Together

by Anthony Branker & Ascent

Overview

Anthony Branker's recordings with his group Ascent have followed a familiar format, utilizing a small group to interpret his originals. For this 2012 recording, he replaces piano with Fender Rhodes, played by Jonny King (a veteran of several earlier Branker CDs), tenor saxophonist Ralph Bowen and bassist Kenny Davis (both of whom have played on several Branker releases as well), alto and soprano saxophonist Mark Gross, and drummer Donald Edwards. The resulting sound is a bit lighter but no less varied, with potent solos all around and the tightness one would expect from a working group, though it isn't clear if the musicians have played gigs together. There is a great variety of music within this relatively short CD (just under 44 minutes), with the soulful "Song of We" standing out among the compositions. The veteran Bowen is the brightest star among the soloists, though Gross is definitely a young player worth watching in the future. ~ Ken Dryden

Product Details

Release Date:	11/20/2012
Label:	Origin / Origin Records
UPC:	0805558262722
Rank:	212724

Tracks

1. Unity
2. For Woody & Bu
3. Little Rascal
4. Saaremaa
5. That Was Then...
6. Song of We

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Anthony Branker & Ascent   Primary Artist
Ralph Bowen   Sax (Tenor)
Anthony Branker   Musical Director
Jonny King   Fender Rhodes
Mark Gross   Sax (Alto),Sax (Soprano)
Kenny Davis   Bass (Acoustic),Bass (Electric)
Donald Edwards   Drums

Technical Credits

Ralph Bowen   Group Member
Anthony Branker   Mixing,Composer,Producer,Group Member
John Bishop   Cover Design
Jonny King   Group Member
Mark Gross   Group Member
Mike Marciano   Mixing,Engineer,Mastering
Gulnara Khamatova   Session Photographer
Jurie Maree   Cover Photo
Kenny Davis   Group Member
Donald Edwards   Group Member