Label: Blue Note, 2020
Personnel - Ambrose Akinmusire: trumpet; Sam Harris: piano; Harish Raghavan: bass; Justin Brown: drums.
Besides being one of the most reputable conceptual thinkers out there, trumpeter Ambrose Akinmusire is a prominent figure on the scene, modernizing the parameters of jazz and blues to create music that is utterly appealing and innovative.
The 11 tunes comprising On The Tender Spot of Every Calloused Moment, his sixth album as a leader, point to a well-defined direction that is very much Akinmusire’s line of action. The topic at the center of the album is the continual struggle endured by black people in America, which, according to the latest occurrences - including the murder of George Floyd and massive gentrification - finds itself in an opportune time to urge change on social issues.
The sections of “Tide of Hyacinth” fluctuate between stirring and serene with much lyricism to appreciate. The tempos, whether rubato or camouflaged by odd-meter, have direct influence on how the rhythm shapes, while the energy, following the dynamics of each passage, can be as much enveloping as invigorating. The spoken word of Jesus Diaz, uttered in the Yoruba language, evokes pure African chants.
“Yesss” opens quietly as a ballad and closes strongly as a scream of hope. At the outset, the trumpet notes are long, precise and emotionally-charged, strongly backed by unaggressive bowed bass and consolidated piano. The quartet then dives in an atmospheric supplication where trumpet wails sit on top of sustaining synth clouds and sluggish syncopated beat. Other equally beautiful, and sometimes dolorous balladic reflections are found in cuts like “Reset”, a touching meditation on quiet victories and celebrated defeats with penetrating trumpet echoing off into infinity, and “Roy”, which uses a more familiar structure and aesthetic - drawn from the Baptist hymn The Lord’s Prayer - to pay homage to the late trumpeter Roy Hargrove. “Cynical Sideliners”, dressed up with a gossamer Fender Rhodes fabric (provided by Akinmusire) and haunting vocals by Genevieve Artadi, also falls in this tranquilizing, if socially enlightened, category.
Another dedication, this time to the multireedist Roscoe Mitchell, is made on “Mr. Roscoe”, an avant-garde sort of march amplified by contrasting tonalities, marked by dry wit and delivered at a medium trot. Justin Brown’s inventive drumming is on display here, motivating staggering intensities and trusted routines.
Adopting a deliberate stagnation in its initial phase, “Blues” is radically introduced by prepared piano, extended trumpet techniques, understated rim shots and dispersed bass notes. The busier second half incites to a change of posture, and the group kind of swings in a modern fashion.
On “An Interlude”, bassist Harish Raghavan dishes out a splendid solo introduction before fixating in a continuous rhythmic flow with Sam Harris’ rich harmonic colors atop.
The trumpet work by Akinmusire is absolutely fantastic throughout, cutting across the underlying textures with acerbic twist, painful consciousness, and a fair dose of abstraction. His self-possessed lyrical force is not within reach of common artists.
Grade A
Favorite Tracks:
01 - Tide of Hyacinth ► 02 - Yesss ► 06 - Reset