Album Review: Love Finds Everyone from the Henry Godfrey Jazz Orchestra

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Album:  Love Finds Everyone
Artist:  Henry Godfrey Jazz Orchestra
Label:  Self-Released
Website: https://www.facebook.com/henrygodfreymusic
             https://henrygodfreyjazzorchestra.bandcamp.com

When melting pots like jazz collectives are done to their potential, the voices of multiple instruments move in harmony with one another while making individual statements through the clusters of billowing masses.  Such is the case of the Henry Godfrey Jazz Orchestra whose leader, drummer Henry Godfrey, conducts a grand ensemble of musicians where out of many voices evolves compatible interchanges, which form an agreeable menagerie.

The Henry Godfrey Jazz Orchestra made their debut with Love Finds Everyone, self-released on July 1, 2020.  The recording features Boston-based musicians with six out of the seven compositions and all of the arrangements written by Godfrey.  Some tracks are live recordings while others were performed in the studio.  One studio offering, "She Moves Just Like the River" display the dynamic riffing emanating from the saxophones, clarinets, trumpets, and trombones, producing a happy family-style gathering.  Imagine a family reunion with members spilling into the surrounding rooms of a home.  With repeated interlocking of elbows and sliding phrases nestled alongside one another, the music rides smoothly, creating a complementing congregation of instruments.

"Shenandoah" is a reflective piece, making space for individual solos to scroll gentle ruminations while clusters of flaring horns surround the soloist.  These periods of introspection personalize the track, emoting internalized thoughts that move into the bouncy rhythm of "Why Not You," sprigged in bouts of elation coming from the horns and circling the listener in frilly trimmings.  Justin Stanton's composition "Bad Kids to the Back" is bolted in smooth funky grooves that recede during Godfrey's palpitating drum solo.  

The live track, "She Moves Just Like the River," is fraught in sauve horn twirls that massage the aural senses, then turn intensely eerie through "Witch's Eye," another live track.  The exotic tone of the horns on the latter track bring out a vibrant texture that expresses Godfrey's versatility as a composer and leader.  The enchanting twists and passages along "Witch's Eye" are beautifully performed, making the track pop out to the listener, having the effect of drawing the audience into the music which emits a mysterious shimmer.

The happy family-style gathering that Henry Godfrey applies to the recording comes through to the listener.  His jazz collective moves in different directions but always find their way back to one another.  Having received his Bachelor’s degree in Jazz Composition from the Berklee College of Music and a Master’s degree from the New England Conservatory of Music, Henry Godfrey has carved out a niche for himself as a striking composition, arranger and bandleader.

Musicians:
Henry Godfrey - drums

Tracks 1-3
Alex Ramirez - alto saxophone/flute
Blayke Phillips - alto saxophone
Kyle Zimmerman - tenor saxophone/clarinet
Max Rourke - tenor saxophone/clarinet
Luis Garcia - baritone saxophone, bass clarinet
Khalil Long - trumpet
Kyrell Long - trumpet
Scott Bell - trumpet
Will Trueblood IV - trumpet/flugelhorn
Kaya Meller - trumpet/flugelhorn
Alan Hsiao - trombone
Hoyt Anthony Parquet - trombone
Jasmine Sloane - trombone
Dorsey Minns - bass trombone
JP Donelan - guitar
Derek Dupuis - piano
Noah Harrington - bass

Track 4
Zachary Hicks - flute
Sam Spear - alto saxophone
Ian Buss - tenor saxophone
Kyle Zimmerman - tenor saxophone
Nicholas Suchecki - baritone saxophone
Will Trueblood IV - trumpet
Eliza Block - trumpet
Nick Rosario - trombone
Haoran Li - trombone
Ethan Santos - bass trombone
Alejandro Espinosa - guitar
Derek Dupuis - piano
Aaron Hanson - bass

Tracks 5-7
Aaron Dutton - alto saxophone/flute
Shun Kumagai - alto saxophone
Daniel Bitran - tenor saxophone/clarinet
Kevin Ponce Sanchez - tenor saxophone/ clarinet
Nicholas Suchecki - baritone saxophone, bass clarinet
Miles Keingstein - trumpet
Matt Kelly - trumpet
Daniel Hirsch - trumpet/flugelhorn
Eliza Block - trumpet/flugelhorn
Haoran Li - trombone
Sam Margolis - trombone
Dorsey Minns - bass trombone
Andres Orco - guitar
Daniel Kapit - piano
Seajun Kwon - bass
Peying Li - drums

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