Al Foster Quintet: New Morning—The Paris Concert

Longtime Miles Davis sideman Aloysius “Al” Foster—who has played over the years with Thelonious Monk, Sonny Rollins, and Herbie Hancock, among other jazz greats—swings in this 2007 concert. Here, the famed drummer is joined by saxophonist Eli Degibri, trumpeter Eddie Henderson, pianists Aaron Goldberg and George Colligan (who play on separate pieces), and standup bassist Douglas Weiss. Filmed in high-def at the New Morning in Paris, the band performs for just over an hour-and-a-half, which allows every one of the musicians an opportunity to shine (if anything, Foster's colleagues spend more time in the spotlight than their leader). The 10-track set combines compositions from Davis (a majestic “So What”) and Hancock (a surprisingly mellow “Cantaloupe Island”) with well integrated originals such as “Monk Up and Down” (from Foster's 1997 album Brandyn), culminating in the post-bop meets hard funk of “Jean-Pierre.” As for Foster's instrumental prowess, the percussionist here eschews flash for focus, spending most of the time with his eyes closed and a look of concentrated bliss on his face. Unfortunately, Foster doesn't identify any of the selections (nor are they listed on the DVD jacket), so those already familiar with his repertoire will gain the most from this concert presented with DTS, Dolby Digital 5.1, and stereo options. Recommended. Aud: P. (K. Fennessy)