Label: Secret Hatch Records, 2024
Personnel - Ben Goldberg: clarinet; Todd Sickafoose: bass; Scott Amendola: drums.
Clarinetist Ben Goldberg, bassist Todd Sickafoose, and drummer Scott Amendola join forces to form a truly collaborative trio of progressive jazz luminaries. Each has been a significant presence in the creative music scene for decades, excelling as both inventive bandleaders and masterful sidemen. While they’ve played together in various contexts, Here to There marks their first endeavor as a trio, delivering a collection of originals inspired by the bridges of Thelonious Monk’s compositions. Abstracting with virtuosity and dexterity, the trio creates refined avant-garde jazz artworks within a musical universe that feels entirely their own.
The album kicks off with Sickafoose’s “In Walked”, a piece harmonically rooted in Monk’s “In Walked Bud”. From the outset, the trio immerses listeners in quick, cyclic clarinet patterns—occasionally hinting at the original melody—accompanied by screeching cymbals and loose bass notes that lock into a 5/4 groove. Goldberg’s expressive clarinet playing exudes heart and vibrancy, while Amendola’s nuanced drumming, complete with surprising colorations and tasteful electronics, adds depth. The drummer also contributes three versions of his “Lion Heart,” with the first presented as a clarinet-and-drums duet.
“Self Evident”, drawn from Monk’s “Evidence”, ventures into experimental territory with a polyrhythmic modernism that includes hip-hop-inspired beats, sparse bass gestures, and reflective clarinet improvisations. The piece evolves into a ritualistic soundscape as Amendola incorporates layered percussion, Sickafoose provides a constant bass pulse, and Goldberg stretches his melodic explorations.
Sickafoose also contributes “Sad Trophy” and “Interospection”, inspired by Monk’s “Epistrophy” and “Introspection”, respectively. “Sad Trophy” is propelled by a 2/4 bass motif, rattling shaker rhythms, and dry cymbal accents, with Goldberg’s incantatory clarinet soaring above. “Interospection”, on the other hand, unfolds with a slow, spaced-out groove that gradually builds intensity while maintaining an undercurrent of tension.
Goldberg’s three compositions—“Porch Concert Material 9”, “Porch Concert Material 2”, and “Porch Concert Material 6”—highlight his distinct approach. The first offers speech-like patterns with motivic ebbs and flows; the second juxtaposes classical undertones, swinging bass lines, and conversational drumming; and the third delivers a beautiful, balladic melody with understated elegance.
This trio spreads a fantastic vibe, and every choice made works like a charm. Here to There offers elevated music, sure to leave listeners in a great mood.
Favorite Tracks:
01 - In Walked ► 02 - Self Evident ► 05 - Sad Trophy
