Cory Weeds Quartet: Just Coolin'

Owner of the Cellar Music Group label, Canadian music producer and veteran jazz saxophonist Cory Weeds unveils another superb session of hard bop with the exceptionally bright Just Coolin', featuring a host of sizzling standards as well as a couple of low temperature classics for balance. The album became more a labor of love than a profitable musical proposition for Weeds; after assuming the presidency of The Fraser MacPherson Jazz Fund, his major challenge was to replenish the organization's depleted account, a casualty of the 18-month pandemic. The answer was to record a new album and dedicate the proceeds to the organization.

The saxophonist had previously assembled a new quartet of Vancouver-based all-star musicians specifically for a performance at Frankie's Jazz Club during the summer of 2021, and employs the same band for this recording. Accompanying the leader for this endeavor are pianist Tilden Webb one of the most in-demand musicians in Canada, New Westminster, B.C. drummer Jesse Cahill and bassist John Lee (not to be confused with the American bassist with the same name).

Opening with the Hank Mobley-penned title track, made popular by Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers, the group comes out swinging, propelled by sprite solos from the leader, pianist and drummer. The up-tempo continues on the following "Beep Purple," with Weeds and Tilden leading the charge and keeping faith with the boppish theme of the set. There is nothing bitter about Weeds' arrangement of Cedar Walton's "Bitter Sweet," it is all sweet and good on this version. Speaking of sweet, the band turns off the swing on "We Three," and turns sweet and mellow on this lovely '40s ballad by singer Dick Robertson, perhaps the most ambitious tune of the session, bringing the bassist to the fore in a delicate eleven-minute slow burn.

The hard bop sound returns on the perky David Sanchez pieces "Street Scenes," followed by the leader's pronounced tenor voice on the rumbling "Vendetta," a defining, swinging chart containing the finest tenor solos of the session. Tipping his hat to the late Canadian saxophonist Fraser MacPherson (for whom the financial assistance and student educational fund, that Weeds is now president of, is named) the final MacPherson composition "Night Walk," a wonderful light ballad, brings a warm and tender end to a predominantly swinging performance. Whether recording for public benefit or as an addition to his extensive discography, Cory Weeds essentially accomplishes both with Just Coolin' to the benefit of all who love this thing we call jazz.

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