Label: Here Tiz Music, 2020
Personnel - Dave Glasser: alto and soprano saxophones, flute; Andy Milne: piano; Ben Allison: bass; Matt Wilson: drums.
The latest album from New York-born saxophonist Dave Glasser, Hypocrisy Democracy, arrives not only with a vital message of fairness and justice to the world but also with an intense will to ‘speak’ to the listener, musically. Drawing from tradition but sounding properly contemporary, Glasser, the lead altoist for the Count Basie Orchestra, is backed by a stellar quartet comprised of pianist Andy Milne, bassist Ben Allison and drummer Matt Wilson, all of them accomplished bandleaders.
The opening two tracks are scorchers that demonstrate the athletic agility of the ensemble. “Knit Wit” has Glasser doubling on alto and soprano during the theme, and it feels like we have Thelonious Monk and Herbie Nichols shoulder-to-shoulder. Ferocious rhythmic accents, a staggering harmonic presence, and authoritative improvisations with responsive reactions from the non-protagonists are part of the deal. Sharing a similar attitude, “Justice” has the group rejecting static routes, embarking instead on a hard-swinging verve where Milne, Allison and Wilson offer a robust, comfortable pillow for Glasser to lie in. The saxophonist blows with muscle, showcasing a fully developed jazz language with a copious command of timbre. He does it again on “Freedom”, a blues infused with some Coltrane spirit and explosive growling. At some point, the pace increases from moderate to snappy.
“Coffee, Dogs and Teledogs” and “Glee For Lee” are duets that serve as loose scaffoldings for improvisatory interplay. The former thrives with bouncing enthusiasm as the saxophonist pairs up with Allison, while the latter, written for former mentor Lee Konitz, is developed in the company of Wilson’s talkative drums.
If “Dilemonk” is a bluesy Monkian stretch, then “Revolver” seems to fuse the late pianist’s “Ask Me Now” with some Brubeck’s demeanors. And you’ll also find a beautiful ballad with shades of bolero and great piano work on “Dark Deep”, and crested waves of funk on “It’s Nothing New”, where soprano and flute ride together over Milne’s wide harmonic avenues.
Fueled by an infectious, inspiring energy, this album is immediately relatable and a pleasure from start to finish.
Grade A-
Favorite Tracks:
01 - Knit Wit ► 02 - Justice ► 10 - Dark Deep