Decision at the Crossroads

-The John McNamara Trio (JMT)







I was teaching one day at my work, a place where instruments are bought and sold, unique and sometimes strange things come to the shop...old Max Roach Gretsch piccolo snares, Civil War looking Leedy drums, old Chinese cymbals, gem-like flat rides, people and musicians of all stripes...and John McNamara. I heard him testing things out, warming up, and playing a bit, and I kept him in the corner of my eye and listened. Giving credit where it is due, I went up to him and laid the compliment: 'Man, you sound great' Fast forward several months later and he is my brother, albeit a young one (b.1991)...as interesting as what he's doing is, it’s all coming from the Legacy...the Tradition...our mutual love of Elvin Jones (my mentor) and the fact that John was also taken under the wing (Ralph Peterson)...all there and polished up with his flawless drumming and service with the U.S. Navy band. He is as astute as anyone I've met during my time in the music field, and instead of being at odds or in some sort of competition, I embrace him and open myself, relatively unschooled, to his knowledge. To my amazement, he seems to like what I have been trying to do these many years, hence these notes. Not so much a passing of the torch but a rekindling of it.



The supporting cast is superb with plenty of breathing space and McNamara seems an old hand at leading a date. The Programme offering a nice range of classics: Doxy by Sonny Rollins, a few choice Thelonious Monk interpretations...Solar, On Green Dolphin Street, and Tune Up made popular by Miles Davis, Charlie Parker's favorite vehicle, Cherokee (check that tempo!), the romantic How High the Moon, the 1940 Broadway Show Tune by Morgan Lewis, and the closer and my personal favorite of the record, RP's Delight, an original by McNamara lovingly dedicated to his late friend and mentor Ralph Peterson...it fits right in with the rest of these classics and I predict will join the ranks of Standards soon enough.



This music is an addition to what was, what is, and what will be...



Jimmy Bennington

12/12/2022

Chicago