(Contemporary Jazz) Gerald Clayton (with Ambrose Akinmusire, Dayna Stephens, Logan Richardson, Joe Sanders, Justin Brown, Gretchen Parlato, Sachal Vasandani) - Life Forum - 2013, WEB, FLAC (tracks), lossless

Pianist Gerald Clayton's third studio album, 2013's Life Forum, follows up his acclaimed 2011 release, Bond: The Paris Sessions. Whereas last time Clayton focused primarily on a trio sound, on Life Forum he expands his musical palette by arranging for a larger ensemble. Joining Clayton here are a handful of like minded musicians including trumpeter Ambrose Akinmusire, saxophonists Logan Richardson and Dayna Stephens, vocalists Gretchen Parlato and Sachal Vasandani, bassist Joe Sanders, and drummer Justin Brown. All of these musicians have made their mark playing adventurous, forward-thinking jazz that, while not necessarily pop-oriented, exists well beyond the traditional standards-oriented approach of most straight-ahead jazz. In keeping with this genre-defying approach, Clayton pushes the boundaries of modern jazz on Life Forum, exploring ever more expansive ways to play improvised music. This includes everything from a spoken word piece with writer Carl Hancock Rux set against a ruminative and layered harmonic arrangement, to a deceptively simple sounding instrumental compositions that walk the line between exploratory modal jazz, soulful contemporary R&B, and sprawling yet melodic folk music. Clayton even delves into several cinematic, introspective songs that include lyric-less vocal passages featuring Parlato's haunting vocal lines. Although the album works as a showcase for Clayton's larger group aesthetic -- there are plenty of stand-out improvisational moments from each musician here -- it is still Clayton, with his deft, nuanced piano chops, extensive, motivic improvisation, and broad, evocative compositional skills who stays in the spotlight. (Matt Collar)

Much like a large urban area, there is a great deal going on here. It is different. Different is not bad just different. The evolution of modern jazz can set a recording from Gerald Clayton and use it as a beautiful centerpiece.
Clayton was formerly with Decca and much like the departure of Bone James to Concord, a divesting blow to the label. This 12 song set brings together Clayton's serious trio members along with vocalists Gretchen Parlato and up and coming "newbie" Sachal Vasandani. Along with these stellar voices we find the poet Carl Hancock Rux rounding out the ensemble. I've used the phrase jazz collective but never has it been more fitting then in this showcase.
Clayton is the ultimately team player as he seems to really dig bouncing ideas off the other members of the ensemble and end proof is in the pudding. Leadership combined with a deep unbinding love for the art form make Life Forum one of the highly intellectual yet deceptively accessible releases for the year. The opening tune "Life Forum" embraces the ease and grace with which life can be approached without all the divisiveness and strife that plagues society today. A personal favorite is "Future Reflection: which may well be a book end for Life Forum. Held together by the spoken word of Carl Hancock Rux, the tune celebrates passion, the danger of passion and with a more up tempo swing and ephemeral chants between Parlato and Vasandani and the the glue holding this tune together is solid\a three man horn section. Justin Brown, Logan Richardson and a personal favorite Dayna Stephens hold the horn section tighter than tight. A righteous groove. Drummer Justin Brown rides the groove for all its worth. A priceless band. Another favorite is Man Nas Massa a whimsical piano melody with a jazz nasty. A sexy little samba you hear with your feat.
An album of growth and artistic development.

On his third recording as a leader, Gerald Clayton expands his musical statement, exploring wider sonic textures.
On “Two-Shade” and “Bond: The Paris Session,” he and his trio mates, bassist Joe Sanders and drummer Justin Brown, established their place as one of the top emerging trios. They displayed deep musical rapport and facility with everything from swinging standards to the heady mix of time signatures, which are all the rage these days.
“Life Forum” contains 12 originals by Clayton. He’s atop the heap of young jazz pianists making a firm mark on the scene, along with Aaron Diehl, Jonathan Batiste and Christian Sands. The songs in “Life Forum” reflect, he says in the CD notes, “events in my life, especially love and life transitions.”
Ambrose Akinmusire (trumpet) and Logan Richardson (alto sax) provide the date an element of surprise. Tenor saxophonist Dayna Stephens squeezes the depths of his experience through his horn (sounding a tad like Joe Lovano).
Vocally, Gretchen Parlato emits an ethereal beauty; Sachal Vasandani, a gentle touch of evening.
The takeaway from this suite-like recording is not about individual virtuosity. Rather, it’s like concentric circles with Clayton and his trio in the center, the horns expanding outward, and the voices adding another oval.
On the title cut, the voice is of Carl Hancock Rux, with a poetic-philosophical spoken word opening. Such musings give way to “Future Reflection,” which includes a reach for vision, full of hope, yet comes back to the present. The groove of “Sir Third” is like a basketball team, moving forward together, each person playing a role, intersecting, accelerating, breaking and jumping as necessary.
“Deep Dry Ocean” features Parlato and Clayton sharing a melody line over a steady bass vamp. It’s given velvet support by the drummer’s brushes on the snare and tom-tom. The in-between-ness of emotions in relationship is captured in “Dusk Baby,” sounding like a modern pop ballad with the harmonic sophistication of years past.
“Mao Nas Massa” features a samba rhythm, refracted through the joy and pleasure of Clayton’s play with a drumbeat. The interlude “Prelude” leads to “Some Always,” where Ambrose’s abstractions rub against a plush bed of syncopated groove.
“Like Water” places a bowed bass line mirrored by the vocalists, followed by an alto sax journey. Vocals take the lead on “When an Angel Sheds a Feather,” and transitions to a swinging conclusion by tenor sax, bass and piano, but no drums. (Greg Thomas)