Generations (Be a Light Records)
The Baylor Project
Released June 18, 2021
Grammy Nominee for Best Jazz Vocal Album
YouTube:
https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_no1r4fahvDgYekKMKfjp6FSXmqnqnL73Q
Spotify:
About:
Generations is the highly-anticipated new album by 4X GRAMMY®-nominated duo The Baylor Project. Set for release during Black Music Month and on the eve of Juneteenth, this soulful sonic story quilt celebrates the universality of the human condition, viewed through the lens of the Black experience. Married musical partners Marcus and Jean Baylor welcome listeners to their proverbial kitchen table, as they pass on stories of family and faith, and love and legacy over the course of nine original compositions, and two covers.
Storytelling has always been central to the Baylor Project’s creative output, and they have shown a particular adeptness at making their personal stories universally felt. They accomplish this and then some on Generations, which shares poignant stories of the Black experience, influenced by their own unique perspective. The Baylor Project notably rose to prominence in 2017 when they released their debut album The Journey. A smashing international success, it debuted at #1 and #8 on the iTunes and Billboard Jazz charts respectively, garnered world-wide acclaim from top-tier media, and went on to receive two GRAMMY® nominations (for Best Jazz Vocal Album and Best Traditional R&B Performance for their song “Laugh And Move On”). “The Journey was an introduction to the Baylor Project and established that foundation of our sound,” explains Marcus and Jean. “Generations is an extension of that sound and goes way deeper into our story, life and culture.”
Track Listing:
1. Strivin’ feat. Kenny Garrett 5:13
2. A Love Story (Interlude) 1:46
3. Happy To Be With You 6:12
4. Love Makes Me Sing 5:27
5. Infant Eyes 5:49
6. 2020 7:27
7. We Swing (The Cypher) feat. Jazzmeia Horn & Dianne Reeves 5:38
8. Becoming 7:29
9. Black Boy 8:53
10. Walk On By 6:18
11. Do You Remember This? feat. Sullivan Fortner 6:32
12. Only Believe feat. Jamison Ross 5:42
13. The Benediction feat. Apostle Larry J. Baylor 1:57
Personnel:
Jean Baylor: vocals, background vocals (1-13), claps
Keith Loftis: tenor sax (1, 3, 5, 6, 7, 9, 11), soprano sax (4)
Marcus Baylor: drums (1-13), percussion, claps
Keys
Shedrick Mitchell: piano (4, 5, 8, 9, 10, 12), organ (1, 3, 5, 6, 10, 13),
wurlitzer (1, 10), arranger (6, 8, 10)
Terry Brewer: piano (2, 3, 6), organ (2)
Bass
Dezron Douglas: upright bass (1, 3, 4, 5, 7, 9, 11)
Ben Williams: upright bass (6, 8)
D.J. Ginyard: electric bass (10)
Richie Goods: upright bass (12)
Guitar
Rayfield “Ray Ray” Holloman: lap steel guitar (3, 10, 12), guitar (10)
Marvin Sewell: guitar (3, 5, 6, 8, 10, 12), slide guitar (6, 9), acoustic (10)
Percussion
Pablo Batista (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 12)
Aaron Draper (3)
Vocals
Stephanie Alvarenga: vocal contractor (6, 10, 13),
arranger (6, 13) background vocals, stomps (6, 10, 13)
Linny Smith: background vocals, stomps (6, 10, 13)
Sheherazade Holman: background vocals, stomps (6, 10, 13)
Pastor Paul James: background vocals (6)
Horns
Keith Loftis: tenor sax (1, 3, 5, 6, 7, 9, 11), soprano sax (4)
Freddie Hendrix: trumpet (1, 3, 4, 5, 7, 9), flugelhorn (8)
Mark Williams: trombone (1, 3, 7), trombone part written (6)
Christopher Michael Stevens: horns contractor, trumpet (6, 10)
Aaron “Goody” Goode: trombone (6, 10)
Korey Riker: tenor sax (10)
String Arrangers
Darin Atwater: arranger (9)
Geoffrey Keezer: arranger (4, 8)
String Players
Lady Jess: strings contractor, violin I (4, 8, 9)
Orlando Wells: violin II (4)
Celia Hatton: viola (4)
Susan Mandel: cello (4)
Sara Caswell: violin I (8, 9)
Jannina Norpoth: violin I (8, 9)
Ling Ling Huang: violin II (8, 9)
Frederique Gnaman: violin II (8, 9)
Ally Jenkins: violin II (8, 9)
Ina Paris: viola (8, 9)
Patrick Page: viola (8, 9)
Malcom Parson: cello (8, 9)
Terrence Thornhill: cello (8, 9)
Brandee Younger: harp (8)
Executive Produced by The Baylors
Review:
I had to go back into my archives to confirm my suspicions, and it was true-The Baylor Project’s earlier release of The Journey also got my RINGER OF THE WEEK award. The husband and wife team of vocalist Jean Baylor with drummer Marcus mixes jazz, gospel, soul and traditional Americana in a way that simply makes you glad to be an American and person of faith. The photo on the inside fold tells it all: there is a family of multiple generations around a dinner table, bowing in prayer to give thanks to God for the meal. This album is a musical version of that photo, filled with 13 courses of song and celebration.
Musically, there is a surfeit of guests joining in on the buffet: Kenny Garrett/as, Jazzmeia Horn/voc, Dianne Reeves/voc, Jamison Ross/voc, and Sullivan Fortner/p are just a few that drop in for a quick bite. You also get a rotating food tray of Shedrick Mitchell/key, Terry Brewer/key, Dezron Douglas-Ben Williams/g, Rayfiled Holloman-Marvin Sewell/g , Freddie Hendrix/tp, Mark Williams/tb, Keith Loftis/ts, Pablo Batista/perc as well as other invitees on strings and assorted instruments.
As for the actual music, well, Ms. Jean sounds like a young Aretha Franklin as she teams up with Kenny Garrett on the upbeat Sunday Morning stomper “Strivin’”, while she testifies pianist Terry Brewer on the lovely “Happy To Be With You” and gets rich and romantic with strings on “Love Makes Me Sing”. A sincere and uplifting testimony with Jamison Ross brings light through the stained glass window on the luminescent “Only Believe” while Horn and Reeves dig in deep with Hendryx and Fortner on the thrilling “We Sing ‘The Cyper’”. Fortner supplies rich bop strides on the fun “Do You Remember” while Ms. Jean is delicate and vulnerable on “Becoming”. Hubby Marcus directs traffic like a NY cop, letting the traffic flow easy and knowing when to signal for a turn. This wonderful album puts the “soul” back into soul music. Are they ever going to come to So Cal?
George W. Harris (Jazz Weekly)
