Tough Talk by The James O'Donnell Quintet

Co-leading Detroit's little big band the Planet D Nonet (PD9) since 2007 has kept James O’Donnell in the limelight of the music scene in Detroit. The band has garnered eleven Detroit Music Awards for Outstanding Jazz Recording or Outstanding Traditional Jazz Ensemble. They have toured through eleven states in the Midwest and the deep South.

James started out in the late '70s with the band Kuumba on Detroit’s east side; that group later became the well-known Sun Messengers. It was during that time he started studying with trumpeter Russell Green, a swing era veteran who toured and recorded with the famous Jimmie Lunceford Orchestra. Russell took James under his wing and passed on many secrets of the trade to his young protégé, including the Stevens-Costello Embouchure technique. James shares those techniques with his students to this day. After leaving the Sun Messengers, circa 1987, James lived for a while in New York City, then started working on cruise ships and alternately living and working in jazz clubs in Mexico City. Shipboard gigs took him around the globe, and he eventually settled back on Detroit’s east side to raise a family.

Beyond gigs with the Planet D Nonet, James keeps very busy around Detroit these days with his own group, heard on this recording, although the Planet D does make an appearance on two numbers, “Tulip or Turip” and “Azalea.” His excellent working band is helmed by the veteran pianist Michael Zaporski, also a member of the PD9 and leader of his own hard-swinging group FutureVisions, who are regulars at the Dirty Dog Jazz Café. A hard swinging pianist, Michael brought much to this project as he always does. One of Detroit’s top drummers is Djallo Djakate who knows how to swing when it is called for, and also when to make it funky. Anchoring the band is James’ dear old pal Kurt Krahnke, a friend going back to their early days in the Sun Messengers. Kurt is another top-flight player on the Detroit-Ann Arbor scene with a deep resume. Young sax man Alvin Paige makes his debut with the band on this recording. Originally from San Diego, Alvin performs often with the PD9, and James wanted his talents on this project. He is a strong player with much to offer, playing both tenor and baritone saxes with a deep sense of swing.

The PLANET D NONET "a down & dirty little swing band from Detroit" was founded by drummer RJ Spangler & trumpeter James O’Donnell.

The Planet D Nonet is about swing, blues, space-age jazz and classic American songs all served with plenty of good humor with an eye toward turning people onto this kind of music. Check it out...

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