First Insight
First Insight is an album by the American saxophonist Jesse Davis, released in 1998.[1][2] It was his sixth album for Concord Jazz.[3] Davis supported it with a North American tour.[4] ProductionDavis composed all of the album's songs; he tried to reflect on what made his sound unique.[5][6] He was chiefly influenced by the playing of Sonny Stitt and Charlie Parker.[7] Davis was backed by Mulgrew Miller on piano, Ron Carter on bass, Peter Bernstein on guitar, and Kenny Washington on drums.[8] The title track was influenced by the book The Celestine Prophecy.[5] "Nola" was written as a tribute to Davis's hometown.[9] "Midnight Blue" is an homage to Thelonious Monk.[4] "B.Y.O.G." is played in 7/4 time.[8] Davis sang on "A Funny Thing".[5] Critical reception
The Chicago Tribune said, "Though the man's searing, blues-drenched playing alone would recommend First Insight, the stylistic variety of the compositions and the ingenuity of Davis's arrangements make this recording a tour de force."[15] The Hartford Courant noted that the "zesty compositional variety accentuates the session's soloing strengths."[9] The Washington Post compared Davis to Cannonball Adderley and concluded that "no one is carrying on [his] legacy more effectively today than [Davis]... His new album is filled with the pleasures of swinging, robust blues."[5] LA Weekly opined that Davis "can play circles around" James Carter, Joshua Redman, and "some of the Marsalis cronies".[16] Jazziz stated, "Davis's alto sound—at turns throaty and reedy then pure and clean—and the narratives of his nine fine compositions on the new disc are the work of a man not just conversant, but capable of meaningful dialogue."[17] The Irish Times said that Davis's "playing, though derivative, has reached a depth and inventiveness beyond anything he has previously recorded".[18] The Toronto Star admired the "keen, resourceful awareness of melody and spare phrasing."[19] The Guardian noted that, "unlike many contemporaries thrust into the leadership role, [Davis] invents tunes that are rather more than exercises."[12] Track listing
References
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