JOEL ROSS + PARABLES

VILLAGE VANGUARD / MAY 20-25

At this pivotal point of the century, jazz arguably has the great assemblage of vibraphonists on the scene, including Steve Nelson, Warren Wolf, Chien Chien Lu, Cecilia Smith, Jason Marsalis, and Monte Croft. Add Chicago’s Joel Ross to that list.  A sideman of choice for Wynton Marsalis and the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra, Gerald Clayton, Georgia Anne Muldrow and Nicole Mitchell (to name a very select few), Ross’ latest album, Nublues (Blue Note) finds him intelligently interpreting the music of Monk and Coltrane, along with his own compositions. Ross comes the Village Vanguard front his Parables octet: with alternating flutists, Elena,  Pinderhughes and Elijah Thomas, alto saxophonist Godwin Louis, tenor saxophonist Maria Grand, pianist Jeremy Corren, trumpeter Marquis Hill, bassist Konoa Mendenh and drummer Kayvon Gordon. Bobby Hutcherson is smiling!  E.H.