Label: Intakt Records, 2024

Personnel - Charlotte Greve: alto saxophone, voice; Chris Tordini: acoustic bass; Vinnie Sperrazza: drums. Guests: Fay Victor: voice (#5).

The Choir Invisible emerges as a newfangled, harmony-less trio hailing from Brooklyn, comprising German-born saxophonist Charlotte Greve, bassist Chris Tordini, and drummer Vinnie Sperrazza. Infusing nuanced rhythmic detail, to-the-point melodies, and a seamless fusion of jazz and rock elements, the trio strikes a harmonic balance and stylistic coherence in their quietly moving sophomore release, Town of Two Faces.

Greve’s composition “Membrane” springs to life with a stealthy bass intro, setting the stage for a narrative rich in thematic tonal shifts, fluid jazz sensibilities, and the steadfastness of rock. “In Heaven”, originally penned by Peter Ivers with lyrics by David Lynch for the latter’s cult film Eraserhead, is a meaty rock song taken to another realm by guest avant-garde jazz singer Fay Victor and powered by a vibrant alto solo.

Greve takes the spotlight in her “Town of Two Faces”, a reference to New Orleans where she sings and also intones logical saxophone lines with both hope and fragility. Tordini’s “21 Years” exudes a sense of positive determination, showcasing his deep, centered bass work along with nice saxophone melodicism and converging drumming for a great atmosphere. “Lockwood”, on the other hand, is sturdy in the pedal points at both ends and effectively diffuse in its exploratory middle section.

Another Tordini composition, “17 East”, swings distinctively, having the bassist exploring groove nuance with rhythmic autonomy. “Stones Covers”, the first of three compositions penned by Sperrazza, propels forward with a pulsating backbeat and just enough bass notes to become harmonically clear. Greve, an excellent melody maker, is impeccably backed by the supportive rhythm section.

The Choir Invisible achieves an elegant, soulful fluency that invites listeners to unravel some ambiguity but also discern consummate ideas that develop with exquisite taste toward many possibilities. It’s a strong come back from this well-oiled trio.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Membrane ► 03 - 21 Years ► 04 - Stones Covers

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.

Favorite Tracks:
03 - Low ► 04 - 1.7 ► 06 - Zuppio