Music Monday: The New Wave, Old Wave, and Some Cool Trumpet

It was a busy week, but I did get a little listening done. I started with some Jimmy Forest and his 1959 semi-Classic All the Gin is Gone which marked Grant Green’s debut and pairs Forest and Green with Harold Mabern on piano and Elvin Jones on drums. There’s nothing spectacular or breathtaking about this album. In fact, it’s not even as spirited as Forest’s classic “Night Train,” but it’s still great music. Plus, Forest was Sonny Liston’s favorite artist (apparently). I’ve also enjoyed Wadada Leo Smith’s Constellations And Hemispheres (2026). Smith is a distinctive trumpet player and I love his austere style. That said, his solo work and work on duets which lean into the spacious and intimate sound of his trumpet sometimes outshines his work with ensembles. On Constellations And Hemispheres, Smith is still the star of the show, but an all-star cast of drummers and bassist and a couple tracks (1 and 3) with piano player Sylvie Courvoisie and drummer Marcus Gilmore and the rest with a…