Kenny Wheeler: Other People

Kenny Wheeler
Other People
CAM Jazz
2008-04-01

One could be forgiven for thinking that jazz horn maven Kenny Wheeler’s latest disc belongs to the classical genre. Wheeler employs the Hugo String Quartet to create an elegant, chamber music sound. And Wheeler doesn’t even play his trumpet or flugelhorn on two of the eight self-penned compositions here, “Nita” and String Quintet n.1”. But it really doesn’t matter how one categorizes this disc. The music and the playing are graceful and glorious. Wheeler, who is 78 years old now, was 75 when he recorded this, and the record captures the elegiac beauty born of experience. He’s joined by pianist John Taylor on several tracks and the two men combine to create a wondrous tone that evokes the still small voice that exists within all of us. One doesn’t have to be spiritual to appreciate Wheeler’s talents. Listening attentively to his music will bring out those latent feelings, even from the most cynical human beings.

RATING 8 / 10