Reviews
Tony Branker & Ascent: Spirit
Songs
(Sons of Sound SSPCD028)
 "Eight
attractive compositions, which range around the
gentler, more spiritual side of the hard-bop
mode.… The rapport is quite solid throughout
these catchy pieces, thanks in part to the high
comfort level provided by Branker's keen-eared
sextet writing." [read
the review]
— Indianapolis Star,
March 2006
"As
an arranger, he has the gift of letting ensemble
lines and solo spots tell their separate, but
nevertheless connected stories. …some
insinuating rhythms that change the tack and
meter, the album makes for
some perky listening. Bringing it all upfront
is Ascent, a band of adventurous players whose
ideas ferment in both solo passages and group
interaction." [read
the review]
— All About Jazz,
February 2006
"…eight
outstanding pieces …this is just
as much a showcase for Branker’s
writing, which sports a pronounced Messengers’ influence
both in instrumentation and pace, as
for the solo skills of the musicians." [read
the review]
— Nashville City Paper,
February 2006
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