The Overcomer's Suite

We Say...

Review by Britt Robson

Tenor saxophone lovers, perk up your ears. Greene's sixth outing as a leader is in the mode of (and nearly the equal of) such tenor-centric triumphs as Chris Potter's Lift and Donny McCaslin's In Pursuit. Granted, the suite-suite music (four Christian-themed songs, each with three distinct movements) that anchors the collection is bracketed by tributes to a pair of altoists, Ornette Coleman and Jackie McLean. And yes, Greene's tone is thinner and more altoish than Potter's or McCaslin's — and he even takes up the soprano on "Song For Isaiah."

But there is a brawny swagger to these tracks (recorded live in Greene's hometown of Hartford, Connecticut), a seizing-the-reins attitude that further bolsters the angular verve of Greene's phrasing, that makes this a coming-out party. Perhaps it's the intimacy of the material: "The Overcomer's Suite" pays tribute to his wife ("Nelba's Victory"), firstborn son ("Song For Isaiah"), Jesus in the garden ("Gethsemane") and David versus Goliath ("David Undaunted") and "I'll Keep Loving You" is a sonic hug for McLean, Greene's early, most influential mentor.

Yet it is the bow to Coleman on the opening "Anthem of Hope" that sets the tone and raises the bar on this rollicking yet taut engagement. Commissioned by ASCAP, Greene's most direct reference to Ornette is in the supple groove of the tune and intrepid spirit with which he leads the ensemble. His special affinity for drummers is reinforced by his deft exchanges with timekeeper Kendrick Scott on "Nelba's Victory" (especially the calypso-tinged movement) and the pair's rat-ta-tat combat on "David Undaunted," and Scott's dynamo solo near the end of "Song For Isaiah" is another highlight. Pianist Xavier Davis, who duets with Greene on the closing McLean tribute, and bassist Luques Curtis round out the quartet.

The four songs that make up "The Overcomer's Suite" were originally commissioned by Chamber Music of America. And although there are certainly lighter and more esoteric moments in a few of the Suite's movements, the enduring impression is that Greene is opening up a hard-bop wing in the chamber household.