Keith Oxman: Home

On Home, the sixth album under his name, Colorado-based tenor saxophonist Keith Oxman and his quintet weave a bright and picturesque tapestry of song that should gladden the heart and enliven the soul of anyone who appreciates music that is as charming as it is meaningful.

It is always a pleasure to hear soloists who do not simply blow notes but narrate colorful and expressive stories. That is where Oxman, trumpeter Derek Banach and guitarist Clint Dadian excel, and that is what sets them apart from many other jazz musicians for whom the quantity of ad libs too often seems more pressing than the quality. While such agility has its place, there is a lot to be said for the sort of graciousness and beauty exemplified by Oxman and his teammates.

That is not meant to suggest that the album does not swing. It does, thanks in part to the rhythmic expertise of bassist Bill McCrossen and drummer Todd Reid. The swing, however, flows naturally from Oxman's splendid charts (he wrote all save two of the album's alluring themes and arranged them all), and is never the primary aim but rather a sturdy and pleasing by-product.

Family and friends play a large part in enlivening Oxman's creative impulses. He opens and closes the session with salutes to his father ("True Lou") and mother ("An Extraordinary Rose") and includes paeans to a close relative ("Cousin Steve"), several friends ("Hardenesque," "Don't Throw in the Powell," "Owen's Defense," "The Jazz Brothers Visit Curtis Street," "Detective Acosta and the Case of the Misplaced Square") and even some mentors ("Pam," "Stray Killer," "Opus for Wherda"). While most of Oxman's compositions are fairly new, it is interesting to note that the name of the album is derived from a ballad that was written nearly a century ago, in 1931.

The album's other outlier is equally fascinating, as it was composed by Leroy Anderson, best known for such offbeat themes as "The Typewriter," "Bugler's Holiday," "The Syncopated Clock" and "Fiddle-Faddle." Anderson, however, also wrote some classics ("Sleigh Ride," "Blue Tango") as well as one of the loveliest melodies ever, "Serenata," which is as enchanting as always in Oxman's tasteful arrangement.

There, and elsewhere, the album encompasses a bright and genial "West Coast" vibe that brings to mind celebrated ensembles led by the likes of Bob Cooper, Bill Perkins, Chet Baker, Conte Candoli and other giants of that memorable era. When it comes to role models, one could hardly be in better company. In this case, however, the comparisons are well-earned, as Oxman and his companions embrace their mission with the same warmth and assurance that were the hallmarks of those now-legendary amalgams. Home is an album worth hearing and savoring many times over.

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