Search - Hugh Ragin :: Afternoon in Harlem

A lively outing from trumpeter Hugh Ragin in what is his first album as a leader in 14 years. In the interim he's been teaching at Oberlin College, and it shows: An Afternoon in Harlem flirts with an academic's sense of precision, even as it frequently drifts over into free-style territory. Credit this somewhat to the accompanists Ragin has assembled around him, the core of which consists of Jaribu Shahid on bass, Bruce Cox on drums, and Craig Taborn, piano. A fine example of the band's capabilities occurs on "The Moors of Spain." This complex piece in three sections begins with a lyrical theme before splitting off into a series of stuttering outbursts by Ragin, finally setting sail on a sea of Freddie Hubbard-esque tranquility. "Braxton's Dues," as its name suggests, pays tribute to the advanced-theory composition of Anthony Braxton, with an interesting series of tempo changes and typically disruptive soloing. Guest instrumentalists David Murray and Andrew Cyrille appear on "The Light at the End of the Underground Railroad," which echoes Coltrane's "Spiritual" in its somber, smoldering ebullience. The multi-instrumentalist Murray contributes bass clarinet this time (no doubt in honor of Eric Dolphy) while Cyrille, one of the original free drummers, adds some steady rolling thunder underneath. Murray shows up again on "When Sun Ra Gets Blue," which also features the poet Amiri Baraka. --Joe S. Harrington