Review: Kennedy McLeod Quintet – Home Brew

by Scott Roos

Our Grade: A+

The Kennedy McLeod Quintet’s latest release, Home Brew, is a masterclass in modern jazz with deep roots in tradition. Recorded at The Shubox on July 11-12, 2024, and produced by Donny Kennedy and Jeff McLeod, the album showcases Kennedy on alto sax, Steve Kaldestad on tenor (and alto on track 8), McLeod on piano, Pat Collins on bass, and Dave Laing on drums.

From the opening track, McLeod’s 590 Blues, the listener is immediately immersed in a Jazz Messengers-inspired world. Kaldestad bursts out with Coltrane-esque tenor lines, Kennedy answers with sizzling alto runs that evoke Parker, and McLeod’s Brubeck-ish, polyrhythmic piano chords propel the energy forward. The quintet trades fours effortlessly, with Laing’s drumming driving the ensemble with infectious swing.

Dark Time slows the pace into a lilting jazz waltz. The interwoven sax melodies shimmer atop a rhythm section that is firmly “in the pocket.” In Area 19, a whimsical, syncopated tune, the saxes engage in a playful musical conversation, while McLeod swings with subtle humor on the piano, perfectly complementing the back-and-forth.

The title track, Home Brew, begins with a drum solo and launches into an up-tempo swing, with the saxes in unison and harmonic interplay emerging at the bridge. Kennedy’s ballad Isla offers a tender, arpeggiated melody over McLeod’s sensitive piano accompaniment, providing the album’s most modern-jazz moment amidst its largely classic sound. Blues for DK is a blues march reminiscent of the Jazz Messengers, with Kennedy and Kaldestad delivering spirited solos and McLeod adding soulful, swinging lines.

Stylistically, the album is versatile. Tenacious ‘T’ moves into bossa nova territory, highlighted by smooth sax and melodic piano work, while One for PJ features fast, twisting sax lines, inventive piano accompaniment, and impressive solos from Collins and Laing. The closing track, Who’ll Be Looking Back, balances whimsy and nostalgia, moving from a slow, almost drunken "Auld Lang Syne" feel into a playful two-step march.

Throughout Home Brew, the interplay between Kennedy and Kaldestad recalls historic saxophone pairings like Adderley and Coltrane. McLeod’s piano provides both harmonic depth and rhythmic propulsion, and the rhythm section’s cohesion anchors the ensemble beautifully. The result is a record that feels both spontaneous and meticulously crafted, with playful energy, virtuosic solos, and timeless swing.

Home Brew is a celebration of straight-ahead jazz: technically brilliant, deeply soulful, and thoroughly alive. It is a standout recording that will appeal to jazz aficionados and newcomers alike.