I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Return of the Light, from Joe Elefante's Wheel of Dharma and I really like it. Opening with Jazz For Dummies, a cool bop track, Joe Elefante on piano sets the scene with David Heilman on drums. Freddie Hendrix on trumpet and Erena Terakubo on alto sax reinforce the phrasing for a strong start. Elefante takes the first leg with an energetic phrasing, chided on by Sameer Shankar on bass and Heilman. Terakubu on alto cuts clean with some dynamic lead and Hendrix on trumpet really hits the groove, extending the concept nicely. Strong opener. Title track, Return of the Light in 6/8 rolls along with really creative melodic summaries by Hendrix, punctuated by Elefante and Terakubu plays cleanly over mostly light bass and drums seeming to float. Elefante and Heilman exchange percussive phrases, passing to the reconciliation. Very nice. Ankara Blues really has a great feel with a driving bass line by Shankar. Terakubu really digs in on sax laying out some of the best lead on the release followed by Hendrix on trumpet and a hot drum solo by Heilman. Simple Girl is one of my favorites on the release with a strong bottom and intense trumpet work by Hendrix followed in contrast by the supple piano work of Elefante. Shankar turns up the juice on bass and Terakubo again lays in some really soulful lead. Excellent! Wrapping the release is John Coletrane's Some Other Blues featuring Elefante on vocal and piano. With a super, shuffle beat Elefante scats with piano and a super bass line by Shankar. Terakubo digs in and swings on sax followed by crisp trumpet lead by Hendrix. Shankar gets one more chance to captivate and his lines are smokin. Excellent closer for a really potent release.
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