Jason Jenkins Group – Scenic Roots

Released less than a year after his last, Scenic Roots is the new album from bassist Jason Jenkins and it features some of his favorite Virginian musicians.

October 27, 2010; 11:01 PM • by Dean Christesen

Bassist Jason Jenkins has released a new album less than a year after his last. Scenic Roots features some of his favorite Virginian musicians, like saxophonist Kevin Simpson, guitarist Alan Parker, drummer Billy Williams, and trumpeter Marcus Tenney. The first prominent voice the listener hears, though, is of tenor saxophonist Charles Owens, the longtime leader of a weekly jam session at Smalls Jazz Club in New York and a current resident of Charlottesville.

Owens takes the longest solos of the group, but he is by no means the star. Through compositions like Jenkins’s “Hypotenuse,” the Chico Buarque tune “Essa Moça ‘Ta Diferente” featuring Bossa Brava vocalist Bernadette Stephens, and Wayne Shorter’s “JuJu,” the group’s fiery energy — and especially that of the rhythm section — sets the tone. One of three compositions by Jenkins, “Cross the Pettus Bridge (1965)” is inspired by the Bloody Sunday civil rights era march and features the bassist like no other track does.

Listen to “Cross the Pettus Bridge (1965)”:
[audio: http://media.rvanews.com/04%20Cross%20the%20Pettus%20Bridge%20(1965).mp3|titles=Cross the Pettus Bridge (1965)|artists=Jason Jenkins Group]

Track listing: Scenic Roots; Hypotenuse; Essa Moça ‘Ta Diferente; Cross the Pettus Bridge (1965); JuJu; I Got It Bad; Whisper Campaign.

Personnel: Jason Jenkins, bass; Alan Parker, guitar; Billy Williams, drums; Charles Owens, tenor sax (1,2,5&6); Kevin Simpson, tenor and soprano sax (4&7); Marcus Tenney, trumpet (4&7); Bernadette Stephens, vocals (3).

Purchase Scenic Roots on CDBaby or visit Jason Jenkins online at jenkinsmusik.com

Disclaimer: The writer participated in creating separate promotional material for this album. This post serves to act as news of the album’s release rather than criticism of its content.