Search - Roy Campbell :: Tierra Del Fuego

The Ultimate Working Stiff Trumpet Master.

C. Rich | 07/16/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Roy Campbell jr. has probably been wonderful forever.



He grew up in New York City but spent some childhood time in LA where his dad knew the mysterious brilliant trumpeter, Dupree Bolton, (on 'The Fox' by Harold Land and little else), and Ornette Coleman was a neighbor.



He studied with the legendary Lee Morgan among others, as a kid beneficiary of Johnson Era antipoverty music clinic programs.



He has perfect pitch from birth, an impressive hat collection and the kindliest disposition one is likely to meet. He works all over NYC. I've seen him in tv news bits marching in a band for a NYC jazz funeral.



He gets broadway musical jobs, pick up work with salsa bands and what have you.



Tierra Del Fuego is a second release from the venerable Delmark label and is Roy having fun with his old friend Zane Massey on tenor sax.



Zane is the son of legendary arranger Cal Massey. (Check out 'Nakatini Serenade' on the Coltrane release 'Black Pearls' for Cal).



Zane is an exceptional saxophonist from the younger wave of so called 'free jazz' artists.



This younger bunch is the most neglected, shafted group of striving musicians in the past twenty years.



Jazz, as mediated by what passes for the 'jazz biz' went retro as Reagan took office with Marsalis as the perfect Reagan era upholder of 'traditional values'.



None of this has kept both Campbell and Massey from getting their work out there.



Tierra Del Fuego is just a fun, warm listen with Roy covering the broad range of styles he likes. It is a fine introduction to his sound.



The ensemble also includes venerable amazing Rahn Burton on piano, Ricardo Strobert on alto sax and flute. Hideiji Taninaka on bass, Reggie Nicholson on drums and Talik Abdullah covering percussion.



Roy can be found on a number of William Parker recordings from the majestic Aumfidelity label and worked in Several Jemeel Moondoc units recorded by Giovanni Bonandrini for Black Saint Soul Note.



"