James Brandon Lewis' 'Calling Antonín' Is a Scholarly Masterpiece of Strings and Spirituals
The Sonic Breakdown
This is the third chapter of Red Lily, after Jesup Wagon (George Washington Carver) and For Mahalia, With Love. Despite the Quintet billing, it’s a sextet here: Lewis on tenor saxophone, Kirk Knuffke on cornet, Melanie Dyer added on viola, Tomeka Reid on cello, Joshua Abrams on bass and Chad Taylor on drums. The subject is Dvořák’s American period, and the nine pieces are Lewis originals — variations on Dvořák, responses to him, or simply things the encounter shook loose.
The Production & Mix
The Low-End: Abrams and Taylor are recorded warm and forward, which matters: with three strings in the front line the rhythm section has to hold the floor, and it does.
The Spatial Dynamics: Paul Wickliffe recorded, mixed and mastered the whole thing at Skyline Productions in South Orange, New Jersey, over two days in October 2025. The chamber instruments are given real depth rather than being flattened into a pad — Dyer’s viola and Reid’s cello braid together while the horns stay distinct out front.
Standout Performance
Kirk Knuffke’s cornet. JazzTrail’s verdict — “Knuffke’s range reaches the sky; Dyer’s mellow tones enchant, and Lewis’ intonation and dynamic expression are remarkable” — gets the hierarchy right.
Why It’s Certified
⚡ “Lento” grows out of a phrase from Dvořák’s “American” String Quartet; “Going Home” reworks the Largo of the Ninth Symphony; “Ode to P.L.D.” imagines the composer meeting the poet Paul Laurence Dunbar at the 1893 World’s Fair.
🌈 Paris-Move: “one of the most intellectually rich and emotionally direct jazz albums of the year.” The Big Takeover: “Calling Antonín is another masterpiece in his catalog.”
🌈 Paste, awarding Lewis his due: “Lewis is one of the best saxophonists of his age, and on Calling Antonín, his ability shines as brightly as ever.”