Label: TAO Forms, 2022
Personnel - Tony Malaby: tenor and soprano saxophone; Matthew Shipp: piano; Brandon Lopez: bass; Whit Dickey: drums.
This sturdy four-track album by drummer Whit Dickey finds him in the command of one of the most powerful improvisatory lineups coming from the New York free jazz panorama. Working with longtime and recent associates - pianist Matthew Shipp and bassist Brandon Lopez, respectively - Dickey also brings the towering saxophone playing of Tony Malaby into his game, finding mystery at the microcosmic level, even during highly charged moments.
“Supernova” illustrates huge solar masses of material, sweeping gravitational waves and sub-luminous sonic forces that, well represented by Malaby’s dark tones, make us picture a huge astronomical event with a threatening aspect. The heavy atmosphere is underscored by Shipp’s enigmatic voicings and propulsive activities, having bass and drums firmly connected at the back yet open to any change of direction. The saxophonist reaches a point of multiphonic exaltation before Shipp’s entangling mosaics are designed over multiple octaves of the keyboard. Intricately woven, these alternate routes are explored with furious excitement.
“Doomsday Equation” sets abstract sax lines against a classical-inspired pianism whose melodies feel palpable. The contrast creates a strong effect, and even if the kinetics simmer down for a while, it never feels static. Over the course of its 16 minutes, “Swamp Petals” changes from puissant to eerie to dramatic, with Shipp dashing from creative chords to wild outbursts over the drummer’s pertinent commentary and Lopez’s scarce arco bass. The power of Malaby’s anguished clamors is huge too.
The closing track, “Starship Lotus”, is the closest to a straight-ahead ride you’ll get. And that's regardless of the casual, abstract-leaned conversational facet that occurs over Dickey’s apparently off-centered pulse. Lopez advances to a well-oiled improvisation, while winding folk suggestions are made by Malaby, who encourages Shipp’s harmonic conduction to rocket up at some point. This is the most stirring outing by Dickey in a few years.
Favorite Tracks:
01 - Supernova ► 03 - Swamp Petals