Edward Simon - 25 Years

November 11, 2020

Label: Ridgeway Records, 2020

Personnel includes - Edward Simon: piano; David Binney: alto sax; Mark Turner: tenor sax; Adam Rogers: guitar; Luciana Souza: vocals; Gretchen Parlato: vocals; Avishai Cohen: bass; John Patitucci: bass; Scott Colley: bass; Larry Grenadier: bass; Brian Blade: drums; Adam Cruz: drums; Eric Harland: drums; and more.

Venezuelan-born pianist/composer Edward Simon has long established a successful career in the US with collaborative associations with saxophonists David Binney and Mark Turner, bassists John Patitucci and Scott Colley, drummers Brian Blade and Adam Cruz, among others. For this double-album, a conscientious compilation of his busy 25-year activity, 17 tracks were culled from his discography in order to represent his artistic path throughout the years.

His hybrid sound conceptions, perfectly blending contemporary post-bop and Latin American tradition, are on full display in cuts like “Fiestas” and “Pere”. In the latter piece, we find excellent improvisation from Simon and Binney in addition to sharp parallel melody and a gorgeous rhythmic atmosphere. The vertiginous episodes triggered by the alto saxophonist are strongly felt on other pieces like “Aguantando”, persuasively introduced by Adam Rogers’ acoustic guitar; “Uninvited Thoughts”, whose melody embraces Arabian flavors over a bass pedal; and the live-recorded “Venezuela Unida”, whose metric flexibility and arrangement (with four horns on board) are marvelous.

There’s also “Barinas”, an animated world fusion effort that incorporates harp, flute, bass clarinet and cuatro, a Latin American stringed instrument that confers it a flamenco-like impression.

One of my favorite pieces is “Pathless Path”, an indefatigable trio exploration with bassist John Patitucci and drummer Brian Blade, which is gradually magnified in terms of emotion and intensity. Patitucci is also featured on “Navigator”, another trio effort with intricate rhythmic punches. On this one, he teams up with drummer Eric Harland.

Saxophonist Mark Turner displays his soloing talents on “Ericka”, a Keith Jarrett-influenced song composed by Simon’s older brother, Marlon; as well as on two folk-imbued compositions culled from Simon’s debut work: “Alma Llanera” and “Caballo Viejo”, a Venezuelan joropo written by Pedro Elias Gutierrez and a ballad, respectively.

“Govinda”, a zen inspiration delivered in a pure 5/4 relaxation, features the vocal aptitudes of Luciana Souza over the methodically arpeggiated piano and subtle guitar flourishes.

This enjoyable musical portrait serves as a representative sampler not only for listeners who are already familiar with Simon’s music, but also those who are willing to discover his work.

Favorite Tracks:
06 - Pathless Path (CD1) ► 07 - Pere (CD1) ► 07 - Venezuela Unida (CD2)

The Nels Cline Singers - Share the Wealth

November 10, 2020

Label: Blue Note Records, 2020

Personnel - Nels Cline: guitars; Skerik: saxophone; Brian Marsella; piano, keyboards; Trevor Dunn: bass; Scott Amendola: drums; Cyro Baptista: percussion.

The spunky music of farsighted American guitarist Nels Cline glitters with jagged detail and unfolds with a progressive attitude. Following-up on Microscope (Mack Avenue, 2014), his previous work with the squad The Singers, Share the Wealth is a grippingly disorienting double album that results from a two-day recording of spontaneous music.

The current formation - a sextet - allows Cline to merge stylistic currents with complexity and sophistication, and the fantastic opener, Caetano Veloso’s “Segunda” is a case in point. A visceral folk dance working within a more conventional song format and delivered with irresistible rock and Brazilian flavors, shows that Cline not only is unafraid to step into risky musical forays, but also does it successfully. The rich percussive spectacle is co-credited to experienced West Coast drummer Scott Amendola and Brazilian percussionist Cyro Baptista, while the impetuous saxophone lines by saxophonics-pioneer Skerik draws, by turns, responsive reactions from Cline and keyboardist Brian Marsella. Epic stuff.

The jazzy guitar chords that introduce the luxuriant “Beam/Spiral” can be misleading in the direction the group will take. A balanced suspension is achieved through electronics, hi-hat routine and thin clouds of synth topped by saxophone. Yet, at some point, that impalpable state of abstraction is pulled into the earth by the power of Trevor Dunn’s bass lines, with everything ending up in an indie rock sphere. The pinnacle of the song occurs by the end, when a distorted guitar layer sustains a delirious conjoint moment headed by an outgoing saxophone and synths.

Having light intensities in common, “Nightstand” is a spacious, slow-dance number, while “Headdress” gets its dreamy tones through a mix of ambient dub and neo-soul. In turn, “Princess Phone” boasts a punk-ish attitude with a groove that allows wah-wah-infused guitar, rapid bass runs, jittery drumming and vibey Rhodes propagations; whereas “The Pleather Patrol” progresses into an unannounced EDM episode that will make you move your feet.

Clocking in at 17 minutes, the polychromatic, transgressive and genre-defying “Stump the Panel” is the paradigm of an eclectic doctrine that is never predictable. Under mesmerizing electronic undercurrents and percussive slapbacks, the cutting noise and riotous patterns cut in for an aggressive punk-rock-meets-avant-jazz aesthetic that later morphs into experimental ambient, free funk, and murmured electronica sequences loaded with bassy-beat hooks and catchy ostinatos . The group ends things with a heavy metal vibe.

An then we are disarmed again by the acoustic folk appeal of “Passed Down”, a piece written by Cline as a consequence of a friend’s suicide.

Touting nearly telepathic interplay, this thought-provoking record is an absolute joy for the ears and a must listen for all lovers of modern music. Indisputably, one of my favorites of 2020.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Segunda ► 04 - Stump the Panel ► 06 - Princess Phone

JD Allen - Toys / Die Dreaming

November 9, 2020

Label: Savant, 2020

Personnel - JD Allen: tenor saxophone; Ian Kenselaar: bass; Nic Cacioppo: drums.

Throughout a triumphant career, saxophonist JD Allen has taken the time to refine his sound and develop his language, carving out a unique place for himself in the jazz spectrum. On his new trio outing, Toys / Die Dreaming, he summons for the second time bassist Ian Kenselaar and drummer Nic Cacioppo, two young musicians who find here a pragmatic compromise between the robust, the adventurous, and the polished.

Peppering the proceedings, the trio opens with a standard; “You’re My Thrill” gets a fresh reworking from minute one, when Kenselaar and Cacioppo create the ideal ambiance for Allen’s advanced melodic recital. The theme, stated with smart and subtle punctuation, is followed by improvised tenor run-ups embellished with blues and gospel licks. Allen’s engrossing intonation - incisive, dark and compact - is on full display here, providing unexpected muscularity to a supposedly soft tune.

In opposition to the first track, “The G Thing” feels like a standard without being one. It displays a solid mid-tempo swing after a theme statement conducted with beseeching sax melodies and cymbal legato.

Written by trombonist Peter Lin, “Red Label” is a typical 12-bar blues that gets a special vibe in the hands of the trio, while “Toys” denotes a very peculiar mood, being upgraded with an interesting bass/drums dialogue.

“Die Dreaming” is also delivered with precision and sonic might. It’s aligned by an agile bass riff and fleshed out by extroverted sax lines with pertinent multiphonic incursions that brings Chick Corea's "Samba Yantra" to mind. The swinging drive is an invitation to exploration, including a potent, rock-ish bass solo.

The set-closing, “Elegua (The Trickster)” is pleased with its groovy spirit and hard-bop stamina. It kicks off with a declamatory drum solo, and then Allen, evoking Coltrane and Rollins, plumbs the outer reaches of traditional post-bop with elegant sophistication. His bold, consecutive inside/outside attacks are breathtaking.

Not as muscled as Barracoon, its predecessor, Toys/Die Dreaming features Allen as we know him: in superb form.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - You’re My Thrill ► 03 - Die Dreaming ► 07 - Elegua (The Trickster)

Craig Taborn's Junk Magic - Compass Confusion

November 5, 2020

Label: Pyroclastic Records, 2020

Personnel - Craig Taborn: piano, keyboards; Mat Maneri: viola; Chris Speed: tenor saxophone, clarinet; Erik Fratzke: electric bass; Dave King: acoustic and electric drums.

Pianist/keyboardist/composer Craig Taborn, one of the most interesting improvisers and innovators out there, formed Junk Magic in 2004. At that time, this quartet featured saxophonist Aaron Stewart, violist Mat Maneri and drummer Dave King. This pioneering electro-jazz group dare to merge electronics and elements unburdened by genres, enclosing written parts and free improvisation in its creative process. 16 years later, Taborn returns to the project (now a quintet), welcoming saxophonist Chris Speed to take the place of Stewart and adding bassist Erik Fratzke, while Maneri and King maintain their respective roles in the project.

Stamped with pure individuality, “Laser Beaming Hearts” opens the record with a cerebral collage of intriguing droning effects, hip-hop beat, and iterative rhythmic figures. One can think of an EDM conspiracy between 808 State and Aphex Twin.

The group sets up a much more intriguing atmosphere on “Dreams and Guess”. Enigmatic ambient tones, an odd pulsation, viola and piano unisons, and gently chiming effects happen to occur in the right space at the right time. There's an inconsolable feeling left by this track.

Surrounded by gongs, chimes and repetitive notes, “Sargasso” features both unison and free lines, developing with a beat that goes from lurching to routine before returning to its initial state. Maneri and Speed work together to push us into newly discovered places, while the unconventional rhythm section assures a viscous ambient soundscape.

If the shifting passages of “Compass Confusion / Little Love Gods” embrace icy-synth-driven textures with a polyrhythmic feel, then the way “The Night Land” is designed inspires darkly veiled atmospheres and stirs up an oppressive sense of foreboding.

The adventurous “The Science of Why Devils Smell Like Sulfur” is the most absorbing piece on the album. Boasting an aggressive, rock-like posture in its inception, the piece soon enters in a vague yet peaceful grey zone, which changes gradually through clever alternations of mood. The hypnotic shifts include a deconstructive beat framework turned into run-of-the-mill rhythmic flux, explorative piano lines narrowed to steady ostinatos, and rambling violin stretches that resolve into steady cries. All of this happens under the effect of hallucinogenic electronic vibes.

Even staying a few steps behind in regard to Junk Magic's 2004 debut album, Compass Confusion is a risk-laden piece of work that will find its audience in those able to find beauty in the abstract worlds of sound design, experimental electronica and improv. This is not a comeback, it’s rather a new path with all its challenges.

Favorite Tracks:
02 - Dreams and Guess ► 04 - The Science of Why Devils Smell Like Sulfur ► 06 - Sargasso

Ben Wendel - High Heart

November 4, 2020

Label: edition Records, 2020

Personnel - Ben Wendel: tenor saxophone, EFX, piano, Wurlitzer, bassoon; Michael Mayo: vocals; Shai Maestro: piano and Fender Rhodes; Gerald Clayton: piano and Fender Rhodes; Joe Sanders: double bass; Nate Wood: drums.

Saxophonist Ben Wendel boasts a robust yet soulful style that speaks to contemporary jazz avoiding predictable settings. After obtaining universal acclaim with the unforgettable The Seasons (Motema, 2018), Wendel reinforces his credentials as a deft composer and killer soloist with a new outing, High Heart, his fifth as a leader and first on the Edition Records. The canny arrangements inflicted to the eight original compositions on the record show his sense of sound exploration and a refined taste in the instrumental choices. This work is a personal reflection about the purpose and meaning of an artist in today’s overloaded music-making.

The lyrical title track kicks off with Michael Mayo’s beautiful voice at the fore, floating atop the soft harmonic tapestry weaved by arpeggiated piano and organic bass-drums synthesis. The tails of the saxophone melodies are modulated by synth effect and Wendel’s solo coincides with the tune’s dramatic pinnacle. Even if Donny McCaslin (early 2000s phase), Theo Bleckmann and Mark Guiliana (without the broken beat) are names that may pop up in your minds when listening to this music, there’s a unique, personal touch at every turn.

With a lovable near-electronic rhythm and insane unisons, “Burning Bright”, whose title derived from William Blake’s poem The Tyger, vouches for freedom while presenting taut, gloriously liberating exchanges between Wendel, Mayo, and keyboardists Shai Maestro and Gerald Clayton. The rare level of intuition between the musicians is on display, and a momentary euphoria is implanted on the busy finale, where written lines mix with improvisation.

“Kindly” accomplishes Wendel’s purpose to express deep appreciation for human connectedness, support and kindness. It’s done through clever modulation and outstanding melodicism, with Mayo and Wendel excelling in their respective solos. If the saxophonist, blowing with inside/outside ingenuity, creates astounding melodies here, Mayo totally grabs the spotlight on the meditative, prayer-like “Less”, where we find Wendel adorning on the bassoon.

“Drawn Away” is implemented with odd-meter and loquacious daring, reaching a very special state when Maestro scampers through with a mix of jazz, blues, R&B and gospelish elements into his stunning improvisation. Moments later, we have a dialogue between Wendel and Clayton, while bassist Joe Sanders and drummer Nate Wood maintain the tenacious rhythmic grip alive.

Delivered in five, the atmospherically static “Fearsome” is painted with darker hues and propelled by a gorgeous syncopated beat, whereas “Traveler”, which puts an end to this exciting sonic trip, provides ambiance and suggests downtempo as it mirrors and inverts material from the title cut.

Venturing into the present and future, this is a thought-provoking album that gives continuity to the brilliant job Wendel has been doing in recent times.

Favorite Tracks:
02 - Burning Bright ► 03 - Kindly ► 05 - Drawn Away

Lionel Loueke - HH

November 3, 2020

Label: Edition Records, 2020

Personnel - Lionel Loueke: guitars, vocals.

The eclectic work of legendary pianist/keyboardist Herbie Hancock informs and inspires a new album from virtuoso West African guitarist Lionel Loueke, whose idiosyncratic style is not just served with a groove-oriented posture and rhythmically advanced patterns, but also emotional lyricism. He definitely puts his own stamp on fresh interpretations of selected Hancock pieces.

The magnetic jazz-funk of “Hang Up Your Hang Ups” gets a pristine acoustic treatment in Loueke’s hands, being consolidated through ornamental vocal expertise and occasional bright harmonics.

Simultaneously percussive and melodious, the vocals glide over the heady rhythm of “Driftin’”, whose complex aplomb made me think of those blues-based and Afro-bossa grooves of Brazilian Gilberto Gil. João Bosco is another Brazilian composer that came to my mind on the following track, “Tell Me a Bed Time Story”, while “Actual Proof” becomes purely percussive with the use of extended techniques for a peculiar sound.

Rendered with an effortless grooving motion, “Cantaloupe Island”, perhaps Hancock’s biggest hit, is impeccably molded to showcase the guitarist’s depth and virtuosity. Supplementing the relaxed acoustic drive, there’s an adequate wah-wah effect that gives the song an extra boost.

With imagination, Loueke permeates these songs far beneath the surface, and if he applies some wistful, balladic and classical tones to his interpretation of “Dolphin Dance”, then he dresses “Watermelon Man” with a completely renovated outfit. The lush restoration of the groove feels natural, low-key and hypnotic.

The guitarist gets to strut his stuff on “Rock It”, whose wild rhythm requires an impressive control of the bass notes in addition to a layer of dubbed guitar with delay.

Rounding out the album, there are two original compositions, “Voyage Maiden” and “Homage to HH”. Both are harmonically and melodically rich, with reflective thought and persuasive West African influence.

Boasting a firm grasp across styles and idioms, Loueke makes a wonderful homage to Hancock; from a great musician to another great musician. And he closes out the album with a rambunctious reading of “One Finger Snap”, whose original hard-swinging abandonment is discarded in favor of a relentless and hectic electronic vibe. A remarkable solo effort.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Hang Up Your Hang Ups ► 02 - Driftin’ ► 11 - Rock It

Mary Halvorson's Code Girl - Artlessly Falling

November 2, 2020

Label: Firehouse 12 Records, 2020

Personnel - Mary Halvorson: guitar; Amirtha Kidambi: vocals; Adam O’Farrill: trumpet; Maria Grand: tenor sax, vocals; Michael Formanek: bass; Tomas Fujiwara: drums + guest Robert Wyatt: vocals (#1,3,5).

The sophomore album from Code Girl, an intrepid project led by guitarist/composer Mary Halvorson that incorporates lyrics and blends elements of jazz, rock, folk, and indie pop, offers some agreeable surprises. Artlessly Falling signals the absence of trumpeter Ambrose Akinmusire from the original roster of musicians, but welcomes Adam O’Farrill for his place, as well as saxophonist/vocalist Maria Grand and rock legend Robert Wyatt, who puts his voice on three pieces. The remaining members are bassist Michael Formanek and drummer Tomas Fujiwara - both colleagues of Halvorson in the Thumbscrew trio - and avant-garde vocalist Amirtha Kidambi. The material on this recording was inspired by many factors, but perhaps the most significant of them has to do with the challenging poetic forms picked by Halvorson to write the lyrics for each tune.

With words inspired by and dedicated to novelist Lawrence Osborne, “The Lemon Trees” is a pure delight. It kicks off with gentle waltzing steps conducted by arpeggiated guitar, brushed drums, and topped by Latin-flavored trumpet, quickly segueing into the sung part, where Wyatt’s beautiful voice - efficiently backed by Kidambi and Grand - takes us to the realms of King Crimson. The final section of O’Farrill’s wide-ranging solo has exclusively drums as accompaniment, and, afterwards, the drummer seizes the opportunity to deliver an enthusiastic statement himself.

Playing like an operatic lament, “Last-Minute Smear” features regular snare drum activity and sparse guitar chords with vocals atop. This pattern is dismantled and renewed with a view for unison melodies as well as improvisations by Grand and O’Farrill.

Both “Muzzling Unwashed” and “A Nearing” denote fleeting tempo shifts (duple to triple) and feature Kidambi’s easy, elastic vocals at the fore. If the former piece launches into pitch-bending guitar before gradually adding slippery bass and intimate drumming, the latter is introduced by Formanek’s ruminative discourse that anticipates the simple 4/4 groove.

Halvorson turns up the distortion levels on “Walls and Roses”, a noise-rock endeavor with alternation of tranquil and explosive passages. The guitarist, inventing herself in a swift improvisation crammed with sinister notes and intervals, and Wyatt, who sings it beautifully in the company of Grand, are outstanding. His mighty presence also juices up “Bigger Flames”, whose yearning tones conjure his own art-rock, the early days of Pink Floyd and the dream pop of The Flaming Lips.

“Mexican War Streets (Pittsburgh)” is a shapeshifter full of musical constellations that include an uncommon poignancy in the poetic vocal parts, a heavy rock passage, electronic disturbances, and some neo-psychedelia.

Halvorson, who always takes the jazz guitar to another dimension with such extraordinary talents, creates another powerful album. And, damn, how I loved to hear Wyatt here!

Favorite Tracks:
01 - The Lemon Trees ► 03 - Walls and Roses ► 06 - Mexican War Streets (Pittsburgh)

Thumbscrew - The Anthony Braxton Project

October 29, 2020

Label: Cuneiform Records, 2020

Personnel - Mary Halvorson: guitar; Michael Formanek: bass; Tomas Fujiwara: drums, vibraphone.

Guitarist Mary Halvorson, bassist Michael Formanek and drummer Tomas Fujiwara share responsibility for the output of Thumbscrew, a smart trio that vouches for complex polyrhythmic methodologies while seeking forward-looking perspectives in jazz. The group released five albums on the Cuneiform label, the newest of which is The Anthony Braxton Project, a collection of previously unrecorded pieces from the avant-garde/free jazz icon mentioned in the title that serves to celebrate his 75th anniversary. The work required some research and deciphering, but the trio's adaptations of Braxton’s diagrammatical scores and composition notes are presented with both innovation and inspiration.

The entry point in this enthralling sonic world is made with “Composition 52”, a paradigm for rhythmic accuracy and melodic angularity. Fujiwara’s drum fills are pretty cool, and I cannot refrain from exalting Halvorson’s chordal work here, which gives a sense of integrity between the unorthodox swinging pulse and the odd melodic excursions.

The imperious “Composition 274” advances with fragmented marching quality in a rhythm that reveals an impressive coordination of movements. These aspects are also displayed on “Composition 61”, where the accentuations and rudiments of the snare drum are even more intense.

“Composition 68” is unhurriedly introduced by bowed bass, sizzling snare brushwork and folkish guitar chops. Once again, coordination is key, and minimal expansions are added with no loss of ambiguity. The vibraphone, unexpectedly brought by Fujiwara, almost serves as an appeasing factor in a piece that, at a later stage and after stable suspensions, relies on fierce guitar exclamations and loose arco bass spasms to provide impetus.

Halvorson, who squeezes a blizzard of accentuations and rhythmic emphasis in her unique phrasing, plays slide guitar on the last track, the bouncy “Composition 79”. Racing over the supportive carpet offered by Formanek’s walking bass, her twisted melodies sometimes tag along and sometimes collide with the ones put forward by the vibraphone.

Also deserving mention, “Composition 14” is represented through a sonic triptych - solo guitar / solo bass / solo drums. While Halvorson stuns with soaring loops, quirky licks and rock-fueled strumming; Fujiwara, employing mallets, is incisive on cymbals and combative on toms. Formanek, instead, opts for a sober pizzicato statement with slides, bends and lots of space.

Fearless, Thumbscrew succeeds in its undertaking. The musicians’ talents together with their willingness to experiment generate an array of virtuoso rhythms and moods that will delight attentive listeners.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Composition 52 ► 05 - Composition 274 ► 11 - Composition 79

Steph Richards - Supersense

October 28, 2020

Label: Northern spy Records, 2020

Personnel - Steph Richards: trumpet, flugelhorn, resonating drums/water; Jason Moran: piano; Stomu Takeishi: electric bass; Kenny Wollesen: percussion; Sean Raspet: scent design; Andrew Munsey: percussion.

Inventive trumpeter/composer Steph Richards brings a curious concept to her new album, Supersense, a multi-sensory experience involving scents and composition. Working closely with multimedia artist Sean Raspet, Richards uses his distinctively created scents as a way to stimulate improvisation within a daring sonic endeavor carried out alongside musicians of high calibre such as pianist Jason Moran, bassist Stomu Takeishi and percussion master Kenny Wollesen. The physical copies of the album include a scratch and sniff card, so listeners can experience the sensations/reactions for each track.

The utterly percussive “Underbelly” comes alive with a zany electronic-like rhythm bolstered by low-pitched piano patterns and odd trumpet timbres. Just like on “Bunker”, a loose-limbed dance in which Takeishi loosens the lowest-pitched string of his bass guitar for a peculiar effect, it shares the love for a good rhythmic stomp.

The group enjoys a synergistic interplay on both “Canopy” and “Metal Mouth”, while “Glass” and “The Gentlest Insect” are lighter, mood-oriented pieces with considerable doses of contemplation and abstraction. The latter embodies prepared piano sounds arranged with a zen quality, a variety of percussive rattles, sparse and cross-cutting bass sketches, and trumpet melodies with interesting note choices. Progressively taking the shape of a ballad, it has a soft-landing conclusion.

The timbral extension and extreme agility asserted by these musicians are remarkable, and the title track, “Supersense”, is a definite highlight spreading a cool funk-meets-hip-hop vibe. The spontaneity of Moran is on full display here as he combines unexpectedness, mutability and logic in his responsive processes. On his side, Wollesen shows off the Wollesonics, meddling in the dialogue between trumpet and piano.

Through the fragrances, the group conveys motivic relationships, probing ways to better connect their sensorial perceptions to a music that, even off-axis at times, is never deconstructionist.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Underbelly ► 02 - Supersense ► 09 - The Gentlest Insect

Erik Friedlander - Sentinel

October 27, 2020

Label: Self released, 2020

Personnel - Erik Friedlander: cello; Ava Mendoza: guitar; Diego Espinosa: drums, percussion.

American cellist Erik Friedlander, a key figure in the New York’s Downtown scene for years, showcases his rich tones on a program where he puts an eclectic, contemporary spin on eight original compositions. Admirably assisted by the intense slabs of Ava Mendoza’s electric guitar, and the rhythmic sensibility of Mexican multi-percussionist Diego Espinosa, Friedlander managed to confer an unexpected dimension to the music. Although the members of Sentinel had never played together before, the results are at once fascinating and provocative, corroborating the bandleader’s description of the project as a ‘garage band for 2020’.

“Flash” opens the album by carrying an ostinato at its core and providing an eventful narrative mastered with thrilling edginess, powerful energy and epic contours. Subtly, the bandleader gives the listener a sense of his jazz and classical perceptions, and the elements drawn from these scopes are gracefully torqued by the liberating indie-rock muscularity of Mendoza’s distortion.

At the start, “Glow” is streamlined by chimes, jazz guitar chords with colorful extensions, and cello cries. The theme, leaning on the pop/rock genre, shapes up into a strange waltz with worthy spots for the individual creativity of the threesome.

The relaxing Americana on “Feeling You” also suggests a good-natured pop-ish feel during the proceedings. Agility, punctuation and intension come from Friedlander’s down-to-earth plucking technique, with the trio seeking to create some more frisson at a later stage through expressive rhythmic nuances that anticipate the conclusion.

Offering more than sharp concord and synchronicity, “Foozle” makes our hearts pound faster through a heavy, polyrhythmic fusion marked by robustness and elasticity. The energy of rock from the 1970s is not surprising here, if we take into account the admiration that Friedlander nurtures for the music of Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin and Yes, as well as the electrifying deconstructions and experimentalism that Mendoza vouches for.

The languid “Ripleyisms” verges on the blues rock, whereas “Awake”, also unhurried yet a bit more interesting in terms of tone and ambiance, places a catchy, grungy ostinato at the center. From here, a diligent workout defines the harmony and strides alongside the pulse.

The aching lyricism and gripping cadences of the cello combine with the off-center rebelliousness of the guitar and the rhythmic pulsation of the drums to deliver structurally simple and technically superb musical moments. The quality of sound is equally remarkable.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Flash ► 02 - Glow ► 07 - Awake

Quintopus - The Adjacent Possible

October 26, 2020

Label: ears&eyes Records, 2020

Personnel - Doug Stone: tenor saxophone; Nick Finzer: trombone; Matthew Golombisky: bass; Chris Teal: drums.

Quintopus, the five-piece ensemble led by drummer Chris Teal, releases its third full-length album, The Adjacent Possible, maintaining the initial intention of blending contemporary jazz, electro-pop and indie rock music in a genuinely improvised way. The current lineup features regular bassist Matthew Golombisky, tenor saxophonist Doug Stone, who returns after an absence of 10 years, and trombonist Nick Finzer, an absolute novelty here.

The disc features nine deftly executed pieces - five recorded in the studio and four live - tailored to the considerable strengths of the personnel involved. Transpiring a lovely sense of adventure, the group extracts steam and smoke from some ebullient numbers as a balancing point to the lighter offerings.

“Quinto, Straight Ahead” is the first stop of a journey that never stumbles into vulgarity, being presented as a feast of rhythmic figures, counterpoint and improvisation. Advancing in increments, the initial start-stop rhythmic churn relies on throbbing bass lines and razor-sharp drum patterns delivered with abandon.

Curious and explorative, “The Adjacent Possible” takes the game one step further through sax-trombone ripples of variable intensity, bass resolutions and pedals, and responsive drum work. Ramping up the temperature, there are expedite run-ups that land on roaring multiphonics and stirring call-and-response with mirroring phrases between Stone and Finzer.

The interaction between the frontline men continues on “Hooch & Eats”, this time with bluesy tones, before an indie rock rug is placed under their feet. The meaty saxophone lines join the rusty brass tones to fuel the scuzzy garage-rock energy released at the foundation.

While “Declotter” leaves us wandering around with dark drones and static abstraction, “Blue Flux Pulse” roughly push us into the earthly waves of its minimal and insistent one-note riffs. Notes are gradually added and the idea of motivic polyphony gains consistency. This temperate climate morphs into a restless, danceable electro-rock jaunt.

Teal’s smoothly cushioned rhythm stabilizes “Quedo Quatro”, which, besides Latin and electronic music tinges, features both circular and ululating phrases that stem from the horn section. It’s a distinct vibe of that offered in “Tranca Feca”, where the group burrows into an empathic alternative rock that could have been inspired by the unrefined post-punk of Joy Division, the decorous muscularity of The Breeders, or a dance-rock hit from the 80s.

Being more lighthearted than soul-searching, The Adjacent Possible is a fun ride well suited to this cutting-edge era of stylistic fusion.

Favorite Tracks:
02 - The Adjacent Possible ► 06 - Blue Flux Pulse ► 09 - Tranca Feca

Michael Formanek - Pre-Apocalyptic

October 22, 2020

Label: Out of Your Head Records, 2020

Personnel - Tim Berne: alto saxophone; Craig Taborn: piano; Michael Formanek: acoustic bass; Gerald Cleaver: drums

Immensely talented, the American bassist Michael Formanek, besides coloring the modern creative and avant-garde jazz genres with intelligent lower grooves and quirky pulses for more than three decades, is hailed as an amazing composer. The music on the digital-only album, Pre-Apocalyptic, was captured live in 2014, being now released as part of the Untamed series presented by the Out of Your Head Records. Here, Formanek surfaces with his quartet of extraordinary gifted players - Tim Berne on alto saxophone, Craig Taborn on piano and Gerald Cleaver on drums - to present seven outstanding compositions.

The unique personalities of the musicians fill the compelling compositional frameworks with peculiarities, and “Pong” opens the record like a soft carpet that soon reveals ripples and shading as its thematic riff becomes rhythmically accentuated. Berne works the dynamics of his solo with expressionistic flair and sharp hooks, while Formanek employs briefly the bow, revolving around the main rhythmic figure.

Besides the opener, three other pieces appeared on the 2012 ECM album Small Places, with the title cut bursting at the seams with the energy, endurance, tenacity and perspicuity of the quartet. The other two are “Soft Reality”, a treacle-slow, dark-hued rubato meditation, and “Rising Tensions and Awesome Light”. The latter kicks off with Formanek navigating the tonal range of his instrument with a fleet-fingered pizzicato, before laying down an awesome groove in eleven. Pairing down with Cleaver as a locomotion rhythmic engine with an aptitude to naturally convey and shift odd-meter groove, Formanek also has in Taborn a fantastic collaborator. The pianist mesmerizes on this particular piece with the incredible speed, control and ease that he manages his entangling pianism.

One of the most beautiful pieces here is “The Distance”, a fully laid-back, lyrical ballad where Berne shows a tender, more melodious side and cleaner tone, Cleaver brushes with sensitivity, and Formanek exhibits his soloing facility. The piece, written for the 18-piece Ensemble Kolossus, was subjected to a successful adaptation for the quartet format.

The 14-minute “Intro and Real Action” is the only unreleased piece on the album, featuring Cleaver in an exciting action/reaction dialogue with himself right after the circular trajectories of the head, delivered in seven, come into effect. The record concludes with “Twenty Three Neo”, whose relaxed flow is carried by another ground bass figure.

Formanek and his associates draw lyrical intensity from these modern sonic sculptures. Even when playing live, their deeply explorative musical sense remains effortless.

Favorite Tracks:
02 - Rising Tensions and Awesome Light ► 05 - The Distance ► 06 - Small Places

Luke Stewart Exposure Quintet

October 21, 2020

Label: Astral Spirits, 2020

Personnel - Ken Vandermark: reeds; Edward Wilkerson, Jr.: reeds; Jim Baker: piano; Luke Stewart: bass; Avreeayl Ra: drums.

Gifted young bassist Luke Stewart - a member of James Brandon Lewis Trio, Irreversible Entanglements and Heroes Are Gang Leaders - shows here he has a promising future as a leader/composer as he points in the right direction with the Exposure Quintet, a Chicago-based avant-garde jazz outfit featuring adventurous players such as reedmen Ken Vandermark and Edward Wilkerson Jr., pianist Jim Baker, and drummer Avreeayl Ra. For this double LP, the bandleader gathered motifs, ideas and compositional segments to be explored with freedom by these excellent musicians.

Often performed with vibrancy and dramatic tension, the music is also filled with spiritual inspiration, and the opening act, “Awakening the Masters”, shows exactly that, as a mid-tempo bass groove in seven supports languid saxophone unisons. Eventually, the reed players part ways, switching from parallel movements to juxtaposed lines where fiery improvisation professed with raspy and beefy tones meets the successive rhythmic figures thrown in as a garnishment by each counterpart. With the triangular rhythmic effort from Stewart, Ra and Baker successfully serving the revolutionary saxophone manifestations, it’s the latter who instigates musing through some reverie created in the mid and higher registers. Intrepid harmonies intermittently bolster this procedure.

If the previous piece intended to awake the masters, “Brown and Gray” evokes a bunch of them, including Monk, Ornette, Shepp, and Coltrane. Powerful drumming and fast bass walks pave the way for a blistering tenor solo. At times the sound of the group is restlessly ebullient; during others, they focus on the peaceful center of the spirit. Still, there’s a final saxophone solo that bubbles over with frenzy, leading to the reinstatement of the short theme. Favoring intensity over melody, this section burns avidly with Ra’s spanking drums and expressive cymbal crashes.

“Haarp and Concrete Silhouette” is delivered in two parts, the first of which clocking in at approximately 18 minutes and the second at 15. The former is initially explored as a steady, ritualistic abstraction with earnest arco bass, bass clarinet drones, and subdued percussion, all within a circular, motivic activity. The second part feels like a continuation of the first, ensuring that Stewart has the time to express his own thoughts. By the end, the vivid presence of Vandermark and Wilkerson, Jr. atop the expansive drum work of Ra allows this spiritual contemplation to escalate in density.

The record concludes with the 23-minute “The Scene”, where its shifting center of gravity results from the group's efficient communication, focused interplay and teamwork.

Stewart doesn’t seem the kind of player who stands still artistically. With this ensemble, he explores the unexpected with passion and intelligence.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Awakening the Masters ► 02 - Brown and Gray ► 04 - Haarp and Concrete Silhouette Pt. II

François Houle 4 - Recoder

October 20, 2020

Label: Songlines Recordings, 2020

Personnel - François Houle: clarinet; Gordon Grdina: guitar; Mark Helias; double bass, clarinet; Gerry Hemingway: drums.

Canadian clarinetist François Houle goes deep into the compositional concept of his new outing, Recoder, a vibrant quartet effort featuring Gordon Grdina on guitar, Mark Helias on double bass and clarinet, and Gerry Hemingway on drums. The album relies on juxtaposed melodic threads that allow harmonies and structures to emerge naturally. All instruments fulfill other tasks than just their expected roles, and on the opening and closing tunes, as well as on the intercalated short interludes, we have Houle teaming up with Helias in clarinet duets.

“The Black Bird” displays a tight, uniform rhythmic net of bass and drums at the bottom over which an insane melody professed conjointly by clarinet and guitar with part angular fury, part swing-inflected disposition, finds solace. It brings to imagination the works of Steve Lacy and Anthony Braxton, both Houle’s undeniable inspirations. The interplay soon veers into a playful frenzy, but refrains from expanding before the tune’s midpoint, when a more lyrical and contemplative mood is embraced.

Grdina, a quick-witted improviser who is not swayed to gimmicks to get our attention, does a marvelous job throughout. His notable guitar work gets closer to Mary Halvorson’s type of sound on “Big Time Felter”, where adventurism with logic fits his musical ideals. After Helias turns his stunning arco bass speech into an agile pizzicato, Houle and Grdina work in tandem to create sonic vibrant energy in a gorgeous gush of amazing interplay. The latter, clearly deserves the spotlight here, delivering a superb solo initially backed by Hemingway’s perceptive drumming. The drummer is also preponderant in “Canyamel”, an avant-garde delight where he meddles with purpose on the burning conversational exchanges between the clarinetist and the guitarist.

Popping clarinet sounds on the title cut, “Recoder”, seems to coax the rhythm section to lay down an African-inspired rhythm, a strutting parade atop which elliptical trajectories are explored on different registers. The rock-inflected guitar chops have the fluttering clarinet by their side, yet both explore trails and routes individually, emphasizing kinetic curves and irregular slopes. When simultaneously in action, the two musicians employ dynamism to open up new avenues. That’s the case in “Bowen”, a piece bookended by austere unisons and enhanced by a feverish drum solo.

In great amusement, the quartet swings galore on “Baseline”, a polyphony-imbued piece that thrives with an odd-metered groove and a firm rhythmic lock.

Discipline and improvisation combine for an intricate musical aesthetic that will put a smile on the avant-gardists’ faces.

Favorite Tracks:
02 - The Black Bird ► 04 - Big Time Felter ► 06 - Canyamel

Ivo Perelman & Arcado String Trio - Deep Resonance

October 19, 2020

Label: Fundacja Sluchaj, 2020

Personnel - Ivo Perelman: tenor saxophone; Mark Feldman: violin; Hank Roberts: cello; Mark Dresser: bass.

Ivo Perelman, likely the most prolific and one of the most extroverted saxophonists working today, surfaces here with the Arcado String Trio, whose members are bassist Mark Dresser, violinist Mark Feldman and cellist Hank Roberts (here credited as William H. Roberts).

Perelman has been recording with strings lately - Strings 1-4 (Leo Records, 2019) and Strings & Voices Project (Hundred Years Gallery, 2020) - but none of these works match the classy tones in Deep Resonance, an exquisite concentration of modern classical elements, improvised chamber music and free improvisation. The four tracks on the album feature a bevy of twists and a great deal of inventiveness within the explorative group interplay. We can easily spot poetically sculpted cadences, intensive polyphony, gracious balletic movements, propulsive and effusive dances, as well as droning machinations all around.

Engaging in multifarious atmospheres, the musicians are most definitely up to something here, toggling their posture between dedicated commitment and casual dangling. Sometimes tight, sometimes loose, the music is the result of their keen musical instincts and communication. It may take you to places filled with understated charm and artful subtlety or invite you to daring itineraries marked by interesting rhythmic fluxes.

On “Resonance 2”, Perelman generates vortices of energy via animated phrases that, at times, attempt to dovetail the repeated inducements instigated by violin and cello. His attentive ears remain alert to the surroundings, with the volatile framework depending on Dresser and Roberts' architectural sculptures. On “Resonance 3”, their percussive dark tones precipitate Perelman and Feldman to discourse. They search for unity and share the same language, even though their movements are autonomous. By the end, a slightly ominous atmosphere emerges via Dresser’s deep bowed notes.

Initiating proceedings with plucked strings, “Resonance 4” elicits empathy through an elegant rhythm that sustains piercing saxophone notes and dissonant violin scratches.

Excellent participation from all four musicians throughout, and a new favorite in Perelman's massive discography.

Favorite Tracks:
03 - Resonance 3 ► 04 - Resonance 4

Dan Weiss Starebaby - Natural Selection

October 15, 2020

Label: Pi Recordings, 2020

Personnel - Matt Mitchell: piano, Prophet-6; Craig Taborn: piano, Fender Rhodes, synth; Ben Monder: guitar; Trevor Dunn: electric bass; Dan Weiss: drums, tabla, piano.

Accomplished drummer Dan Weiss quickly gained notoriety among fellow colleagues due to a tremendous versatility, musical taste and advanced technique. The second installment of his Starebaby project - an idiosyncratic blend of David Lynch’s Twin Peak’s mystery and progressive metal with suggestions of post-apocalyptic electronica - is called Natural Selection, and its tracks are deeply connected to the ones presented in the previous album by acting as tulpas (beings or objects created through spiritual or mental powers).

As an illustration, “Episode 18”, which kicks in with fast guitar licks on top a rugged texture, is a tulpa of “Episode 8”. During the start-up phase, we have abrasive surfaces that later morph into more melodic and atmospheric passages conducted by expressive cymbal texture. Some psychedelia pops up, emanated from the synths operated by Craig Taborn and Matt Mitchell. And then, there's an arcane, gothic-style doom-metal aesthetic anticipating the visceral mass of distortion and feedback placed atop the fast attacks and booming bass lines delivered by Weiss and Trevor Dunn, respectively. Virtuoso guitarist Ben Monder oozes out a violently toxic solo by the end.

A change of mood is proposed with “Dawn”, whose languid beat and folk innuendo allow the group to set one foot on the contemporary and another on the medieval milieus. Things are muscled up a bit from the tune’s midpoint on, yet, Monder opts to set an ethereal lyricism against the cyclic harmonic progression that moves toward the ending.

“The Long Diagonal” offers rhythmic stability but only after a sluggish guitar ostinato collides with a more expedite synth figure. The keyboardist continues to connect that ostinato, yet a Latin-flavored vibe soon exudes from his right-hand routines. Ratcheting up the intensity level, Weiss brings the talkative drums to the fore, while the odd-metered prog-rock mechanisms trigger guitar spasms and then an extraordinary piano solo that, most likely, is the closest to jazz you can get on this album (“Acinna” is another competitor in this aspect). “A Taste of Memory” has its meditative intro built with the help of piano and sustained synth chords. Dark and heavy textures erupt, but the keyboardist still finds room for his perpetual rumination.

The drummer's kinetic propulsions on “Bridge of Trust” would pass for a samba if it weren’t for the dismal harmonies and foreboding melodies that run across them.

With this project, Weiss has the willingness to evoke, but also to experiment in dazzling fashion. One must admit they do it wholeheartedly.

Favorite Tracks:
03 - The Long Diagonal ► 04 - A Taste of Memory ► 07 - Acinna

Terje Rypdal - Conspiracy

October 14, 2020

Label: ECM Records, 2020

Personnel - Terje Rypdal: electric guitar; Stale Storlokken: keyboards; Endre Hareide Hallre: bass; Pal Thowsen: drums.

Norwegian guitar wiz, Terje Rypdal, proceeds a well-balanced 50-plus-year career with another strong ECM outing, Conspiracy, his first studio recording in two decades. The album features a gifted crew of accompanists - Stale Storlokken on keyboards, Endre Hareide Hallre on bass and Pal Thowsen on drums and percussion. The six original compositions assembled here offer a fascinating insight into the vast reach of Rypdal’s singular ideas. With solid jazz and rock backgrounds, the guitarist/composer is a key figure in the European fusion scene who seeks compelling narratives instead of instant mercurial emotions.

The expressive, anthemic guitar melody that opens up the first selection, “As If The Ghost… Was Me?”, rests on top of embracing cymbal work and pacific synth waves. While Thowsen embraces the role of rhythmic intensifier, Hallre sports articulated bass notes with a big round sound and that sort of slickness that resembles Eberhard Webber.

Applying his tonally distinctive palette, Rypdal often glazes his notes with grief, and the melancholy exerted on “What Was I Thinking” influences the remaining members of the group, who respond with occasional toned chimes, bass inflations, and subtle cymbal crashes, among other details. Tremolo effects and distortion are part of the guitarist’s unequivocal sound throughout this rubato ballad.

Certain oppressive atmospheres may be difficult to connect with, like on the concluding title, “Dawn”, an organ-driven piece immersed in foreboding drones and chimes. However, “Baby Beautiful” almost touches the romantic side, oscillating between gleaming and lugubrious tones. Preceding an injection of hope brought by melodious solos from bass and keyboard, the musing becomes lightly stirred by crimson guitar flames modulated by overdrive and sustain effects plus glistening harmonics. Most encouragingly, the efficient drumwork of Thowsen contributes an optimistic attitude to the setting without resorting to pyrotechnics.

Taking a resolute direction toward progressive rock, the title cut boasts a steady pulse that provides solid ground for Rypdal’s electric guitar voicings and additional technical credentials. Set against the corpulent, noir rhythmic texture weaved by bass and drums, Storlokken’s burning Hammond solo is absolutely enthralling.

Solemnly unsensational yet highly addictive, Conspiracy brings back the sublime transcendency of a mood-shaper like Rypdal to the instrumental rock and fusion circles.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - As If The Ghost… Was Me? ► 03 - Conspiracy ► 05 - Baby Beautiful

Okuden Quartet - Every Dog Has Its Day...

October 13, 2020

Label: Esp Disk, 2020

Personnel - Mat Walerian: alto saxophone, bass clarinet, soprano clarinet, flute; Matt Shipp: piano; William Parker: double bass, shakuhachi, Hamid Drake: drums, percussion.

The Okuden Quartet is fronted by multifaceted woodwind player Mat Walerian, who reunites with frequent collaborators and masters in the art of rhythm and texture - pianist Matthew Shipp, bassist William Parker and drummer Hamid Drake. The word Okuden roughly translates to ‘communication of the inner arts’, and the present work, a double-album featuring eight Walerian compositions with an average time of 14 minutes, explores concepts that tend toward exploratory cadences and the spirit of the self.

With a gift for the surreal and evocative images, the record opens with “The Forest Council”, introduced by a mix of muted and woody bass sounds. The atmosphere here feels nearly alchemical, with the reverb-drenched tones of the bass clarinet sinking us more and more in mystical, enigmatic sounds. The instrument gets a special vibrancy in the hands of Walerian, who, at a certain point, relies on Shipp’s steady accompaniment - subdued until there with controlled string plucks - to draw dolorous outcries. Both Parker and Drake can perform with independence of movement; yet, their understanding of the music prevents things from going astray. The last phase is patterned like a ritualistic dance with flute in the foreground.

The raucous tone and angular finesse of the saxophonist is deeply ingrained in “Thelonious Forever”, which features Drake in a formidable drum solo. After that, Parker applies rasp dissonance in the course of his bass bowing while a saxophone ostinato lurches with abandon.

Rounding out the disc one, there's the extraordinary three-part “Magic World”. All three pieces seem taken from a generously filled bag of groove and rhythmic ideas, which can easily submerge the listeners with gripping sonics and volatile emotions. Part one - “Study” - offers a strange mix of brooding and upbeat vibes where the group seems to digress with no apparent direction in an instance, just to start swinging with method in the next. It’s a compromise between reflection and expansiveness, thrilling impetuousness and cautionary restraint. Part two - “Work” - feels like a ritualistic ceremony shrouded in low-intoned veils of sound. It’s propelled by a nice, flowing groove and has no problem attaching well-defined riffs when convenient. Part three - “Life” - boasts a funky rhythm and open posture. There are apprehensible melodies on bass clarinet and puzzling piano geometries crammed with rhythmic figures and curious accents. Walerian switches to alto saxophone, drawing melodies from the post-bop compendium, but later rejoins the groove for the conclusion, yet again wielding the bass clarinet.

Disc two is not as a strong as disc one but still provides some interesting moments. This is a long stretch, but fans will be willing to take the time to connect with the material and let these pieces sink into them.

Favorite Tracks:
03 (CD1) - Magic World Pt. 1 - Study ► 04 (CD1) - Magic World Pt. 2 - Work ► 05 (CD1) - Magic World Pt. 3 - Life

Peter Hess Quartet - Present Company

October 8, 2020

Label: Diskonife Records, 2020

Personnel - Peter Hess: tenor saxophone; Brian Drye: trombone; Adam Hopkins: double bass; Tomas Fujiwara: drums.

In parallel with his projects as a leader, American saxophonist/composer Peter Hess is a member of the Philip Glass Ensemble since 2016 and an active participant in several small jazz groups and large ensembles. On his new quartet album, Present Company, he forms a strong alliance with trombonist Brian Drye in the frontline and assures a solid foundation by picking out bassist Adam Hopkins and drummer Tomas Fujiwara for the rhythmic chores.

“Sanford Theme” - titled for saxophonist Mike McGinnis who hails from Sanford, ME - is marked by a swinging forwardness and amusing melodies articulated in unison. The open solo section is designed by Drye and Hess with melodic intention, and both become contrapuntal before ultimately switching to concordant during the theme’s final stretch.

“Ring Tone” plays pretty much in the same context of its predecessor, hewing closer to classic post-bop, which is by no means more interesting than “Echolocation”, where things start to click and engage. The piece, inspired by drummer Ed Blackwell’s free jazz albums from the 90s: What it is? and What it be Like?, kicks in with saxophone multiphonics against a trombone ostinato. An uncompromising groove in seven is established over which the soloists communicate with a natural flow.

The identity of the ensemble is forged with pertinacity but there's obviously other musical influences. “Engines”, for example, was written for the drummer Paul Motian when he passed away, giving a notion of his meditative stasis through subtler tones. Fujiwara’s complex introduction and subsequent perplexing pulse don’t remove the serenity and sense of openness deliberated for this composition, which becomes slightly more agitated before the restitution of the main theme.

Resulting from two different short pieces put organically together, “Komma” stands out with a galloping rhythm that endorses effervescent cymbal drive and rolling toms. An unceremonious soulfulness comes out of Hess’ horn with Drye providing terse interjections. At some point, we have the two juxtaposing lines and responding to deliberate provocations. Sometimes they go with each other, then they stand apart to give the ensemble more breadth. Whatever the case is, the saxophonist unfolds his phrases with perspicuity, while the trombonist shows off quick, piercing attacks.

Hopkins sets the mood of “The Net Menders” with a beautiful intro, later bowing for further emotional depth. This melody-driven ballad, inspired by a lo-fi piano recording sent to Hess by his friend Jesse Poe for a film score, precedes the last track on the album, “When to Move”, an improvised number delivering a modest punch.

Chasing both contemporary post-bop ideals and free improvisation, the musicians are apt to turn up the heat on occasion.

Favorite Tracks:
03 - Echolocation ► 05 - Komma ► 06 - The Net Menders

Matthew Shipp Trio - The Unidentifiable

October 7, 2020

Label: Esp-Disk, 2020

Personnel - Matthew Shipp: piano; Michael Bisio: double bass; Newman Taylor Baker: drums.

The phenomenal pianist Matthew Shipp leads one of the best trios currently at work. Relying on the acute, sensitive responsiveness of bassist Michael Bisio and drummer Newman Taylor Baker, Shipp creates freely with a broad aesthetic range that goes beyond the expected. The three musicians are mavericks of the rhythm and texture who cultivate an exemplary balance between discipline and abandon. Wonderful, lyrical moments are extracted from the new album, The Unidentifiable, starting with “Blue Transport System”, which, possessing that kind of slow, seductive rhythmic flow that keeps us engaged, also pulsates at a quiet boil. Bisio’s melodious bass helps to cultivate this trance-like penchant for reverie, and the lovely finale is worthy of a film-noir score.

“Phantom Journey” resonates in its own harmonic force. The bulky chords are filled with color, timely disquieted by the loud, percussive outbursts that emerge from the far left reaches of Shipp’s keyboard. It’s a thrilling, occasionally spooky ride, and yet the tune’s main rhythmic idea suggests nu-jazz vibes and a taste of Latin. Also evocative in its soundscapes, “The Unidentifiable” and “Regeneration” proves the trio atypically indulging in different moods and rhythms with magnificent results. If on the former piece the trio brings the magnetic modal jazz of the 60’s to the center, supplementing it with an uncanny ability to swing and an unaccompanied bass solo; on the latter, they embark on an engrossing calypso cruise that never ceases to surprise. The excellence of the groove is impressive and comes with a pristine melody atop.

Whereas “The Dimension” is a solitary piano ride professed with understated yet intense fervor, “Loop” is a free ramble that includes fluttery run-ups as part of the call-and-response methodology followed by the trio.

The record closes out with “New Heaven New Earth”, a tune bookended by arco bass slashes of various tones, although it’s Baker’s scintillating brushwork that really ends it. At the very center, Shipp exteriorizes with wit and irony, revolving around certain elements. Epic narratives are forged through nimble snare drum routines and piano cadences, and that disciplined sonic architecture is enriched with textural waves of improvisation.

The charm and energy are palpable throughout the album’s 11 tracks. This is such an elastic trio, whose immense resources take them wherever they want.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Blue Transport System ► 03 - Phantom Journey ► 07 - The Unidentifiable