Although many jazz fans don’t even know his name, Marty Ehrlich is a composer and musician of rare gifts, in both the classical and jazz realms. Ehrlich, who was born in St. Paul and raised in St. Louis, recently released a sensational new recording, A Trumpet in the Morning (New World Records), which has won a place on some critics’ 2013 top ten lists for jazz albums. In St. Louis, the young saxophonist came under the sway of the avant-garde Black Artist Group (BAG). The album’s title track adapts a poem by Arthur Brown (1947-1982), whose poetic voice influenced BAG. Another amazing track is titled “Rundowns and Turnbacks,” which unveils seven movements over its 20 minutes, with different orchestrations and themes for each part. Some two dozen ace musicians help swing Ehrlich’s wonderful compositions to life. — Mordecai Specktor
(American Jewish World, 12.20.13)
