Label: Calligram Records, 2023
Personnel - Russ Johnson: trumpet; Mark Feldman: violin; Ethan Philion: bass; Tim Daisy: drums.
After 23 years living and working in New York, creative post-bop trumpeter Russ Johnson relocated to Chicago, a move that helped him reconnect with violinist Mark Feldman. The latter took the same path, returning to the city where he was born after several years contributing to the New York scene. To round up his brand new quartet, Johnson, who recorded with Lee Konitz, Steve Swallow and Ohad Talmor, called on bassist Ethan Philion and drummer Tim Daisy. Although both based in Chicago, these two rhythm pillars had never worked together before this date.
The winsome nine tracks in Reveal sound as if the quartet had developed an easy familiarity over the years, such is the fluidity and effortlessness demonstrated in a demanding, explorative style that doesn’t linger in a particular bound. “Skips”, the album’s fantastic opener, utilizes a seven-note riff that acts as a fanciful dancing motion. The ideas spur one another articulately with Johnson and Feldman upholding an interactive communication, especially when a new section emerges in 7/4 tempo.
“The Slow Reveal” emerges contemplative before conveying a fully considered folksy feel in the second half. This is chamber music with a progressive leaning, taking us to the following piece, “Long Branch”, with legibility. The latter is a mournful procession with a slow three time feel that pays tribute to the late avant-jazz trumpeter Jaimie Branch. It begins with a plunger mute-infused wah-wah trumpet monologue and ends with a shift in tempo and tearful violin-trumpet unisons.
The spellbinding aesthetic takes further expression in “Dog Gone It”, a tip of the hat to saxophonist Julius Hemphill’s “Dogon A.D.”. Deep reverberating arco bass sets a groove that is complemented by Daisy’s funk-rock drumming. Johnson and Feldman plunge into heavy avant-garde expression, indulging in spectacular interplay before finishing in tandem. They are also in evidence on “Agnomen”, firstly by echoing a rhythmic figure over Daisy’s tom-tom currents and hi-hat pulsation, and later by manifesting advanced soloing skills.
The music never settles into controlled autopilot, not even during totally improvised trio numbers such as the drum-less “REM Unit” and the bass-less “TRM” (the letters correspond to the initials of the musicians’ first names). Not as prolific as we would like him to be, Johnson at least makes quality his absolute priority, turning every record into something we are eager to revisit.
Favorite Tracks:
01 - Skips ► 03 - Long Branch ► 08 - Dog Gone It