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SF Bay Area trumpeter John L. Worley Jr and Dancing Sumo Music releases debut album, “WORLVIEW”
Although jazz is the first truly American art form, it has always been an amalgam of different cultures and influences, reflecting the “melting pot” of cultures found at the time of its birth. A creative masterpiece, the debut album of John Worley, “WorlView”, is a snapshot of world influence upon today’s jazz scene. Encompassing a variety of styles, from straight-ahead bop to Latin jazz to funk, “WorlView” is a kaleidoscope of contrasting ideas that paradoxically make a unified statement.
A top-call Bay Area trumpeter for many years, John Worley is known for his versatility; Latin jazz, modal blues, ballads, and up-tempo swing tunes all present complementary backdrops for John’s lyrical and flowing solo work. Unlike many trumpeters with less seasoning, John concentrates on melody as a first principle and demonstrates his considerable grasp of technique only to make a musical statement. Nowhere is his work better featured than in his use of the flugelhorn, where notes merge like polished silk through the entire CD.
A consummate musician as well as jazz educator, John has appeared and recorded with many progressive bands such as the Grammy-nominated Asian-American Orchestra, The Turtle Island String Quartet, Wally Schnalle Quintet, Pete Escovedo Orchestra, and Wayne Wallace and Rhythm and Rhyme. Adding to the depth of musical maturity to be heard in “WorlView”, John has also worked with jazz legends such as Wayne Shorter, Bobby Hutcherson, McCoy Tyner, Louie Bellson, Stanley Clarke, Jon Faddis, and Richie Cole.
The clear highlight of this great work is a piece called “Jazz Is”, written as a collaboration between John Worley and Wayne Wallace. Reminiscent of a tune conceived in a smoky back room filled with life and music, “Jazz Is” combines a driving groove with beautiful words written by John, proving that he is as agile with words as with music. “The sentence Jazz is freedom “, explains John, “sums up the difference between European classical music and America’s truly original art form. I have always loved the idea of not having to play something the same way twice in a row”.
An album created and produced from the heart, “WorlView” captures the essence of jazz …freedom. Truly a musical journey across the world, WorlView is sure to delight, enthrall, and just plain captivate all listeners.
Brenda Keener, Executive Producer
