Say It Plain

My first encounter with Scotty Barnhart was in print—The World of Jazz Trumpet, which I picked up primarily as a complement to a more generic  volume of jazz history. Turns out that Barnhart is as adept at blowing that horn as in writing about it, and his music similarly is steeped in tradition yet interpreted through contemporary vision. The Professor of Jazz Trumpet at Florida State University has played 17 years with the Grammy-winning Count Basie Orchestra, and garnered accolades during his tenure with the Marcus Roberts Quintet in the late 80s and early 90s. He has since played and recorded with a Who’s Who in modern jazz, yet his debut recording as leader was a long time coming. That time is now, as Barnhart and his quintet have released Say It Plain (Unity Records).

Say It Plain is a joyous shout featuring a half dozen Barnhart compositions (one co-written with Clark Terry) and another half dozen from giant hornmen (Coltrane and Gillespie) and standard bearers (Frank Loesser and Jimmy Dorsey).

Scotty Barnhart

In addition to his accomplished cast, Barnhart brings in a guest list of headliners—pianist Ellis Marsalis so elegant on Barnhart’s “Dedicated to You” (with the composer winsome on flugelhorn); Wynton Marsalis as a second trumpet, along with pianist Bruce Barth, on “Con Alma;” deep baritone Jamie Davis adding suave vocals to “Young at Heart;” and Clark Terry adding zip and humor with horn and voice to the finale, Barnhart’s “Pay Me My Money.” 

Sure, pay him his money, and pick up a copy of Say It Plain for some fierce blowing and swinging from the professor who says it plain, not simple.

More on Scotty Barnhart at www.scottybarnhart.com.

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