Album Notes

This is volume 2, recorded live on the two nights of music at Brooklyn's Up Over Jazz Café. Spaulding's quintet featured tenor and soprano saxophonist Dan Faulk, pianist Isaac ben Ayala, bassist Eric Lemon and drummer Reggie Nicholson.

In his liner notes, writer Clifford Allen describes Spaulding's music thusly: a message that signifies the positive nature of freedom, the wrenching and the pastoral, the darkly-flavored and the ebullient, which all come together in the language that is improvisation.

This brings to mind one of the most poignant and moving compliments written about James' musicianship. In a Sunday, June 13th, 2004, "New York Times" article, reporter Peter Applebome/Our Towns, : "In Week of Grief, a Loss Closer to Home:" He interviews friends of Sgt. Frank T. Carvill who survived the first attack on the World Trade Center on September 11, 1993, but was killed in a roadside ambush in Iraq on June 4, 2004. One of the Sergeant's friends, Rob Snyder recollects his passion for James' rendition of "God Bless the Child." James has a deeply committed desire to share of himself through his music, as well as to perform with musician's that share those same desires.

For all lovers of jazz , this is a great CD to add to your collection, and for those of you who already have volume 1, this CD, volume 2, "Round To It," is now available.