordings on the LA studio scene, and percussionist Jose Rossy is a onetime member of Weather Report. Waldrop's employment of the piano trio plus percussion is a breath of fresh air, and the percussionists contribute heavily to the recording. "El Vino" (what a creative title!) is a highlight and Waldrop, Dutz, and Rossy interact and sound as one. This is a multi-directional recording and Serbian Pianist Vasil Hadzimanov, (a leader in his own right, plays all the approaches very well, from Evans and Jarrett impressionism on "Belgrade" and "The Wrong Blues," to funky later-day Hancock on "Bitter End." Bassist Martin Gjakonovski holds everything together. A special mention must also be made to how good this record sounds. Waldrop's touch on his drums and cymbals is fantastic, and that touch is represented very well on Native Son, and the sonic mix and balance of the drums and percussion is pristine.