Ancestors is bassist/composer Mario Pavone’s 10th recording as a leader/co-leader on Playscape Recordings and the recorded debut of his newest working ensemble, the Mario Pavone Double Tenor Quintet. This recording features eight original Pavone compositions written specifically for its all-star line-up of veteran Pavone collaborators, and was further shaped by guest arrangers Dave Ballou, Steven Bernstein and Michael Musillami. The music is dedicated to recently passed jazz legends Andrew Hill and Dewey Redman, whom Pavone calls “part of the spectrum of his musical forebears.”
“I had been playing with Tony and Jimmy for more than eight years, but always separately, so I was keen to combine their complementary yet contrasting styles into one group,” Pavone explains. “Gerald and I have played and recorded a lot together and the great Peter Madsen, who has appeared on my last nine CDs, is almost indispensable to me. Wrapping my rhythm section around a double tenor color like this, especially one with this much grace and power, was a dream come true. The resulting sound seems larger than just five players and is almost orchestral. It may well be my favorite album so far.” |