76. Nat Adderley Quintet / Blue Autumn (1983)

Recorded live at the Keystone, 1983. The quintet is Nat Adderley (c), Sonny Fortune (as), Larry Miller (p), Walter Booker (b), and Jimmy Cobb (d). There's a lot going on in this tribute, and it's a bit of a mixed bag. While Cannonball isn't in attendance, it's not always obvious with Sonny Fortune blowing alto, especially on the smoldering "For Duke and Cannon." That channel is again fulfilled by the last number, which is Willis' rollicking "Tallahassee Kid." And the band pays further homage with "Book's Bossa" in the middle of the set, a form popularized by Cannonball. Booker, Cobb and Willis are like a band unto themselves, working closely while Nat haunts the wings, shouting his encouragement. He flies in and out where needed in his characteristically bright and broad tone, especially in "Fifth Labor of Hercules," wildly shaping and reshaping themes before putting it all back in the box at the end. These performances don't just showcase the soloists, though. Like any Adderley band, it's a celebration of a band, and in this case, a really good band. 

05. Rabih Abou-Khalil / Bukra (1988)

Rabih Abou-Khalil's contributions to the vast world music palette are all so consistently good, yet at the same time, the sound and presiding mood of each one is distinct from the next. I'm always excited to hear one that is new to me. With Bukra, American jazz instrumentation and improvisational technique from Sonny Fortune (alto) melds together with Abou-Khalil's oud in Arabic flavored rhythms and melodies. They are supported by bassist Glen Moore and percussionists Glen Velez and Ramesh Shotham, who chase and tumble like skylarks in pursuit of the rhythm. Moore, a founding member in the Oregon ensemble, is certainly comfortable within this context. But everyone's talents are capitalized: Shotham's interest in jazz and rock, Velez's career proficiency with diverse world musics, and Fortune's jazz background are all harnessed to their full potential. Look out for Fortune's impassioned solo in "Nayla," or his alarming intro to "Kibbeh." Due to the oud's fast decay, in longer passages, Abou-Khalil employs juicy slides and bouts of tremolo picking that produce different textures and affect his choice of phrasing. His pensive and aptly titled "Reflections" closes the album, which always causes me to sit in silence for a few minutes, as if watching the musical caravan vanish in the dark distance.