Appeared in the July 2008 edition of DownBeat, an internationally circulated jazz magazine.Stanton Moore’s ability to exude raw power without resorting to bombast has made him one of the most sought-after drummers in the South, and he often hangs with New Orleans heavies such as George Porter Jr. and the Preservation Hall Jazz Band. It’s no surprise, then, that his past recordings as a leader were peppered with special guests of all ilk.
Not so on Emphasis (On Parenthesis), on which Moore downsizes to a classic organ trio. He’s joined here by guitarist Will Bernard and keyboardist Robert Walter, who also provided company on his funky 2006 date, III (Telarc). Emphasis extols the virtues of simplicity in all its swaggering glory, with a program of belt-busting soul-jazz from a group that is beginning to find its collective voice.
As per usual, Moore pounds his primal urges heavy and thick. On the joyful opener, “(Late Night At The) Maple Leaf,” he builds on Walter’s gritty organ intro with a loose but in-the-pocket beat, proceeding over the course of the tune to profess his love for the press roll. Most of the album maintains that playful exuberance, although the group reigns in the energy on the mysterious “(Sifting Through The) African Diaspora” and the downtempo, Galactic-esque “(I Have) Super Strength.” The latter is the biggest departure from most of the album’s freewheeling feel, adding jingle bell samples and a looped recording of Walter’s four-year-old son proclaiming his might (hence the tune’s name).
Moore’s thunderous drums can wear on the ears after a while (he tends to dominate the mix), but he thankfully rotates equipment to keep things fresh. His switch to bone-dry drums is particularly welcome on “Over (Compensatin’),” a ’70s-inspired grease groove on which Walter and Bernard wail for the group’s most satisfying jam.
