Label: Intakt Records, 2020
Personnel - Charlotte Greve: alto saxophone; Chris Tordini: acoustic bass; Vinnie Sperrazza: drums.
A lovely combination of distinct musical personalities is found in The Choir Invisible, a Brooklyn-based cohesive trio formed in 2017 and co-led by saxophonist Charlotte Greve, bassist Chris Tordini and drummer Vinnie Sperrazza. All three hard-working musicians contribute pieces for the project, possessing a prodigious capacity to create freely in addition to a conspicuous fondness for keen, organic sounds. It's a staggering integration of writing material and improvisation.
The relentless, ritualistic “Chant” and the sole-saxophone-driven “These Materials” are compact pieces that prepare us for “Low”, which is set up with a gripping languid groove, a variety of tonally rich cymbal intonations that enhance texture, and a buoyant bass solo with deliberately directional saxophone notes as underpinning. Greve penned these first three selections.
She also brings “Daily Task” into the program. Since the tension never grows too tight, this piece is all about coordination, shaken by the flapping sounds of Sperrazza’s sizzling snare.
The drummer infuses his broad percussive palette on his own “Change Your Name”, a reflective chamber piece in which saxophone and bowed bass start a dialogue, agreeing on the direction to take.
Tordini’s compositions seem crafted to spotlight each individual’s talents. The trio endows “1.7” with a wealth of melodic and percussive twists. At the outset we have Sperrazza’s pragmatic supportive brushwork, circular riff-motivated movements, and a thoughtful, measured bass accompaniment that never feels precipitate. Then the bass is set loose for a spacious and abstract middle passage - aiming for more open playing - and extremely aesthetic snare drum rolls. The final stage is designed with funk-infused accentuation and a sturdy indie-rock feel.
One can tell that “Zuppio” and “e)” share some compositional characteristics. However, if the former sounds agreeably elliptical rather than surprising, the latter evolves into a dancing syncopation with refreshing, non-obvious sax lines after a []-minute free bass intro. Tordini expresses himself with that full supple tone that characterizes his playing, predominantly round and robust.
The absence of harmony makes this boundless experience even more inquisitive, with the trio taking the listeners into a joyride abundant in colorful textures and noble melodic purposes.
Grade B+
Favorite Tracks:
03 - Low ► 04 - 1.7 ► 06 - Zuppio