Anthony Branker & Imagine - Songs My Mom Liked [CD]

Celebrating the life and resilience of his 88-year-old mother, composer Dr. Anthony Branker's 10th Origin release is a gift to Joan Branker who has been mightily challenged by the ongoing cognitive decline of dementia. Conceptualized after witnessing how her face would brighten and her body would start to move when listening to his earlier music, he was driven to re-imagine 11 of these compositions, along with "If," written by his daughter at 11, for his brilliant ensemble, Imagine. Saxophonist Donny McCaslin, trumpeter Philip Dizack, pianist Fabian Almazan, bassist Linda May Han Oh, drummer Rudy Royston, guitarist Pete McCann, and vocalist Aubrey Johnson, each bring inspired musicianship and deep soul to the lyrical flow, ingenious rhythmic interplay, and spirited performances that have come to define Branker's projects. "Songs My Mom Liked" is yet another engrossing project and celebration of life, from the mind and pen of Anthony Branker. Honing a hybrid of freewheeling post-bop and social commentary, abetted by judicious dollops of funk, fusion, spoken word, clave and polyrhythmic percussion. Branker incorporates these elements in broad, bold strokes, like a muralist. He has yet to make a bad record - JazzTimes