The Greg Osby Four
Greg Osby – alto saxophone
Megumi Yonezawa – piano
Matt Brewer – bass
Eric McPherson – drums
Ambrose Akinmusire – special guest on trumpet
I first heard saxophonist Greg Osby last year on his Blue Note release, Inner Circle. I remember playing it as I was going to sleep but the intensity of his music kept me awake. I had to put on something a bit more mellow. Osby’s intensity was definitely evident during his recent performance at Yoshi’s. He is no nonsense horn player. He went straight into his music and sometimes you did not know where one piece ended and the next began. Each instrument had it is own assignment and when they came together, they formed a powerful class. In the dissidence of each sound, there was a certain cohesiveness. He has joined onstage by special guest trumpeter Ambrose Akinmusire, an Oakland native. Their pairing was dynamic and produced a wonderful sound which was reminiscent of Miles and Coltrane set yet definitely carving their own paths. Osby featured music from his Blue Note releases including his current release, St. Louis Shoes, a tribute to the music of his hometown.