Label: Sunnyside Records, 2023
Personnel - Jeremy Udden: alto saxophone, Lyricon wind synthesizer; Ben Monder: guitar; Jorge Roeder: bass; Ziv Ravitz: drums.
In his new quartet album, Wishing Flower, Brooklyn-based saxophonist and composer Jeremy Udden returns to the autobiographical compositions and the pleasingly airy quality that characterizes his music. In addition to drawing inspiration from his rural Massachusetts upbringing and cosmopolitan experiences in cities like Boston and New York, he now finds motivation in his two daughters.
Udden shares with us that inspiration in the album’s opening track, “Wishing Flower”, which delicately and sophisticatedly paints the memory of one of his daughters picking dandelions during a walk in Brooklyn. The melody, with its perfect logic, tries to convey the emotions, all the while supported by the explanatory chops of drummer Ziv Ravitz. Guitarist Ben Monder, whose bold guitarism has been a reference in jazz, then follows him in tandem, together with bassist Jorge Roeder, who adds a sort of loose groove to the bass lines. It all fits wonderfully, and another clear case in point is “Lullaby”, a sweet repose with emotional refulgence and comfort, from the melody to the harmony to the breathable rhythmic underpin of bass and drums.
The quartet gains strength with groove-laden pieces such as “1971” and “Car Radio”. The former, featuring Monder’s shinning guitar work, has a pop/rock sensibility, and Udden makes it special by playing the Lyricon, an analog electronic wind synthesizer; the latter, inspired by street sounds, showcases Roeder’s sure-footed ease with the bass, both in the accompaniment and improvisation.
Bookended by tranquil rubato movements, “Pendulum” embraces a starry introspection at first. Then the guitar slices through the harmony with Monder’s signature rock-infused style. There’s simple bass delineation guaranteeing 10-beat cycle measures, allowing Udden to improvise soulfully, blending inside and outside phrases while never abandoning perceptible melody. The breezy yet powerful listening experience we have with Udden’s seven originals persists during the cyclic three-chord progression of Mazzy Star’s melancholic pop hit, “Fade Into You”. Cautiously introduced by the bassist, the tune gains a certain galactic touch when Udden expresses the main melody on the synth. Concurrently, Monder bends and stretches, while Ravitz creates a three-time feel.
While this work maintains a sense of accomplishment without taking major risks, it beautifully showcases the crisp articulation and transparent tone that characterize Udden's compositions.
Favorite Tracks:
01 - Wishing Flower ► 03 - Lullaby ► 05 - Pendulum