DRYE AND DRYE

Some fathers and sons work on cars together; some throw a baseball around the backyard; but if both are musicians, then performing jointly is a natural fit. That’s the crux and foundation of Open Letter, the collaborative double-disc release by baritone saxophonist Howard Drye (the elder Drye) and trombonist Brian Drye (the younger). While both are heard on both discs, disc one concentrates on tunes penned by Howard, while disc two contains pieces composed by Brian: ten tracks total, five per CD. Oddly, the entire project totals 66 minutes, so the music could have gone onto a single disc. But that might have skewed the intent. All of the material is a tribute to influences both personal and from jazz history, from Horace Silver to Duke Ellington associates, to family members, and to each other. Despite the separate discs, the father and son similarity is recognizable and the hour-long program showcases read more...