Don Braden - Fire Within

Tenor saxophonist Braden is here joined by three fine combos to create a varied but balanced disc of traditional jazz. The strength here is the invention and spirit that is maintained throughout. On a melancholy note, his sides with Christian Mcbride and Jeff "tain" Watts were also meant to feature the late Kenny Kirkland on piano, but Kirkland passed away before the recording. Rather than replace him, they simply played as a trio and dedicated the music to the late musician. Instead of creating a somber mood, these tracks are filled with humor and vitality that are trademarks of both Kirkland and Braden. Read More