november 2005 - - page 111
JAMES FINN,
PLAZA DE TOROS,
CLEAN FEED 34.
Toreo de Capa / Plaza de Toros / The Phantom Bull of Seville / El
Tercio de Varas / Eyes of Angelina / El Tercio de Vanderillas / El
Tercio de Muleta / La Estocada / Toro Bravo. 63:59.
Finn, ts; Dominic Duval, b; Warren Smith, d. December
5 & 19, 2004, New York, NY.

One of the Cadence family of labels’ most
recent “discoveries,” saxophonist James Finn
recorded his first release as a leader in 2003. That
record, Opening The Gates (Cadence Jazz) paired
Finn with bassist Dominic Duval and drummer Whit
Dickey and was soon followed up by a Spirit Room
session, Faith In A Seed (CIMP) that placed Finn
with the same trio appearing here, Duval and
drummer Warren Smith. Both records reflected
Finn’s poignant musical sentiments sourced from
Impulse-era Coltrane and Trane’s progeny. This
third release, Plaza de Toros, then, provides a
slightly different glimpse of Finn in the trio setting,
adding focus to his previous two free-blowing outings
by attempting to capture the essence of a
bullfight. As a result, there is an obvious “Spanish
tinge” to these performances, reportedly influenced
by living in Spanish Harlem; however, this
influence is more musically subtle than one might
suggest and, further, adds additional depth to
Finn’s vibrant musical mind.
Before getting into the music, there are two
important factual points to be made. First, this is
the first part of Finn’s planned trilogy dealing with
this subject matter, reportedly with the sequels, The
Last Matador and Into The Afterlife, to be future
releases. Second, and essential for understanding
Finn’s objectives, the trilogy is not meant to celebrate
the murder of a defenseless animal; rather,
its stated goals are to capture the artistry, history,
and the majesty underlying the tradition. Simply
dismissing this as a work that overly romanticizes
death is missing the point. Musically speaking,
while melodic instances are important recurring
threads, the program contains the expected high
energy levels from Finn and his cohorts as they
consider their inspiration. The program begins with
the free-flowing currents of “Toreo de Capa,” setting
the stage for the thrills that lie ahead, as the
curtain is raised on Act One. In a similar vein are
the most forceful moments of the suite, “El Tercio
de Vanderillas,” “El Tercio de Muleta” and “La
Estocade,” all presenting the group full-throttle as
the bull is defeated, though a hint of the fighter’s
regret flows through on a subtle level.
Worth mentioning separately are the formidable
talents of Finn’s associates, with a particularly
standout track being “El Tercio de Varas,” an
excellent example of Duval’s blistering arco work.
The trio also considers the telling mystery of the
tradition surrounding the spectacle on the balladlike
“The Phantom Bull of Seville” or the floral
beauty of “The Eyes Of Angelina,” the latter representing
Finn’s most gorgeous playing yet. The
band’s most spiritual moments, where Duval’s
tones ring toward the heavens and Smith’s colorful,
yet powerful strokes inspire, are best witnessed
on “Plaza de Toros” and the dark beauty of the
pensive finale, “Toro Bravo.”
If Plaza de Toros is any indication of what the
future holds for Finn, it is going to be a productive
and thrilling journey. This is surely one of 2005’s
strongest releases.
Jay Collins