AAJ Review: Mike Pope, Cold Truth Warm Heart

[jkelman]

My review of Mike Pope's Cold Truth Warm Heart, today at All About Jazz.

Cold Truth Warm Heart isn't Mike Pope's first album as a leader (it's his third), but in the 12 years since The Lay of the Land (Whaling City Sound, 2002), the bassist has, in addition to some serious life-changers, forged a relationship with two musicians of unequivocal significance. First appearing on Joe Locke's State of Soul (Sirocco, 2002), Pope has worked with the superb vibraphonist and equally fine pianist Geoffrey Keezer in the by turns incendiary and profoundly lyrical Joe Locke / Geoffrey Keezer Group since 2006, first documented on the charging out of the gate Live in Seattle (Origin, 2006) and followed up, six (too long) years later with the equally impressive studio date, Signing (Motéma, 2012). That this positively stellar quartet (also featuring knockout drummer Terreon Gully) has not achieved the acclaim or regular work it deserves is grist for another piece; that Pope, when it finally came time to record the follow-up to The Lay of the Land, chose both Locke and Keezer to be primary contributors speaks volumes.

That Mauricio Zottarelli replaces Gully in this largely quintet recording, which also features another potent voice in saxophonist Seamus Blake, is no slight to either drummer; instead, it helps create some distance between Cold Truth Warm Heart and the unmistakable identity of the Locke / Keezer Group, which is primarily a vehicle for the writing of its two co-leaders. And while Pope's contributions to that group are as significant as those Locke and Keezer make here, with Cold Truth Warm Heart, Pope takes the opportunity to stretch out more instrumentally, in addition to contributing six of the album's nine compositions.

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[wideopenears]

Will definitely check this out; thanks, John.