{"id":11485,"date":"2025-10-31T02:00:34","date_gmt":"2025-10-31T07:00:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/?p=11485"},"modified":"2025-10-31T02:00:34","modified_gmt":"2025-10-31T07:00:34","slug":"review-domo-branch-hand-of-gifts","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/review-domo-branch-hand-of-gifts\/","title":{"rendered":"Review: Domo Branch\u2019s \u2018Hands of Gifts\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\">The gratitude of drummer-composer Domo Branch, an in-demand rising star of contemporary jazz, is evident in many ways as on <em>Hand of Gifts <\/em>(Albina Music Trust, 2025). Artists often honor tradition, as Branch does here, while going beyond simply honoring his mentors.&nbsp; Albina Music Trust, a new label to most, is a non-profit organization and full-service community archive dedicated to restoring the historically Black American neighborhood in Branch\u2019s hometown of Portland, Oregon. On the record, Branch both pays tribute to his high school band leader &#8211; trumpeter Thara Memory &#8211; and mourns the 2024 loss of his older brother, \u201cPeanut.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\">Branch splits his time between Portland and New York City, where he has appeared with Wynton Marsalis and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, Sean Jones, Catherine Russell, Terence Blanchard, Stefon Harris, and many others.&nbsp; Joining Branch on the album are three or his peers: charismatic bassist Russell Hall, pianist Tyler Henderson, and relative newcomer, <a href=\"https:\/\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/new-jazz-underground-newport-2025\/\">New Jazz Underground <\/a>saxophonist Abidias Armenteros.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed-youtube wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-embed-aspect-4-3 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"lyte-wrapper fourthree\" style=\"width:420px;max-width:100%;margin:5px;\"><div class=\"lyMe\" id=\"WYL_6FJt9sZhw8I\"><div id=\"lyte_6FJt9sZhw8I\" data-src=\"\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/6FJt9sZhw8I\/hqdefault.jpg\" class=\"pL\"><div class=\"tC\"><div class=\"tT\"><\/div><\/div><div class=\"play\"><\/div><div class=\"ctrl\"><div class=\"Lctrl\"><\/div><div class=\"Rctrl\"><\/div><\/div><\/div><noscript><a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/6FJt9sZhw8I\" rel=\"nofollow\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/6FJt9sZhw8I\/0.jpg?resize=420%2C295&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"YouTube video thumbnail\" width=\"420\" height=\"295\" \/><br \/>Watch this video on YouTube<\/a><\/noscript><\/div><\/div><div class=\"lL\" style=\"max-width:100%;width:420px;margin:5px;\"><\/div><figcaption><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\">The rousing album opener \u201cHarlem Nights,\u201d finds Armenterros wailing on soprano with swinging &#8211; somewhat reminiscent of McCoy Tyner &#8211; piano from Henderson as the tune celebrates the contributions of Harlem to music, art, literature, and culture. The quartet sustains its high energy with Armenteros soaring again on soprano, and Henderson sparkling in the modal piece, \u201cOur Man Bogle.\u201d&nbsp; Composed by Memory, Branch arranged it as a take on his former band director&#8217;s voice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\">The pupil, in turn, composed the lengthy \u201cA Memory\u201d while in Paris. The piece both reflects on early lessons from Memory and celebrates that he had attained one of his major goals of touring outside the States. Parts of the song\u2019s melody are taken from an old video Branch found of Memory playing his trumpet before an awe-struck class. There\u2019s a bluesy rhythm to the piece, slightly evoking the music of Horace Silver or Bobby Timmons, with pianist Henderson improvises far beyond riffing in his beaming solo. Armenteros plays with unbridled verve as well. \u201cBig Moves\u201d is even closer to that soul-jazz sound, with the saxophonist on tenor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed-youtube wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"lyte-wrapper fourthree\" style=\"width:420px;max-width:100%;margin:5px;\"><div class=\"lyMe\" id=\"WYL_3kczSDLrTNE\"><div id=\"lyte_3kczSDLrTNE\" data-src=\"\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/3kczSDLrTNE\/hqdefault.jpg\" class=\"pL\"><div class=\"tC\"><div class=\"tT\"><\/div><\/div><div class=\"play\"><\/div><div class=\"ctrl\"><div class=\"Lctrl\"><\/div><div class=\"Rctrl\"><\/div><\/div><\/div><noscript><a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/3kczSDLrTNE\" rel=\"nofollow\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/3kczSDLrTNE\/0.jpg?resize=420%2C295&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"YouTube video thumbnail\" width=\"420\" height=\"295\" \/><br \/>Watch this video on YouTube<\/a><\/noscript><\/div><\/div><div class=\"lL\" style=\"max-width:100%;width:420px;margin:5px;\"><\/div><figcaption><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\">The tone shifts melancholic in&nbsp; \u201cA Letter to Peanut,\u201d written in memoriam of Branch&#8217;s older brother. The musical love letter features Armenterros\u2019s emotive, highly lyrical tenor and a conversational bass solo by Hall. The latter of which Branch describes as <strong>\u201c<\/strong>sounds almost like talking to Peanut.\u201d The piece moves to a feeling of hope in its second section, making it touching and memorable. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed-youtube wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-embed-aspect-4-3 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"lyte-wrapper fourthree\" style=\"width:420px;max-width:100%;margin:5px;\"><div class=\"lyMe\" id=\"WYL_6EmoRfBEgfQ\"><div id=\"lyte_6EmoRfBEgfQ\" data-src=\"\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/6EmoRfBEgfQ\/hqdefault.jpg\" class=\"pL\"><div class=\"tC\"><div class=\"tT\"><\/div><\/div><div class=\"play\"><\/div><div class=\"ctrl\"><div class=\"Lctrl\"><\/div><div class=\"Rctrl\"><\/div><\/div><\/div><noscript><a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/6EmoRfBEgfQ\" rel=\"nofollow\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/6EmoRfBEgfQ\/0.jpg?resize=420%2C295&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"YouTube video thumbnail\" width=\"420\" height=\"295\" \/><br \/>Watch this video on YouTube<\/a><\/noscript><\/div><\/div><div class=\"lL\" style=\"max-width:100%;width:420px;margin:5px;\"><\/div><figcaption><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\">The uplifting title track swings as the quartet locks into the groove set by the quartet\u2019s leader and Hall, allowing Henderson to explore freely in his bluesy solo while Armenterros blows robustly, late \u201850s hard bop style. The saxophonist digs even deeper, Stanley Turrentine-like, on \u201cBlues for the World.\u201d The track also features an outstanding turn from Hall as the pianist sits out.&nbsp; Branch doesn\u2019t solo during these pieces but does carve out \u201cSolo Drum\u201d to demonstrate his chops on the kit, wherein he reveals an interesting tuning of his drums.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\">The spirit of thanksgiving and graciousness comes through in the inspired playing of all on <em>Hand of Gifts<\/em>. The album is a major leap forward compositionally for Branch.&nbsp; Russell Hall continues to show why he is one of the best contemporary bassists. Besides, we are introduced to the talents of pianist Tyler Henderson and saxophonist Armenteros, both of whom shine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><em>\u2018Hand of Gifts\u2019 is out now on Albina Music Trust. It can be <a href=\"https:\/\/dominickbranch.bandcamp.com\/album\/hand-of-gifts\">purchased on Bandcamp<\/a>. <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The gratitude of drummer-composer Domo Branch, an in-demand rising star of contemporary jazz, is evident in many ways as on Hand of Gifts (Albina Music Trust, 2025). Artists often honor tradition, as Branch does here, while going beyond simply honoring his mentors.&nbsp; Albina Music Trust, a new label to most, is a non-profit organization and [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":59,"featured_media":11488,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"iawp_total_views":61,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"Review: Domo Branch\u2019s \u2018Hands of Gifts\u2019","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-11485","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-reviews"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/img_2328-1.jpg?fit=750%2C500&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/peRkRR-2Zf","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":11207,"url":"https:\/\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/review-chapter-one-caelan-cardello\/","url_meta":{"origin":11485,"position":0},"title":"Review: Caelan Cardello\u2019s \u2018Chapter One\u2019","author":"Jim Hynes","date":"August 31, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Caelan Cardello is breaking out. As part of vocalist Tyreek McDole's backing quartet at this summer\u2019s Newport Jazz Festival, the pianist-composer impressed the audience with his comfort with hard swinging numbers and his duetting with McDole on the standard \u201cLush Life.\u201d\u00a0 Few in attendance knew Cardello's forthcoming debut, Chapter One\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Album Reviews&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Album Reviews","link":"https:\/\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/category\/reviews\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/img_1257.jpg?fit=750%2C500&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/img_1257.jpg?fit=750%2C500&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/img_1257.jpg?fit=750%2C500&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/img_1257.jpg?fit=750%2C500&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2029,"url":"https:\/\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/kiwanuka-2019-list\/","url_meta":{"origin":11485,"position":1},"title":"Brian Kiwanuka\u2019s Favorite Jazz Albums of 2019","author":"Brian Kiwanuka","date":"November 27, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"As the PostGenre Team is working on their list(s) of Favorites from 2020, here is a flashback to Brian Kiwanuka\u2019s 2019 list. This list originally appeared at Nextbop. 10. Brandee Younger \u2013 Soul Awakening (Self Release) The harp is a spellbinding instrument and throughout Soul Awakening Brandee Younger is a\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Lists&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Lists","link":"https:\/\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/category\/lists\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/BeFunky-collage4.jpg?fit=750%2C500&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/BeFunky-collage4.jpg?fit=750%2C500&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/BeFunky-collage4.jpg?fit=750%2C500&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/BeFunky-collage4.jpg?fit=750%2C500&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":11542,"url":"https:\/\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/review-thomas-morgan-around-forest\/","url_meta":{"origin":11485,"position":2},"title":"Review: Thomas Morgan\u2019s \u2018Around You is a Forest\u2019","author":"Jim Hynes","date":"November 11, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"As evidenced by two recent collaborations with Wadada Leo Smith, Jakob Bro\u2019s Loveland Music, is releasing some of the most interesting improvised music recently. Yet, also on the label comes Thomas Morgan\u2019s Around You is a Forest (Loveland, 2025), which may well be the most unique album made in a\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Album Reviews&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Album Reviews","link":"https:\/\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/category\/reviews\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/img_2508.jpg?fit=759%2C506&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/img_2508.jpg?fit=759%2C506&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/img_2508.jpg?fit=759%2C506&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/img_2508.jpg?fit=759%2C506&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2892,"url":"https:\/\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/summer-of-soul\/","url_meta":{"origin":11485,"position":3},"title":"Review: Questlove&#8217;s &#8216;Summer of Soul (&#8230; Or When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised)\u2019","author":"Rob Shepherd","date":"July 1, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"Far too often concert films depict performances as just an insular moment in time. While Jazz on A Summer\u2019s Day, one of the greatest of its style, excels at sharing the music and personalities which made the 1958 Newport Jazz Festival so memorable, it did not fully contextualize the proceedings\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Film Review&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Film Review","link":"https:\/\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/category\/film-review\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/page-header.jpg?fit=750%2C500&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/page-header.jpg?fit=750%2C500&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/page-header.jpg?fit=750%2C500&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/page-header.jpg?fit=750%2C500&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":10060,"url":"https:\/\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/protecting-the-history-a-conversation-with-ebo-taylor\/","url_meta":{"origin":11485,"position":4},"title":"Protecting the History: A Conversation with Ebo Taylor","author":"Rob Shepherd","date":"January 23, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Many define \u201cjazz\u201d as the meeting of African rhythms and European harmonies. In a sense, this narrative is accurate - if you remove the influence of the church, songs of the field, or cues from the homeland - the form would cease to exist. But, in another sense, this effort\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Interviews&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Interviews","link":"https:\/\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/category\/interviews\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/img_0968-1.jpg?fit=750%2C500&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/img_0968-1.jpg?fit=750%2C500&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/img_0968-1.jpg?fit=750%2C500&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/img_0968-1.jpg?fit=750%2C500&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":3106,"url":"https:\/\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/2021-newport-jazz-ii\/","url_meta":{"origin":11485,"position":5},"title":"Observations from Day Two of the 2021 Newport Jazz Festival","author":"Rob Shepherd","date":"August 8, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"2020 was a pivotal year in the history of civil rights. While a prominent case, George Floyd\u2019s murder was no more the beginning of the struggle than his killer\u2019s conviction was its end. Racial justice has served as a central impetus throughout much of the lineage of Black American Music,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Live Reviews&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Live Reviews","link":"https:\/\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/category\/live\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/d6arFQJg.jpg?fit=750%2C500&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/d6arFQJg.jpg?fit=750%2C500&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/d6arFQJg.jpg?fit=750%2C500&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/d6arFQJg.jpg?fit=750%2C500&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11485","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/59"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=11485"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11485\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":11489,"href":"https:\/\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11485\/revisions\/11489"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/11488"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=11485"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=11485"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/postgenre.org\/staging\/4567\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=11485"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}