The current jazz world has become suspicious of the trend of young players managing to get great record deals early -- some would say too early -- in their careers. At times it seems any youngster capable of keeping a beat and looking good in a cover photo gets recorded. At first glance, Marcus Printup seems to be the typical example. He has paid a few dues, with Betty Carter, Carl Allen and Cyrus Chestnut (check out his trumpet on Chestnut's recent "Soul Food"), but not many.
Then again, why should he? He has obviously worked hard to hone his technique and compositions to secure a contract, so why knock him? I won't -- or can't. His latest release, "The New Boogaloo," may not be fully ripe, but he's put together an appealing set of songs with crisp arrangements and a deep sense of swing. What he lacks in experience he makes up for in enthusiasm and dedication to the basics.
The musicians featured on this recording easily fit under the heading "young lions," a slightly derogatory term applied to new traditionalists such as Wynton Marsalis. But that seems to undervalue their earnest attention to craft. They are extremely accomplished players. Many of the seven musicians have played with the Marsalis-led Lincoln Center Orchestra and have been in myriad New York bands. Granted, they are less concerned with marking out new territory as with cultivating already fertile soil, but they do it well.