Mike Lee is a saxophone master who has worked in the New York City
area for almost two decades. His latest CD, a co-billing with trumpeter
Ted Chubb, is an angular and daring affair. It’s piano-less, modeled
after the original Ornette Coleman Quartet; this is post-bop, not bop.
Cleveland Heights native Lee is a big-toned player of great heart who
hitches a decidedly modern sensibility to styling rooted in the showy
tradition of Illinois Jacquet and the less R&B-influenced Johnny
Griffin (a Lee inspiration). He and Chubb — his more laconic,
tarter foil — make fine, sharp music. Check out YouTube to see
this quartet in action; Lee is the elder statesman in this modern-jazz
version of a jam band. On record, however, maturity isn’t an issue.
Chubb’s clever “Out of Time,” which launches the album, signals New
Tricks’ command of meter, punctuated by Shawn Baltazor’s rock-star
drums. Lee’s affectionate “Old Dog” showcases the group’s bonhomie and
Lee’s discursive, engrossing style. The tunes, including a passionate
take on Charlie Parker’s “Ah Leu Cha” and “In His Steps,” Lee’s complex
homage to Coltrane, span a variety of mood and texture, all informed by
wit and adventure. — Carlo Wolff
This article appears in Sep 23-29, 2009.
