Search - David Murray, Gwo-Ka Masters :: Yonn-De

David Murray is such a prolific recording artist that even his side projects add up to full-blown categories. On Yonn-De, his latest cross-cultural exploration, the tenor saxophonist and four of his distinguished jazz cronies team up with Guadeloupean singer Guy Konket and two of his associates on gwo-ka drums--hand instruments that date back to slave days. Written by Konket, the songs are mostly loose, extended workouts, but the jazz-meets-Creole recipe, which Murray has stirred before, hits the spot. Konket's vocal quirks keep things lively, and Murray is never more appealing than when he lets his guard down and doesn't try to force matters. The musicians, including the brilliant trumpeter Hugh Ragin, trombonist Craig Harris, bassist Santi Debriano, and drummer Pheeroan akLaff, sometimes mark the spot with squawking free jazz accents, but mostly ride the beat and join in the testifying. --Lloyd Sachs