Label: Artwork Records, 2024

Personnel - Micah Thomas: piano; Immanuel Wilkins: alto saxophone; Nicole Glover: tenor saxophone; Adam O’Farrill: trumpet; Caleb Smith: trombone; Kanoa Mendenhall: bass; Kweku Sumbry: drums.

After capturing the public’s attention with his trio albums Tide (2020) and Reveal (2023), as well as his solo effort Solo Piano (2022), pianist Micah Thomas has now ventured into composing for a large ensemble for the first time. The result is Mountains, a live recording from The Jazz Gallery in New York in 2023, featuring 11 tracks that strike a fine balance between structure and freedom—sure to appeal to fans of both contemporary mainstream and avant-garde jazz. The album’s complex charts traverse a range of ambiances, demanding both precision and adaptability from its players.

“Life” starts the proceedings in a lushly orchestrated trade: the four-horn frontline commands attention while the rhythm section weaves an opaque rhythmic flow. Thomas’ solo, denoting motivic and modern classical predispositions, is separated from tenor saxophonist Nicole Glover’s chanting statement through a section packed with unison lines. That’s before a groovy vamp hits us with shades of Latin. The next piece, “Processing”, presents a stratospheric swinging outline reminiscent of George Russell, mixing traditional and avant-jazz currents while melodically pushing in different directions. It sounds just great.

“Lament” highlights trumpeter Adam O’Farrill wandering through a quiet piano landscape, his unexpected intervallic leaps creating moments of surprise as the atmosphere shifts from classical balladry to kinetic radiance. “Libre”, inspired by the duo recordings of Paco de Lucia and Camarón de la Isla, starts as a downright marching rag piece filled with charm and color, but then falls into silent mode, becoming a skimpy yet impulsive reflection. This leads seamlessly into “No Answer”, where horn melodies define a transparent harmonic progression in anticipation to that rag feel, reinstated with an arresting sense of freedom. Alto saxophonist Immanuel Wilkins stands out here with a fearful, visceral, and throaty solo over an unorthodox texture.

Wilkins and O’Farrill dialogue on the vibrant “The Mountain, spreading thoughtful observation over Kanoa Mendenhall’s funky bass strut and Kweko Sumbry’s steamy cymbal environment and punchy kick drum patterns. “Nomad” combines a cool vibe with rhythmic effervescence, featuring engaging exchanges between sax and trumpet, while “Collapse” is a contrapuntal cacophony that radiates energy. The session ends with “Through”, which evolves from drones and buzzes into a gradually cathartic climax.

The album’s consistent arcs of tension and release create a daring and inclusive sonic experience, showcasing the expansive scope of Thomas' compositional vision.

Favorite Tracks:
02 - Processing ► 05 - No Answer ► 07 - The Mountain

Label: Self released, 2020

Personnel - Micah Thomas: piano; Dean Torrey: bass; Kyle Benford: drums.

Tide, the debut album from rising pianist and composer Micah Thomas, is something precious in the way that it squeezes tradition and novelty into addictive new music. Thomas has been excelling in many New York ensembles as a reliable sideman (Lage Lund, Harish Raghavan and Immanuel Wilkins are just a few examples), but now it’s his turn to shine as a leader while displaying virtuosic compositional abilities. Playing alongside empathetic trio partners - bassist Dean Torrey and drummer Kyle Benford - Thomas floods most of the originals on this live recording with extravagant swinging gallantry.

A vibrant “Tornado” kicks off the record, underlying the notions of intricacy and beauty with a Chick Corea feel that evokes his 1968 masterpiece Now He Sings Now He Sobs.

The title track translates into unstuffed, breezy productivity. It displays a singing bass solo before entering that swinging gateway that encourages the pianist’s bopish fantasies replete with melodic and rhythmic hooks.

The trio swings and grooves with a straightforward, happy vibe on “Grounds”, a Jarrett-esque folk-jazz piece imbued with rivers of motifs, clever phrases, and stunning chordal work. Torrey paves the way with absolute confidence and also provides a lovely bass talk that, for moments, touches the spiritual side.

Inspired by the fourth movement of Mahler’s Symphony No.6, “The Game” is an indisputable joy to listen to, encompassing ingenious rhythmic variations within a well-defined structure. What more can you expect here? A considerable amount of surprises and twists, lots of energy stemming from the splendid teamwork, and audacity in the labyrinthine connections between the jazz and the classical styles.

The kinetic mechanisms decline on ballads such as “The Day After”, which features an arco bass dissertation and a dynamic wrapping-up drum solo, and the Bill Evans-tinged “Across My Path”. “Vanta” is also carried out in a lighter vein, being a supple, rubato, solo piano effort.

Thomas makes a significant contribution to the jazz panorama with an accomplished body of work that not only testifies his enormous respect for the past but also a wholehearted and open vision that takes the genre beyond the expected.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Tornado ► 02 - Tide ► 05 - The Game