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About Rufus Reid and Out Front
“Reid is the man to call for any musical situation that demands both the utmost skill and impeccable taste...his luscious sound and buoyant swing can levitate an ensemble clear off the bandstand." - The New Yorker - “His work is a virtual catalog of modern bass technique, tempered by his infallible musicianship. The man has taste...he consistently offers up an earthy tone, flawless intonation, and fluid fingerwork. Plus, you can set the clock by his impeccable time." - DownBeat
“Some bassists stand out for the strength of their walking lines, their fluent technique or their expertise with the bow, or the musicality of their solo conception. Bassist/composer Rufus Reid has all of these covered, and much more. As a bassist, he is the total package. The same can easily be said for his skills as a composer and a bandleader." - Grammy winning jazz journalist Bob Blumenthal.
He has achieved “living legend status" as a man for all genres, and not just for his musical prowess, but because he lights up a stage, a classroom, everyone he meets, and most importantly, audiences around the globe. Not content to simply rest on these laurels, Reid chose to turn his focus towards the goal of excelling as a composer in formats ranging from solo bass to full orchestral scores. In a few short years, this “young" composer has gained major recognition and has landed numerous grants and awards.
His new recording on Motema Music, Out Front (now available), is further confirmation that there is nothing typical about Rufus Reid, his music or his bands. The title of the recording, and the special camaraderie and chemistry the bassist shares with pianist Steve Allee (Buddy Rich, John Clayton, The Randy Brecker Quartet, David “Fathead" Newman) and drummer Duduka Da Fonseca (Trio Da Paz, Antonio Carlos Jobim, Astrud Gilberto, John Scofield, Lee Konitz, Joe Henderson, Nancy Wilson, Slide Hampton, Kenny Barron, Tom Harrell, amongst many others), is explained here by Reid: Out Front suggests several connotations. “In addition to being 'out front' as the leader, my playing in this setting is somewhat atypical in that this music stretches far beyond the bebop boundaries for which I have received recognition in the past. The interaction with these uniquely talented gentlemen and the outcome of this music is a direct result of my dedication to my own continuing compositional and harmonic growth and adventurous spirit. It is fueled by my desire to continue to stretch and grow artistically with every original piece I conceive and with every recording I make." With Out Front, Reid, Allee and Da Fonseca have succeeded in a sonic experience that is likely to leave you with the desire to make repeated visits until the music reveals all the little things that combine to make it so very special.
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