The Reggie Pittman/Loren Daniels Quartet is comprised of Reggie Pittman – trumpet/flugelhorn, Loren Daniels – piano/vocal, Mike Richmond – bass and Jonathon Peretz – drums. The quartet is a group of hardworking seasoned jazz journeymen that are also educators who reside in the metropolitan NYC area. Some of the greats that they have played with include: Milt Jackson, Stan Getz, The Mingus Dynasty Band, Blood, Sweat and Tears, Maynard Ferguson, The Allman Brothers Band, Levon Helm and The Duke Ellington Orchestra. On Smilessence, the Quartet plays eleven tracks consisting of original compositions by both Daniels and Pittman and adroit arrangements of jazz classics and one popular standard. Smilessence has a variety of rhythmic feels that consist of up-tempo swing burners to funk, reggae to calypso and emotional ballads, all will grab your ears. That’s the short of it!
Positives:
Pittman and Daniels are a well-oiled collaborative team, their originals are thoughtful and filled with inventive twists and turns all while keeping the innovation listenable, they have a musical quality about their writing that reflects a smidge of modern jazz and a dapple of traditional jazz idioms, making for a tasty listen.
Bottom Line:
Their latest endeavor Smilessence is a superb follow up to their previous album Point A to Point A, the writing has a deeper sensibility to it, and the album is comprised of predominately original compositions. With complex flavors and robust intricacies to the compositional style, each player is an additive to the overall sound. The quartet offers a connected group sound that is ever present in their interaction and communicative spirit. The originals lay nicely against the one standard “There Is No Greater Love,” eloquently arranged in an anapestic spirit.