Label: Tidebloom Records, 2024
Personnel - Cooper Malanowski: trombone; Kai Burns: guitar; David Macchione: bass; Alex Yoo: drums // guest: Ariel Vera: vocals (#7).
Summit is the likable, occasionally surprising debut album from trombonist Cooper Malanowski, who was born in New York and is currently based in Boston. Competently handling eight compositions crafted over the three-year period he has been studying at the New England Conservatory, Malinowski’s inBetween Quartet shows potential and taste in the way they shape these pieces.
“Your Name”, with its reflective rubato intro, leads into “A Glimpse of Opportunity”, where plaintive trombone melodies hover over Kai Burns’ softly textured guitar. Both Alex Yoo’s effective brushwork and David Macchione's supple bass underpinning help settle into a valley of relative peace, later swept by a cleanly articulated guitar solo.
“De.F” recalls Dave Douglas’ mature contemporary jazz, evolving confidently with some interesting guitar reactions to the trombone solo. Yoo intensifies his chops to reach a peak right before the calm ending. “Rocky” displays fairly obscure yet exquisite guitar chords and texture, impelling us to search beyond. Flowing with a three time feel, this piece denotes an organic sense of narrative with the contribution of fleet, conversational solos from trombone and guitar. The group embraces a more amped-up rock-tinged aesthetic here, well anchored by the rhythm section.
The post-bop drive of “The con-front” revels in exciting swinging currents laid down with groove, while “I Missed the Train” features gust vocalist Ariel Vera in consonance with the brass melodic routes, in a series of flawlessly intermeshed ideas among bold rhythmic variations. A beautiful tranquility returns with the closer, “Shir Le Itzick”. Summit is a successful collaborative effort by Malanowski and his developing band.
Favorite Tracks:
05 - Rocky ► 06 - The con-front ► 07 - I Missed the Train