Label: Biophilia Records, 2021
Personnel - Maria Grand: tenor saxophone, voice; Kanoa Mendenhall: bass, voice; Savannah Harris: drums, voice.
The multi-skilled tenor saxophonist and singer Maria Grand has been displaying her singular style in several musical contexts. Magdalena (Biophilia, 2018), her previous work, featured a larger ensemble with guitar and piano, but for Reciprocity, her third outing as a leader, she operates in the classic saxophone trio format alongside bassist Kanoa Mendenhall and drummer Savannah Harris. The inspiration for the 12 original compositions on the album came from her newborn child, with all the pieces being written while expecting.
The album’s opener, “Creation: The Joy of Being”, kicks in with layered vocals stating ‘the joy of being who I am’ to which is added the reflective tone and easy gait of the bass walks and the subtly articulate drumming. The mild climate is complemented with improvisational lines atop, but the texture becomes gritty and the pace hushed as the time passes, letting us perceive a swinging motion amidst the ambiguity.
The propulsive groove placed at the base of “Wharbi” is equipped to receive the schematic, often exotic ideas that flow from the saxophone with abundant musicality. Evolving with certitude, the piece also incorporates a fine drum solo.
On “Creation: A Home in Mind”, we find Grand extracting patterned textures from her circular breathing technique. Calmly, the space remains open, but the freedom takes the musicians into a racing swing. It sounds as if they have established a compromise between visionary expressionism and serene poise.
The two complementary parts of “Fundamental” reveal lyrical tone qualities in their own terms. Pt. I manages to put together impeccable vocals, breathy droning sounds produced by bowed bass as well as some tinging cymbal activity. In turn, the explorative Pt. II combines kinetic bass lines and jittery rhythms, with the dynamics being constantly worked out for excellence. Grand reveals to be a charming singer here (citing some lines from Khalil Gibran’s book The Prophet), an aptitude further recognized on the folk chant “Canto Manta”, an engaging horn-less rendition of a healing piece from the Venezuelan Jesus Hidalgo.
In a different context, with vocals surfacing in parallel, “Now Take, Your Day” blossoms with a cool beat-making and saxophone riffing, demarcating the gentle free funk with the throbbing rhythmic feel of hip-hop.
The absence of harmony often infuses the pieces with a relative abstraction that is never difficult but rather aural. A good example of this is the closer, “Creation: Welcome”, where the group ends up engaging in a folk jazz circularity.
Motivated by motherhood, abandoned to creativity, and sharing a bit of telepathy with her trio mates, Grand takes this experience to interesting musical places.
Grade B+
Favorite Tracks:
02 - Wharbi ► 05 - Fundamental Pt.II ► 09 - Now Take Your Day