Trumpeter Mario Abney had a successful stint in New Orleans beginning in 2008. He played with numerous local- and nationally-known artists, leading his own band, the Abney Effect and garnering critical attention (including several articles in OffBeat) for his bright tone, creative compositions and philosophical approach to jazz.
After moving back to his hometown Chicago, he promptly started gigging with fellow jazz players and recently started a brass band, the Windy City Ramblers, based in part on his experiences in New Orleans playing with the Tremé Brass Band. His initial exposure to brass band music was hearing the Hot 8 while they were on a Midwest tour.
His new album, Right Now, is a tour-de-force of original compositions that hark back towards the Art Blakey bands of the 1980s and look forward into the future of this ever-evolving music some call jazz. I make the Blakey reference explicitly because of the contributions of saxophonist Josh Atkin.
His playing is deft and the two horns mesh perfectly in ensemble sections as well as reflecting each other on their respective solos. Atkin contributed two compositions, which he also produced, including the delightfully inventive ballad, “Woodman.”
The other key link in this band—not to discredit the excellence of the two drummers, Frank Morrison and Phillip Fornett, who each appear on about half of the nine cuts—is piano player Elio Wijaya. His touch is exquisite, whether he is soloing or setting the melody of the tunes.
Abney is a generous band leader, giving ample space to the other players while choosing his solo lines in a manner that serves the compositions rather than hitting flashy notes or demonstrating technical prowess for its own sake. The title cut is one of the few songs that begin with his trumpet.
I have listened to this album dozens of times and still notice new elements to rave about. It is the work of a fully-developed musician pursuing the muse with great sidemen, a sense of history and a compositional focus that is truly his own.
Mario Abney
