May 1998

Roland Guerin
The Winds of the New Land
Turnipseed

By Owen Cordle

Bassist Guerin's debut as a leader includes a stellar and often fiery cast: trumpeter Nicholas Payton, guitarist Mark Whitfield, pianist Peter Martin and a superb drummer who is new to me, Donald Edwards. The playing is better than average throughout, although the leader's ten tunes are less memorable than the performances. Guerin begins with a slapped bass piece called "Slap Happy" (shades of Milt Hinton) and ends with another bass feature called "Visions," wherein he suggests Charlie Haden. The bassist, a graduate of Alvin Batiste's jazz program at Southern University, has performed with the Marsalises, Marcus Roberts, Donald Harrison, Monty Alexander and the late Gerry Mulligan, among others.