With a level of class that refuses to dim under modern spotlights, LeeRoy by The Ruinous Quartet arrives with all the cool confidence of a veteran ensemble that knows precisely when to push and when to hold. The seasoned trombonist Ben Barnett, who has etched his legacy into the walls of New York’s most hallowed jazz institutions, leads with precision, panache, and an unteachable knack for arranging chaos into sophistication.
Having graduated with honours from both Purchase College and Hofstra University, with a Grammy nomination to his name and stage time shared with the likes of Barry Harris, Arturo O’Farrill, and the Afro-Latin Jazz Orchestra, Barnett’s pedigree ensures LeeRoy is more than a nod to tradition. It is a fully animated, genre-scorching demonstration of where big band jazz can go when the right musicians are behind the wheel.
The keys sparkle with enough vivacity to summon a silver age of swing into the present day, while the percussion flickers with a contained urgency that threatens to tip the track into riotous abandon. The Ruinous Quartet live up to their name without ever losing sight of sheer elegance. The blistering drum solo carves a break in the structure sharp enough to shatter glass, yet the whole composition holds its shape with effortless poise.
The sheen of classic jazz may wrap LeeRoy in a satin glove, but the pulse underneath is pure electricity.
LeeRoy is now available to stream on all major platforms, including Bandcamp.
Review by Amelia Vandergast
