JAZZ REVIEW |Entre Amigos, "Magpie" by Jeff Cebulski

Entre Amigos, Magpie

Magpie Entre Amigos Records, 2025

By Jeff Cebulski | ⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2

Roy McGrath, tenor and soprano saxophones

Hana Fujisaki, piano

Kitt Lyles, bass

Gustavo Cortiñas, drum set

A couple of Chicago Jazz Festivals ago, the ensemble that would become Entre Amigos assembled in the virtual middle of Millennial Park to perform a pop-up concert, attracting a sizable horde of new fans. That group included saxophonist and leader Roy McGrath, bassist Kitt Lyles, and drummer Gustavo Cortiñas, plus a guest guitarist. During the concert, the band included music of the Chicago-area composer, trumpeter, and arranger Joe Clark, an important muse for McGrath, who has taken on increased leadership roles post-COVID.

Last year, that guitar was replaced with a piano played by Hana Fujisaki, and Entre Amigos was officially born, releasing its debut album on its own label and then travelling overseas into China and South Korea to resume McGrath’s yearly visits interrupted by the pandemic. During those tours, Entre Amigos bonded over Clark’s compositions, and a new album, Magpie, is the result.

Magpie testifies to the ensemble’s tight musical unity and its affinity to Clark’s material, perhaps even, to some ears, too tight. Part of that is the nature of recording versus live performance. Don’t misunderstand; the music here is wonderfully rendered and showcases a gifted local composer translated by four of our younger jazz generation: McGrath’s playing is both lyrical and sumptuous; Lyles’ bass work has matured significantly and is a bonus to hear; Cortiñas’ rhythm sense is as organic as they come; Fujisaki fills in the harmonic gaps with deft clarity—all of this terrifically recorded by Andy Shoemaker at Rax Trax. Yet, one wonders if the group’s desire to ‘represent’ overshadows the players’ ability to interpret, at times.

Part of my caveat is based on the varying styles represented on Magpie. Clark can obviously compose for different subgenres, and the album thus becomes a loyally represented collection. The opener “Bernard” is a softly swinging post-bop treat, where McGrath, in particular, shines with his tenor, that is paired with “Butcher, Baker, Candlestick Maker,” in which Lyles’ own string lyricism shines, and with the blues closer “Potato,” featuring tasty solos from Fujisaki and Lyles.

The title cut is a waltzy ballad with McGrath’s soprano aside which Fujisaki sparkles in comping tandem. The soprano continues on “The Parliament,” where Lyles’ bass gently pushes his mates into a subtle-Latin groove that Cortiñas supports with increasing dexterity; by the end, the band is into a rolling boil before production fades it away. Then comes “Heaven on Seven,” an old-timey jazz tune riding a Fujisaki barroom piano riff and Cortiñas marching drum beat that becomes something else when McGrath enters with his tenor, turning it into a modern mashup tinted with a generational wash; it’s perhaps the piece most indicative of the band’s creative potential.

These Entre Amigos are really, really good, and they are especially good live. Maybe their next recording should be live—a featured moment at the Jazz Festival?—on a proper stage. In the meantime, we have their two albums that evince their collective harmony and considerable chops. Magpie, in particular, displays an ensemble ready for the big time, unharnessed by the studio, needing to be let loose in the USA.

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About Jeff Cebulski

Jeff Cebulski, who lives in Chicago, is a retired English educator (both secondary and collegiate) and longtime jazz aficionado. His career in jazz includes radio programs at two stations in southeast Wisconsin, an online show on Kennesaw State’s (GA) Owl Radio from 2007 until 2015, and review/feature writing for Chicago Jazz Magazine since 2016, including his column "Jazz With Mr. C". He has interviewed many jazz artists, including Joshua Redman, Charles Lloyd, Dave Holland, John Beasley, and Chris Brubeck, as well as several Chicago-based players. Jeff is a member of the Jazz Journalists Association. Contact Jeff at jeff@chicagojazz.com