Label: Shifting Paradigm Records, 2023
Personnel - Timo Vollbrecht: tenor saxophone; Noah Franche-Nolan: piano; Brad Shepik: guitar (#2,3,6); Jerome Harris: bass; Tima Volozh: drums.
Russian-born, Brooklyn-based drummer and composer Tima Volozh introduces his debut album, Jubilee, featuring a compelling blend of originals and skillfully arranged covers. Collaborating with talented musicians - German saxophonist Timo Vollbrecht, Canadian pianist Noah Franche-Nolan, and veteran American bassist Jerome Harris - the quartet, occasionally expanded to a quintet with the addition of guitarist Brad Shepik, crafts a collective sound that is both sophisticated and pleasing.
“Adoration of the Earth” has Volozh setting the beat and tone for the catchy saxophone riff from where the language expands. Although borrowing from Stravinsky’s iconic piece The Rite of Spring, this is a cut delivered with strong personality and cohesion. “Vortex” is elegantly expressed with innate post-bop consciousness, featuring an authoritative and kaleidoscopic guitar solo from Shepik and an eloquent, tonally pleasing statement by Vollbrecht.
“Lá Lauê” bustles with the exoticism and Afro-Brazilian rhythms of Capoeira. Opposing to the stillness of the intro, we have lively snare drum activity, funky guitar comping, and expressive solos, again by Shepik and Vollbrecht. The guitarist also contributes to the rendition of Paul Motian’s “Mumbo Jumbo”, an excellent vehicle for the rhythm section’s illuminating grace. Volozh articulates every nook and cranny of the tune, benefiting from the presence of two former members of Motian’s groups - Shepik and Harris.
Other covers of known jazz pieces are given a new set of bones. Take the example of “Star Eyes”, whose fresh reading combines complex meter and clever polyphony for a non-linear pulse; or McCoy Tyner’s “Aisha”, a laid-back ballad that enriched John Coltrane’s 1961 album Olé Coltrane; or Thelonious Monk’s “Evidence”, astonishingly structured with tempo-shifting sections.
Volozh’s drumming style reflects open ears and an uncompromising posture, showcasing his influences throughout a repertoire with tasteful arrangements. It’s an impressive debut album; one that listeners of contemporary jazz will like to revisit.
Favorite Tracks:
01 - Adoration of the Earth ► 02 - Vortex ► 04 - Star Eyes