Label: Self produced, 2020
Personnel - Engin Ozsahin: piano; Jacob Shulman: tenor saxophone; Aaron Dutton alto saxophone; Bobby Lane: trumpet; Seajun Kwon: bass; Charlie Weller: drums.
Originally hailing from Istanbul and now residing in Boston, pianist Engin Ozsahin drew inspiration from the bold decision of radically changing careers at the age 29 to compose his debut album, Sequence of Emotions. His passion and flair for music making led him to cut ties with a steady engineering job and enroll in the New England Conservatory in Boston. The nine song collection presented here took into consideration the whirl of emotions associated with different phases of that challenging process. Musically, the pianist was able to create a synergistic environment in the company of a functional sextet of young talents that includes saxophonists Jacob Shulman and Aaron Dutton on tenor and alto, respectively, Bobby Lane on trumpet, Seajun Kwon on bass, and Charlie Weller on drums.
More even-tempered than stirring, “Cease To Be a Part of It” serves as a sort of intro to “Day Dreamer", which keeps flowing in a 3/4 meter signature and corroborates the solid horn alliance with bright unisons and scarce polyphony. The soloists here are Ozsahin, who navigates through delicate textural waves, and Lane, who initially speaks over a settled percussive tapestry.
Tunes such as “What If” and “Instincts” denote a fantastic sense of dynamics and interplay. The former starts off with a blue trumpet discourse supported by Kwon’s inspired bass notes, and then segues into a passage where staccato full-hand chords on the piano give it the intended locomotion. A stark contrast is created when the two saxophonists pair up in an unaccompanied ride that later welcomes swirling piano movements. The piece then evolves into an avant-garde crescendo that allows emotions to flow freely. A different perspective, more traditionally swinging is offered on “Instincts”, whose scrumptious arrangement embodies a relentless bass pedal setting the pace, attractive melody, and improvisations from piano and alto sax.
Whereas “Partimento” is a showcase for Shulman’s dark-hued soloing prowess, here consistently backed by a thick cluster-filled piano comping and a shuffling rhythm, “Teeter Totter Circus” is an Andrew Hill-esque ballad with suspended ambiances and free horn forays that exalt it into a wider dimension. Both tunes feel epic.
With “In New Grounds”, the group seemed inclined to finish the record on a tender note, but the music grows in intensity, especially during the soloists’ spontaneous expressions.
Ozsahin composes with intelligence and his voice rings out clearly and promisingly.
Grade B+
Favorite Tracks:
02 - Day Dreamer ► 04 - Teeter Totter Circus ► 06 - Partimento