The Crew - Album Review

Moonray by James Hudson

Photo of the album cover for The Crew

With his latest album release ‘The Crew,’ singer Bryan Hughes demonstrates a (personally) much-appreciated earnestness and true love for the Great American Songbook. While still bringing a fresh and modern take to these tunes, Hughes and his crew so passionately remain true to the jazz tradition.


This “Crew” in question is made up of an all-star cast of Tampa jazz royalty like drummer Jean Bolduc and USF’s own James Suggs on trumpet. Over the length of ten songs recorded in only two days, The Crew gives a masterclass in rhythm section chemistry and a strong pyramid of sound built through Hughes’ charismatic and charming vocals.

On my first listen of this album, I was constantly surprised by the refreshing variety of subgenre styles. The album begins in an explosive manner with the tune ‘Duke’s Place’ (aka C Jam Blues). The energy the band brings in just the first few seconds of the tune is more than enough to hook you, not to mention John O’Leary’s bluesy piano solo which – while still managing to slip in a few eyebrows raised, whole-toney licks – remains fairly true to the style. O’Leary’s solo is followed by a quick lesson in jazz vocabulary by James Suggs.


“Centerpiece” tones down to the vibes of a 1960s' smokey, dim-lit New-York jazz club (at least from what I can imagine). Something that rivals the greats from the bebop era.

"Over the length of ten songs recorded in only two days, The Crew gives a masterclass in rhythm section chemistry..."

From this point on it’s nearly impossible to tell where the band is going to take us next. Track after track, The Crew hits us with hip new arrangements of some of the greatest American Songbook standards like ‘Our love is here to stay’ (which sounds like the musical love child of Hiatus Kaiyote and Nat King Cole). Later, we even get something of a Motown tribute with ‘I want you back.’ The tune ironically has a quirky but not unwelcome ‘Sir Duke’ reference (Stevie Wonder’s own tribute to Duke Ellington), which – on top of the previously mentioned ‘Duke’s place’ – makes this feel like a sort of Ellington tribute inception; and I’m all here for it. 


After about 40 minutes of some truly amazing improvisation (and what I find to be a lot of very refined stylistic commitment) The Crew ends off the album with a smooth send off in ‘Teach me Tonight.’


Overall, Bryan Hughes and The Crew not only demonstrates their ability to showcase a variety of styles throughout the album but also exemplifies their commitment to truly embodying each of these styles and the jazz tradition as a whole. 

AAF Rating: 4/5 trumpets

four black trumpet icons

AAF Top Picks:  Duke's Place, Feel Like Making Love, Our Love is Here to Stay

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