Alan Pasqua - Milagro (Postcards, 1993)

 

Alan Pasqua, piano
Dave Holland, bass
Jack DeJohnette, drums
Michael Brecker, tenor sax

Dave Tofani, bass clarinet

Roger Rosenberg, flute

Jack Schatz, trombone

Willie Oleneck, trumpet & flugelhorn

Recorded October 10 & 11, 1993
Sound on Sound
Engineer: Joe Barbaria

The health of jazz in the early 1990s was robust, with new labels and artists making their debuts. One of the most welcome new releases was Alan Pasqua's Milagro on Ralph Simon's upstart Postcards label. The music on Milagro is played by a core trio of Pasqua, Dave Holland, and Jack DeJohnette. Various combinations of the horns appear on 6 of the 10 cuts, nicely balancing out the trio pieces. Two standards, "All of You" and "I'll Take You Home Again, Kathleen" are included along with Pasqua's 8 original compositions.    

Milagro's soulful sophistication pleases the ears, touches the heart, and engages the mind. The opening track, "Acoma," employs unusual chord changes and a melody that is both simple and intriguing. When the horns kick in on Milagro's second track, "Rio Grande," we feel Michael Brecker's energy over the ensemble anchored by DeJohnette and Holland. The pace varies across the album, as the players in the ensemble change. New colors are introduced on almost every track, sustaining attention and enjoyment. 

Brecker is the most prominent guest artist, featured on "Rio Grande," "The Law of Diminishing Returns," and "L'Inverno." Brecker is in fine form, sounding more focused than on some of his own albums. 

After 17 diverse releases between 1994 and 1997, Postcards was turned over to Arkadia, which reissued some of the existing catalog. Thankfully, Milagro remains available in both CD and download formats.