“I consider myself a jazz man in the world of ideas, a
blues man in the life of the mind. Because my models were jazz musicians and
blues men, who have to find their voices, not just be echoes. Who had to have a
vision, not just a stare. And in the end, have to be true to themselves.
Because all imitation is suicide. All emulation is a sign of an adolescent
mind. Now all of us imitate. All of us emulate. But those who love us, like
Monk loved Coltrane? You don’t need to imitate Johnny Hodges. Go ahead and
find your voice brother.” – Dr. Cornel West.
The profound quote above is taken from a track called “Jazz
Man in the World of Ideas” from Terence Blanchard’s newest recording Choices.
This latest release is an example of the perfect marriage of philosophy and
ideas woven into the fabric of good music. After listening to this recording
several times I find myself inspired as a musician but most importantly,
inspired as a human being.
Choices was recorded at the Ogden Museum of Southern
Art in New Orleans – a first for Terence and a surprise considering it is where
he was born and raised. The previous and Grammy Award winning recording A
Tale of God’s Will (A Requiem for Katrina). dealt with Hurricane Katrina and
it?s aftermath. Choices deals with decisions made with regards to
religion, acceptance, politics, race and several other important subjects that
we deal with on a daily basis. As deep as those subjects are Choices
still provides what most people look for in a recording ? good music.
The musicians on Choices include Derrick Hodge on bass,
Kendrick Scott on drums, Fabian Almazan on piano, Lionel Loueke on guitar and
Walter Smith III on tenor saxophone. Also making a guest appearance is vocalist
Bilal who?s energy and unique delivery adds a nice change of pace. Terence
asked each member of the band to provide new material for this recording.
?Winding Roads? by Derrick Hodge features a haunting melody layered with Bilal?s
wordless vocals. The song has a spiral, hypnotic feel to it and is probably my
favorite cut on the recording. ?Him or Me? and ?Hugs (Historically
Underrepresented Groups) both feature unique musical themes that transform into
a vehicle for the soloists to stretch out and express themselves. These songs
were penned by Walter Smith III and Fabian Almazan respectively. ?A New World
(Created Inside the Walls of Imagination)? also by Derrick Hodge, is a
great tune featuring the rhythm, feel and energy of a New Orleans 2nd
line parade. As with all of Terence’s recordings – group interaction is
fantastic. The give and take between each musician is exciting to hear.
As good as the music is on this recording, I found myself
also inspired by the spoken word of Dr. Cornel West. Dr. West speaks on the
different types of choices we make in life and how those choices affect us and
ultimately the world we live in. I was originally concerned with how dialog would
mesh with the flow of the music but it works and it works really well. Each
spoken segment becomes an important part of each song.
Dr. West’s thoughts on religion and spirituality leading
into “Winding Road” struck a chord deep within me. I believe that music can do
so much more than make you dance. History has proven that it also has the power
to reach deep within a person and cause them to evaluate their lives and
actions. Sometimes it can inspire change. If you’re open to that type of
experience (and I think we all are), Terence Blanchard’s Choices
accomplishes this feat while still managing to feed your entertainment ear.