Emmet Cohen: Vibe Provider

All round shaman, musical advocate, and positive vibe provider, Nigerian-born Michael Olufunmilola (Funmi) Ononaiye (1968-2023) was known and beloved by everyone in the artistic and social circles of Manhattan's music scene. He was an A&R rep at Atlantic Records. He was a DJ, percussionist, and chief programmer at Jazz at Lincoln Center. He had a deep effect on everyone.

That effect can be viscerally felt on the way-too-good, Vibe Provider. It sails. It sweeps in on a hop and a bop and never stops. Not for a moment. Whether Cohen and a cast of jazz's finest—including wingman, drummer/producer Kyle Poole and veteran of the Mingus Big Band and late-80's musical director for Art Blakey, trombonist Frank Lacy—are taking warhorses out for a spin ("If This Isn't Love," "Surrey With the Fringe on Top") or charging headlong into spirited Cohen originals ("Lion Song," "Vibe Provider," "Everlasting") the effect, like Ononaiye himself, is rousing, heartening, and edifying.

"Lion Song" jumps from the gate on the strength of Cohen's innate feel for how Art Tatum would have done it and did. With a frilly lilt and understated rhythm section (the whispery, light-hearted swing of Poole and bassist Philip Norris) the tune skips along without a care in the world. It leads free and easy into a remarkably vibrant and new-sounding "Surrey With the Fringe on Top." All energy and heart, the trio simmers, bashes, and saunters. Keeper of the good flame, Cohen—whose classicist heart holds to the truth that the music and those who make it never be forgotten or overlooked, (on display in his recordings with Ron Carter, Jimmy Cobb, Houston Person, Benny Golson and George Coleman)—infuses the title track with barely contained joy. Sparked by the front line of Lacy, trumpeter Bruce Harris, and Tivon Pennicott's broad tenor, "Vibe Provider," in a word, rocks. Poole and Norris dervish. It is an exhilarating six minutes.

According to the pianist, one of Ononaiye's favorite sayings was "unlock the love." Cohen's subsequent original certainly does just that. Swaying at its own calm pace, "Unlock the Love" commemorates as it cajoles the aches of loss. Joe Farnsworth steps in on drums for a taut, muscular reading of the traditional Shabbat hymn "Henei Ma Tov." The drummer then keeps the pedal to the medal for a runaway take on "If This Isn't Love." Cohen has a good head of steam going here too: His runs and solos sparkle both as he leads and pursues. "Everlasting," "Time On My Hands," and the closing "Emmet's Blues." He revisits the Tatum, Bud Powell, Oscar Peterson vibe with wiry grooves, hip jumps, and vamps that will set feet a-tappin' throughout the known universe. Titled in dedication to Ononaiye's too-cool street sobriquet, Vibe Provider not only whips up quite the celebration to the memory of a friend but may just be Cohen's first classic recording.

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