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CD Reviews: Samson Trinh, “Very Strange Night"
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Posted by: adminon Monday, January 22, 2007 - 09:43 AM |
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By: Edward Blanco
The music of Samson Trinh, one of the newest names in jazz, is probably music you will not be familiar with. Quite understandable for at the young tender age of twenty three, the majority of his musical background comes from his studies at the Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU), Berklee College of Music and New York’s Manhattan School of Music. As a matter of fact, this debut album is drawn from a school project Trinh worked on during his last year at VCU. Eight of the nine tunes on this set are original compositions developed for a school assignment. Having said that however, don’t be mislead, there’s nothing amateurish about this recording. This is one fine session of swinging big band music with a twist.
Born and raised in Richmond, Virginia, Trinh plays the saxophone, composes and arranges music and is the bandleader, director and founder of Richmond’s 17-piece Upper East Side Big Band. The band plays the swinging big band sounds of Duke Ellington, Count Basie and others. A concept and compilation album, this recording contains performances by The Lounge Union Orchestra, several vocals, a string section and of course orchestrations by the Upper East Side Big Band.
Very Strange Night happens to be an appropriate title for this debut. This is not your typical big band project. The music here ranges from the traditional big band sounds of the instrumental Sammy Cahn tune “Time After Time,” to the hard jazz funk vibrations of “I Tried To Talk To Her, But She Thought I Was Too Weird,” and the very unusual non-jazz Country ballad of “Thank Goodness” featuring the lovely vocals of Jackie Frost accompanied by the musical support of the lap steel guitar and the mandolin.
Trinh includes a very brief minstrel piece with “Piece For Trumpet and Piano” followed by the very swinging orchestration of the Upper East Side Big Band on the title cut.
Vocalist Terri Murphy lets it all hang out on the lush “To You, Near You, With You,” and on the slow and beautiful light ballad of “That’s Why.” My favorite vocals on this disc is performed by New Orleans singer Adrian Duke on the swinging New Orleans style tune “Sings Are Full of Jive.” Duke, who also plays the piano and the Hammond B3 organ on this number, possesses a husky baritone voice and sings in a fun sort of a way similar to the style of trumpeter and bandleader Jack Sheldon.
Unusual, exciting, fun and very entertaining, Samson Trinh’s Very Strange Night debut album is one impressive entrance into the world of big band jazz especially in consideration of the origin of the music and the striking age of the artist. School may be out for Mr. Trinh, but I would definitely give him an “A+” for this audacious assignment.
Year: 2006
Label: Giggity Records
Artists Web: www.samsontrinh.com
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