INFORMATION
Vincent Herring & Earth Jazz  | Vincent Herring: saxophone  | Joris Dudli: drums  | Anthony Wonsey: piano | Richie Goods: bass.

After performing live for five years now, the members of Earth Jazz have developed a very distinct sound that draws on their collective experiences. “And on this recording we tried to get the same vibe in the studio that we get live on gigs,” explains Goods. “That’s why some of the songs are kind of long because everybody blows. This is no smooth jazz group, everybody in this band solos, and we blow like we’re playing a bebop set even though it’s in a funky setting.” With Dudli and Goods acting as the lock down Mike Clark-Paul Jackson rhythm tandem of this Earth Jazz quartet, they strike a nice Balance between slamming grooves and freewheeling improvisation on Goods’ “Citizen of Zamunda,” Dudli’s energized “Tom Tom” and Wonsey’s savvy backbeat fueled Earth Jazz treatment of John Coltrane’s “Naima.” Herring soars majestically on soprano sax on Wonsey’s vibrant rhapsody “Black Fairytales” and demonstrates soulful restraint and lyricism on alto on his own reflective “Never Forget.” Grant’s “Morning Star” has Dudli swinging briskly with brushes beneath Herring’s relaxed, pungent alto tones, Wonsey’s chiming Fender Rhodes electric piano and Goods’ contrapuntal basslines. And the emotionally-charged closer, Dudli’s gospel flavored “You Got Soul,” has Herring testifying on alto sax alongside Wonsey’s churchy piano comping and Goods’ warm, woody upright bass lines.

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QUOTES

• “I grew up with straight ahead jazz but I also grew up with all of these funky elements, which was the music of the day" - Vincent Herring.
• "...saxophonist Herring, who has developed one of the most clearly defined voices on alto in mainstream jazz, is apparently switching gears from a traditional bop sound to a contemporary jazz sound."- Allaboutjazz.com

'Morning Star' is bursting with energy. The pieces have a perfect balance between funk with a hint to the sounds of the seventies, complex layered jazzy harmonies and little games in tonal changes. Mischa Beckers - Jazzenzo - February 2010

Alto saxophonist Vincent Herring stands with one foot in jazz and the other
in the funk. With his group Earth Jazz he tries to bring the two musical worlds
together. You can hear it on the third album Morningstar. JB - Nederlands Dagblad - April 2010

Alto saxophonist Vincent Harring dives with this CD deeply into the funky jazz from the seventies. The CD Morningstar is fun and played well. Sjoerd van Aelst - Jazzism - Summer 2010

Vincent Herring (1964) plays funky fusion on the cd 'Morning Star'. He does this with his alto saxophone. The cool sound blasts from the speakers. Peter J. Korten - Jazzflits - April 2010

"Their work on Morning Star uses '70-style fusion and groove-jazz as a launching pad for some oft intriguing work, built on textures and rhythms that come off as alternately smooth and rough-and that's a compliment." Philip Booth Jazztimes - september 2010

"Earth Jazz is a quartet by Vincent Herring's. Anthony played piano, Richie plays the bass and Joris Didle the drums. The title of this album morning star could be interpreted by the musical programming, and is seen as spicy as listeners get a vitamin and caffeine injection. Morning Star - Rootsy.nu 2010

"He funks up Coltrane's "Naima"but manages to keep its integrity. Wonsey reaches back into the '70s for inspiration on the hard grooving "The Thang", and Herring's sole composition, "Never Forget," is a light funker that recalls Grover Washington, Jr., and the whole disc feels like an update version of something vaguely cool from 1982." Jazzscene 08-2010