Ernesto Cervini - Tetrahedron

March 11, 2020

Label: Anzic Records, 2020

Personnel - Luis Deniz: alto saxophone; Nir Felder: guitar; Rich Brown: electric bass; Ernesto Cervini: drums.

For his sixth Anzic outing, Canadian drummer Ernesto Cervini gathers a thrilling new quartet in which to hear his talents. Its members are alto saxophonist Luis Deniz, bassist Rich Brown, and New York-based guitarist Nir Felder. Produced by Cervini and Toronto bassist Dan Fortin, Tetrahedron embodies a stylistically diversified song lineup of both originals and covers.

And the group starts off with the right foot, delivering a loose-limbed rendition of the famous standard “Softly As In A Morning Sunrise”, here beautifully introduced by the dark/light contrasts of the electric bass, and then uplifted with a partly dub, partly free funk groove over which guitar and sax pinpoint their communicative interplay. The main statement, swaggeringly professed at the end, exhibits some rhythmic nuances.

Apart from the bandleader, who brought in four self-penned compositions, Brown was the only member of the quartet to contribute an original. His “Forward Motion”provides great moments, maturing into a hype jazz bass figure that feeds the gravity, after an inception that demonstrates Felder’s guitaristic elasticity over drums. Cervini and Brown then fixate on a straightforward swinging routine while Deniz disseminates his joie de vivre with a frantic sax romp. The drummer also stretches here and the guitar work is as efficient as on the quieter “Angelicus”, a workpiece taken from the rich repertoire of arranger/composer/conductor Vince Mendoza. This version arrives to our ears impregnated with erudite classical innuendos and folk-like melodies.

Cervini’s compositions brim with energy, and if “Boo Radley”, composed for the reclusive character of To Kill a Mockingbird, feels like a personal interpretation of Coltrane’s “Giant Steps” with a nod to jazz fusion, then “Stro”, a minor blues dedicated to the former Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Marcus Stroman, straddles the musical worlds of The Lounge Lizards and Steve Coleman, sources of an artsy punk-ish jazz and M-base movements, respectively. Also, the closer “The Sneaky Two”, another groove-oriented procedure, soars high with outgoing statements from guitar, sax, and bass.

To further enrich the stylistic diversity, Bunky Green’s “Summit Song” evokes a bunch of jazz giants with its strong hard-bop flavors.

Cervini has a fearless attitude toward sound, and even with strong inspirations stemming from the past, he is not afraid to plunge into new ideas. This group proves to be a splendid match and the music selection fits their purpose.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Softly As In a Morning Sunrise ► 02 - Forward Motion ► 08 - The Sneaky Two

Pat Metheny - From This Place

March 10, 2020

Label: Nonesuch Records, 2020

Personnel - Pat Metheny: guitar; Gwilym Simcock: piano; Linda May Han Oh: bass; Antonio Sanchez: drums + guests Gregoire Maret: harmonica; Meshell Ndegeocello: vocals; Luis Conte: percussion.

Four years after releasing the double-disc CD The Unity Sessions, guitar phenomenon Pat Metheny is back to his eclectic, fully persuasive sonic environments with a new album, From This Place. The program consists of 10 deftly written originals that reflect Metheny's refined musicianship, and is carried out alongside his new working quartet - with young British pianist Gwilym Simcock, Malaysian/Australian bassist Linda May Han Oh, and Mexican/American drummer Antonio Sanchez. Their sound kept evolving throughout the years they’ve been touring together, and the bandleader broadens his vivid palette with brilliant symphonic arrangements written by Alan Broadbent and Gil Goldstein and performed by the Hollywood Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Joel McNeely.

In a 13-minute ride, “America Undefined” makes for an epic opening statement in a glaring illustration of the way Metheny thinks musically. After a plaintive introduction designed with the cello at the center, the guitarist interlaces his admirably clear sound with Simcock’s piano, and the tune leaves that initially saddened state of mind behind. While the latter pushes the rhythm section forward as he improvises, Metheny then soothes the way with a transparent, elevated language that evokes tranquil landscapes. After passing those quiet zones, a crescendo bursts into fullness before landing on a bass pedal, axis of an atmospheric orchestration. For completion, a rocking rhythm gives a special thrill to the spectacular final section.

“Wide and Far” is an inspired effort with a straight eight feel and emotional gravity. The bass sits in an irresistible groove adequately supported by the drummer, but shifting in nature and tempo at particular passages. Populated by warm and soulful tones, this piece has a similar narrative vibe of that presented on the album We Live Here (1995), and this impression is transferred to “Same River”, a 3/4-metered piece propelled by an unfailing contemporary pop rhythm and designed with multiple guitar effects. Also waltzing, but with a romantic touch, “You Are” relies on a chordal chain that keeps moving in sequence. Although adhering to this circuitousness, the band sees Sanchez expanding the steady rhythmic bed with his grandiose drumming. By the end, the tune is gussied up by atmospheric vocal effects.

Whereas “Everything Explained” (the only piece with orchestral arrangement by Metheny) sounds very rootsy and folkish, “Pathmaker” nearly touches the Brazilian jazz idiom in its immersive crossover genre. In turn, the title track is a pop ballad prone to film scoring. Conveying disappointment but also hope in a better future, this piece was composed in the morning after Trump’s election and features lyrics by Alison Riley sung by her partner Meshell Ndegeocello.

Metheny brings richness to another couple of ballads. Both “The Past in Us” and “Love May Take a While” are introspectively brushed by Sanchez, but if the former piece spotlights the heart-breaking melodies of guest harmonicist Gregoire Maret, the latter is illuminated by the top-of-the-heap sensibilities of the guitarist, imparting a classic bolero feel right before its conclusion.

Conceived with perspective, developed with maturity, and sparkling with effulgence, this journey takes us to places worth visiting.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - America Undefined ► 02 - Wide and Far ► 03 - You Are

Bartosz Hadala Group - Three Short Stories

March 9, 2020

Label: Self Released, 2020

Personnel - Bartosz Hadala: piano, Fender Rhodes; Luis Deniz: alto saxophone; Eric St-Laurent: guitar; Brad Cheeseman: electric bass; Marito Marques: drums, percussion + Kelly Jefferson: soprano saxophone; Michael Manring: bass guitar; João Frade: accordion.

Polish-Canadian pianist Bartosz Hadala moved from New York City to Toronto in 2010. His most prominent recording happened that year, when he put together The Runner Up with an ensemble featuring trumpeter Randy Brecker and drummer Antonio Sanchez. With his latest work, Three Short Stories, he sets another bold move and points to a different direction as his electric group navigates a beguiling mix of styles and tackles 12 original compositions that pay tribute to his hero, the pianist Chick Corea.

“Prologue - Slow To Anger” opens the recording with a mix of quirky chords, arpeggiated ideas and harmonics brought to light by virtuosic electric bassist Michael Manring. This exquisite overture almost serves as an intro to “True North X”, an inceptive funk-Latin stew that steeps further into jazz fusion when adding classic rock suggestions to the mix. Explicit in his improvisation, Hadala gives rise to both counterpoint and unisons in the company of guitarist Eric St-Laurent. By the end, the latter also gets to interact with altoist Luis Deniz.

“Once Upon a Time” and its associated “Epilogue” are harmonically designed with Fender Rhodes, but while the former adds bluesy and funky tones to its post-bop essence and turns the spotlight to soprano saxophonist Kelly Jefferson, the latter is romanticized with João Frade’s accordion on one hand, and stimulated by the reggae-ish pulsation in the guitar accompaniment, on the other. Everything works over a smooth jazz-funk substratum.

“Itsy Bitsy Spider Blues” somehow reminded me of the witty musicality shared by Carla Bley and Steve Swallow. In turn, the title track falls into a crossover jazz that passes through danceable, breezy, and Eastern-tinged territories. It ends as it started, in a style evocative of David Sanborn.

“Monk’s Unfinished Symphony” echoes a few recognizable tics of the iconic pianist referred in the title, but it is “EST”, with its well-coordinated rhythmic and genre-defying interpolations, that resonates higher. With less collisions and incidents, “Longing” and “Slow to Anger” rely on calmer, sweet-lead melodies that didn’t make them look more attractive as other pieces on the album.

Hadala is a courageous pianist, whose music includes plenty of color. I see this kaleidoscopic musical universe as a natural reflection of his open-mindedness.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Prologue - Slow to Anger ► 02 - True North X ► 07 - EST

Engin Ozsahin - Sequence of Emotions

March 5, 2020

Label: Self produced, 2020

Personnel - Engin Ozsahin: piano; Jacob Shulman: tenor saxophone; Aaron Dutton alto saxophone; Bobby Lane: trumpet; Seajun Kwon: bass; Charlie Weller: drums.

Originally hailing from Istanbul and now residing in Boston, pianist Engin Ozsahin drew inspiration from the bold decision of radically changing careers at the age 29 to compose his debut album, Sequence of Emotions. His passion and flair for music making led him to cut ties with a steady engineering job and enroll in the New England Conservatory in Boston. The nine song collection presented here took into consideration the whirl of emotions associated with different phases of that challenging process. Musically, the pianist was able to create a synergistic environment in the company of a functional sextet of young talents that includes saxophonists Jacob Shulman and Aaron Dutton on tenor and alto, respectively, Bobby Lane on trumpet, Seajun Kwon on bass, and Charlie Weller on drums.

More even-tempered than stirring, “Cease To Be a Part of It” serves as a sort of intro to “Day Dreamer", which keeps flowing in a 3/4 meter signature and corroborates the solid horn alliance with bright unisons and scarce polyphony. The soloists here are Ozsahin, who navigates through delicate textural waves, and Lane, who initially speaks over a settled percussive tapestry.

Tunes such as “What If” and “Instincts” denote a fantastic sense of dynamics and interplay. The former starts off with a blue trumpet discourse supported by Kwon’s inspired bass notes, and then segues into a passage where staccato full-hand chords on the piano give it the intended locomotion. A stark contrast is created when the two saxophonists pair up in an unaccompanied ride that later welcomes swirling piano movements. The piece then evolves into an avant-garde crescendo that allows emotions to flow freely. A different perspective, more traditionally swinging is offered on “Instincts”, whose scrumptious arrangement embodies a relentless bass pedal setting the pace, attractive melody, and improvisations from piano and alto sax.

Whereas “Partimento” is a showcase for Shulman’s dark-hued soloing prowess, here consistently backed by a thick cluster-filled piano comping and a shuffling rhythm, “Teeter Totter Circus” is an Andrew Hill-esque ballad with suspended ambiances and free horn forays that exalt it into a wider dimension. Both tunes feel epic.

With “In New Grounds”, the group seemed inclined to finish the record on a tender note, but the music grows in intensity, especially during the soloists’ spontaneous expressions.

Ozsahin composes with intelligence and his voice rings out clearly and promisingly.

Favorite Tracks:
02 - Day Dreamer ► 04 - Teeter Totter Circus ► 06 - Partimento

Kenny Barron / Dave Holland Trio - Without Deception

March 4, 2020

Label: Dare2 Records

Personnel - Kenny Barron: piano; Dave Holland: bass; Johnathan Blake: drums.

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Pianist Kenny Barron and bassist Dave Holland have covered a vast amount of sonic terrain throughout their brilliant careers. On Without Deception, they co-lead a trio that includes the spectacular drummer Johnathan Blake, pairing versatility and musicianship in a collection of originals and shrewdly chosen covers that feels like an expansion of their conversational duo album The Art of Conversation (Impulse! Records, 2014).

Barron-penned “Porto Alegre” opens the album with a lovely bossa groove that relies on Blake’s hot snare tones to make the rhythm even more attractive. Besides revealing a strong unity, the three musicians enchant with personal statements abundant in rich idioms. Carrying something of Jobim, “Until Then” offers another alluring canvas painted with elegant bossa nova colors, while on the title track and “Speed Trap”, also written by Barron, the trio delivers the goods with a different posture. While the former is a winsome 12-bar blues with plenty of blue notes and feel-good trading fours, the latter connects bass and drums in a spiraling swinging verve, and channels streams of cascading piano notes through it. Barron’s flagrant rhythmic figures easily evolve into smart lines that prompt the drummer to respond, and Holland employs irresistible slides and wise interval hops to complement his forward-moving pizzicato.

The post-bop lyricism evinced on Mulgrew Miller’s “Second Thoughts” made me think of that special vibe found on Barron’s staggering album Scratch (Enja, 1985), released 35 years ago and on which Holland also performed.

Though “Secret Places” waltzes with the poignancy of Bill Evans, it develops with the tender touch of Barron, differing from the groove-centric irreverence of “Pass It On”, a composition by Holland that first saw the light of day on his 2008 sextet album of the same name. Showing off his monster technique, the bassist is both the glue that holds everything together and the booster this music needs to flow ahead. Blake’s terrific wallops and Barron’s linear tangents contribute to the positive effect.

The renditions of Duke Ellington’s “Warm Valley” and Thelonious Monk’s “Worry Later” head straight for their original musical splendor, but the trio garnishes them with their personal traits.

Maturity armors the three vertices of this stretchable musical triangle.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Porto Alegre ► 02 - Second Thoughts ► 07 - Pass It On

Jeff Parker - Suite For Max Brown

March 3, 2020

Label: International Anthem / Nonesuch, 2020

Personnel - Jeff Parker: guitar, synth, drums, piano, percussion, glockenspiel, sampling, mbira, vocals; Josh Johnson: alto sax, electric piano; Rob Mazurek: piccolo trumpet; Nate Walcott: trumpet; Paul Bryan: bass guitar; Jamire Williams: drums; Makaya McCraven: drums; Jay Bellerose: drums, percussion; Ruby Parker: vocals; Katinka Kleijn: cello.

Jeff Parker is an extremely versatile guitarist who gained notoriety in experimental groups such as Tortoise, Isotope 217, and Chicago Underground Quartet.

On his newest album as a leader, Suite For Max Brown, he reconvenes The New Breed group to homage his mother, at the same time that looks into ways to surprise the listener by fusing contemporary music approaches (there is an adequate spectrum of beats and samples) with the classic jazz artistries of John Coltrane and Joe Henderson, here represented by renditions of their “After The Rain” and “Black Narcissus” (renamed to “Gnarciss”), respectively. The former piece, delivered in the standard guitar-piano-bass-drums format, fully embraces contemplation, while the latter flows at a faster tempo with a hip-hop vibe, featuring Makaya McCraven on the drums and Rob Mazurek on piccolo trumpet. These two numbers, together with the closer, “Max Brown”, rely on relatively larger ensembles, while the rest of the tracks features Parker performing in essentially solo and duo configurations (he handles multiple synthesizers, piano, samplers, drums and percussion, glockenspiel, midi programming, as well as vocals in several different contexts).

“Build a Nest”, for example, is vocally layered in the company of his 17-year-old daughter Ruby Parker. On “Del Rio”, he teams up with electric bassist Paul Bryan to set an African-tinged atmosphere composed of monochromatic mbira patterns, gooey bass lines and a trancy beat. “3 For L” is an improvised jazz piece in 3/4 time, charged with translucent shades of soul. It's another duet, this time with drummer Jay Bellerose.

Both “Fusion Swirl”, a solo exertion, and “Go Away”, shaped in classic guitar trio with Bryan and McCraven, denote an unyielding funk circularity. The former tries out a danceable electronica outfit before remaining in a sort of mantric mode until folk melodies populate the concluding segment; the latter piece, instead, comes rhythmically charged like an African dance/chant.

Parker continues to probe sounds with feeling, plunging into diverse sonic milieus with that same intent for innovation that marked his previous works.

Favorite Tracks:
06 - Gnarciss ► 09 - 3 for L ► 11 - Max Brown

Flash Reviews - Geometry / Max Light Trio / Makaya McCraven

March 2, 2020

GEOMETRY - GEOMETRY OF DISTANCE (Relative Pitch, 2019)

Personnel - Kyoko Kitamura: vocals; Taylor Ho Bynum: cornet; Joe Morris: guitar; Tomeka Reid: cello. .

Geometry, a quartet of committed improvisers, releases its sophomore album, Geometry of Distance, on the Relative Pitch label. The intricate synthesis of sound on this record is utterly experimental, expanding and contracting without previous warning. Cellist Tomeka Reid and guitarist Joe Morris work diligently on the quirky foundations, weaving atypical contrapuntal grids. In turn, idiosyncratic Japanese vocalist Kyoko Kitamura and American cornetist Taylor Ho Bynum contribute well-adjusted lines, sometimes freely, sometimes embedding their sounds in the surroundings. Atonal guitar chords can be heard on the session’s opener, “Space Chat”, which features Kitamura’s unintelligible language calmly communicated from another planet, and on “Magnificent Desolation”, which flows like a bitterly tragic operetta. This quieter posture contrasts with pieces like “Sun Grazing” and the 16-minute “Bravery’s Consequence”, both brimming with busy activity and excitement. The former piece acquires a digital dialing-tone effect due to Morris’ transformative guitar, whereas the latter builds up an eerie atmosphere with Reid’s slapping cello hops and Kitamura’s unique vocal approach in evidence. The ensemble treads similar ground on “Veil of Imagination”. [B]

MAX LIGHT TRIO - HERPLUSME (Red Piano Records, 2020)

Personnel - Max Light: guitar; Simón Willson: bass; Matt Honor: drums.

Harplusme is the very first artistic statement from American guitarist Max Light. This album triangulates eight of his cerebral compositions and benefits from the competent substructure provided by bassist Simón Willson and drummer Matt Honor. The trio shows a high sense of synchronicity and fluidity on “Boy”, a first-rate command of tempo and patterned textures on “Overcooked”, and an appetence for swinging on “Dog” and “The Things You”, which is an uncompromising take on the standard “All The Things You Are”. Both “Baby’s Hard Times” and “Bagel” revolve around a relentless, laid-back thematic idea and glide on feathery brushes. But while the former flows at a courageous 13/8 signature meter, the latter, partly inspired by Philip Glass, goes through juxtaposed beat cycles with deftness. Delicately harmonized, “Pumpkin Pie” thrives at the sluggish sound of a heart beat, and “Dennisport” closes out the album by nodding to Ben Monder with dexterous guitar fingerpicking and ample morphological vision. In some instances, one might have a weird sensation of minimality, but Light’s compositional efforts are rich in many ways. [B]

MAKAYA McCRAVEN - GIL SCOTT-HERON: WE’RE NEW AGAIN (XL Recordings, 2020)

Personnel includes - Makaya McCraven: drums, percussion, keyboards, bass; Jeff Parker: guitar; Brandee Younger: harp; Greg Spero: piano, synth; Joel Ross: vibraphone; Junius Paul: bass, percussion; Ben LaMar Gay: bells, diddley bow, Fred Jackson: saxophone; and more.

Innovative drummer/producer Makaya McCraven is known for undertaking stylistic cross-genre expeditions with plenty of cool beats, samples and textural insight. His new outing, We’re New Again, is a reimagination of the very personal final work by poet Gil Scott-Heron, whose politically-charged spoken word, singing and spirit are ever-present throughout this 18-track collection. Even pushing the original material into an elaborate cosmopolitanism, the album feels like a rebirth implemented through conscious immersions into R&B (readings of Brook Benton’s “I’ll Take Care of You” and Bill Callahan's “I’m New Here”), hip-hop (with the dynamic “Running”, the syncopated “People of the Light”, and the flute-drenched “Where Did the Night Go”), freeish jazz (“Blessed Parents” bursts with genuine excitement), and traditional blues (while Robert Johnson’s “Me and the Devil” repeats a horn-driven segment that lingers in the head, “The Crutch” is propelled by Jeff Parker's catchy guitar riffs). There’s also this “New York is Killing Me”, a blessed marriage between jazz and blues reinforced by percussive elements and a strong chorus. [B+]

Nick Finzer - Cast of Characters

February 27, 2020

Label: Outside in Music, 2020

Personnel - Nick Finzer: trombone; Lucas Pino: tenor sax, bass clarinet; Glenn Zaleski: piano; Alex Wintz: guitar; Dave Baron: bass; Jimmy Macbride: drums.

Besides an excellent trombonist, Nick Finzer is also a polished composer and a successful entrepreneur. His refined sense of instrumentation is all across this new recording, Cast of Characters, which focuses on the impact left by formative figures in our lives. It’s not only a tribute to mentors (including Wycliffe Gordon and Steve Turre) but also a confirmation of himself as a strong, individual voice in today’s jazz panorama.

The follow-up to the notable Hear & Now (Outside in Music, 2017) includes 14 originals with a flavor of their own and features the same reliable musicians that follow him since the beginning of his career as a leader - multireedist Lucas Pino, pianist Glenn Zaleski, guitarist Alex Wintz, bassist Dave Baron, and drummer Jimmy Macbride.

Zaleski makes an epic solo entrance on “A Sorcerer (is a Myth)”. The cinematic atmosphere is put aside in favor of a sumptuous jazz contour in five. A pedaling bass interlude based on the theme separates the brassy enunciations of Finzer from Pino’s adroit navigations over the undulating chord forms.

“Evolution of…” relies on counterpoint and a relentless piano note that breaks free and expands before segueing into “… Perspective”, its continuation. That one-note recurrence is resumed at the outset of a sonic trip where gooey unisons levitate well above the expressive chordal movements and effervescent rhythm. In contrast, compendious post-bop statements from trombone, guitar, piano and saxophone are set against a blistering, uptempo swinging motion.

“Patience…” is a solo piano introduction to “…Patience”, a ballad into which the combo brings plenty of emotion. You’ll find a beautiful harmonic sequence, temperate brushwork, a fine bass solo, and disciplined impromptu juxtapositions designed by Pino, Finzer, and Wintz.

Other pieces deserving mention are: “Brutus, The Contemporary”, a shapeshifter filled with color and excitement, even when its concentrations fall into lower registers due to the presence of a bass clarinet; the waltzing “Weatherman”, elegantly expressed at a medium-fast tempo; and “The Guru”, which spreads positive vibes through a well-mounted rhythm, sparse and clear unison phrases, and passages bristling with contrapuntal prowess. Also fun was to hear the contrast between “A Duke”, polished with an Ellingtonian penchant for tradition, and “(Take the) Fork in the Road”, which probes a looking-forward rhythm/groove.

Nick Finzer juices up modern mainstream with no excess or gimmick. Simultaneously bracing and soothing, his music is a tonic for the ears, and conveys as much honesty as charm.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - A Sorcerer (is a Myth) ► 03 - …Perspective ► 06 - …Patience

Bobby Previte / Jamie Saft / Nels Cline - Music From the Early 21st Century

February 26, 2020

Label: RareNoise, 2020

Personnel - Bobby Previte: drums; Jamie Saft: Hammond organ, Fender Rhodes, MiniMoog; Nels Cline: electric guitar, effects.

The sensational trio of drummer Bobby Previte, keyboardist Jamie Saft, and guitarist Nels Cline fleshes out a collection of 10 spontaneous pieces with conspicuous evocations from the past and many hills and valleys to be explored. Music From the Early 21st Century displays a large number of influences and genres, and you can find the trio experimenting with viscous ambient soundscapes, venturing through alternative hard-rock fare, and creating energetic jazz-rock fusions with unfettered ease.

“Photobomb” starts with guitar noise, muscular drumming, and a spectacular Hammond sound that conjures up the powerful vibes of Deep Purple’s 1972 hit “Highway Star”. This brash rock influence is also found on “Occession”, the longest track on the album at 14 minutes, and there, Cline’s experimental sounds are extended to bright harmonics, pitch-shifting Hendrix-like vibratos, and densely noise freakouts á-la Sonic Youth. This particular tune is slightly sinister in mood, for which Saft's dark drones and Previte's cascading tom-tom work contribute significantly.

While listening to “Paywall”, a darker version of “Roadhouse Blues” by The Doors popped up in my head. This early allusion evolves into the heavier architecture of The Who, but with a raucous organ building its thick walls. It ends with a frantic swinging incursion. “Parkour” seems a continuation of the previous tune, but goes from a noir ambient rock to a controlled noise splash. Previte’s energetic drive is on display. Not just here, but also on the krautrock-tinged “Machine Learning”, an amalgamation of shock-oriented sounds that work amazingly well, and also on “Flash Mob”, a danceable Marilyn Manson-like metal effort with glitchy electronica.

Also percussively rich, “The Extreme Present” is another alternative sonic ride that gradually becomes infected with a blues-soaked energy. If Cline ploughs heavier in his abrasive licks here, then he designs with more controlled detail on “The New Weird”, a psychedelic blues infused with a mix of single-note phrases, octave technique, and perfectly contoured rhythmic shapes. Regardless the beauty of it, it was Saft who delighted me the most through a mesmerizing organ intro shaped with a blend of corporeal and spiritual charismas. That happens way before everything crashes into a last-minute noisy explosion.

While “Totes” emphasizes tone and atmosphere within a loose structure, “Woke” combines the circularity of a typical rock harmonic progression with snare rattles and a fine electronic touch.

The group utilizes instrumentation in powerful ways. You just have to sit back and wait to be petrified by their sounds and energy.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Photobomb ► 06 - Occession ► 07 - The New Weird

U.S.E. Trio - Sideways Circle Live

February 25, 2020

Label: LabelWhoAble, 2019

Personnel - Andrew Urbina: alto saxophone; Sandy Eldred: bass; Matt Scarano: drums.

U.S.E. is an acronym from the last names of the members of an explorative trio that hails from Philadelphia. They are alto saxophonist Andrew Urbina, drummer Matt Scarano, and bassist Sandy Eldred. After releasing Sideways Circle last year on LabelWhoAble, they put out another record, this time recorded live at Plays & Players in Philadelphia, with the exact same compositions of its previous plus two completely improvised pieces. The first of them opens the record with a well-balanced groove, while the second concentrates recurrent rhythmic figures and elliptical phrases within a solid avant-garde sphere.

“Features of a Forgotten Face” displays a beautiful melody over the groovy backbone offered by Eldred and Scarano. The robustness of rock joins the elasticity of jazz, and Urbina patiently builds momentum with a solo driven with sufficient outside detours to keep us on the lookout.

Another highlight, “Groove Suelto” sticks to a medium 3/4 tempo after the fine drum opening. Relaxed melodic contours, unstuffy bass, and the whispering of a brushed snare characterize the tune’s first phase, which later dissolves into an atmospheric passage. In the final stage, the trio retakes the circular waltzing movements, underpinning the infectious energy discharged by Urbina, who shows an admirable command of timbre and extended techniques.

“One Zero Nine” is launched by sax and drums, and their accentuations are later consolidated by the bassist for a cohesive interplay. After a ferocious hard-swinging crusade, there’s a long-standing, well-driven bass stretch, shortly extended to the drums in the concluding segment. The drummer chatters with punctuated nuances on “Stops”, whereas on “The Story About You”, he sticks to cymbal and snare legatos.

Urbina steals the spotlight again, both on the breathable “Minor Major”, where his beseeching and lamenting tones gain stamina with the time, and on “What Did You Think?”, a boisterous electro-rock template over which he unleashes fleet runs, growls and multiphonics with irony and pungency.

Sideways Circle Live overflows with musicality and virtuosity. The only quibble here has to do with the extended length of the solos, but, apart from that, this live recording, naturally less polished than its studio predecessor, benefits from the raw, often groovy tones put forth by this qualified trio.

Favorite Tracks:
02 - Features of a Forgotten Face ► 03 - Groove Suelto ► 05 - Minor Major

Jeremy Cunningham - The Weather Up There

February 24, 2020

Label: Northern Spy Records, 2020

Personnel - Josh Johnson: saxophone, keys, bass clarinet; Jeff Parker: electric guitar; Matt Ulery: electric bass; Paul Bryan: electric bass, synth; Jeremy Cunningham: drums, percussion, Wurlitzer + guests Jaimie Branch: trumpet; Ben LaMar Gay: vocals, electronics; Dustin Laurenzi: tenor sax, OP-1; Tomeka Reid: cello; Chicago Drum Choir (Jeremy Cunningham, Mikel Patrick Avery, Makaya McCraven, Mike Reed).

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Chicago-based drummer Jeremy Cunningham composed the music on The Weather Up There in response to the loss of his brother Andrew, a victim of gun violence in a home invasion robbery occurred 10 years ago. His band features bassist/synth player/co-producer Paul Bryan, bassist Matt Ulery (he can be heard on three tracks), multi-instrumentalist Josh Johnson, and guitarist Jeff Parker, who also co-produces. A bunch of special guests help coloring the drummer’s sonic landscapes.

The album kicks off with no electric bass but synth bass instead. “Sleep”, aptly narrated with dreamy tones, includes solemn cello bowing, contiguous bass clarinet, percussive rattles, and synth effects. Cunningham then starts a warmly brushed rhythmic musing with a triple time feel, over which a saxophone dances freely. The other two bass-less pieces are “All I Know”, which features the fulgent trumpet of Jaimie Branch hovering atop the gutsy drumming, and “Elegy”, where samples of interview narratives from three family members and a close friend have the percussive flow of Chicago Drum Choir in the background.

Accentuating the first and third tempos, “1985” brings Jeff Parker’s guitar to the center, veering from melodically popish to Zappa-rock irony. The guitarist exhibits crunchy chords on “It’s Nothing”, an expressive pop/rock piece that, just like the yearning ballad “He Pushes Up”, is prone to sadcore.

The psychedelic “The Breaks” starts off as a polyrhythmic collage made out of delayed saxophone, spatial guitar loops, and relentless bass figures. Everything is unified by Cunningham’s energetic rhythm. This particular mood contrasts with the pacifism of “Hike”, where an illuminated smooth jazz à-la George Benson unfolds with expressive melodies.

The group probes ambient electronica during the initial stage of the title track due to a methodical arrangement designed with looping phrases and the undeviating comping provided by bass and drums. Yet, Parker’s soloing triggers a change in the atmosphere, time when a soulful, mellifluous, groove-leaning funk imposes.

Synthesizing the deep emotions of Cunningham’s painful loss and his ability to speak musically, this recording is a very personal statement.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Sleep ► 02 - 1985 ► 05 - The Breaks

Claudio Vignali - Rach Mode On

February 20, 2020

Label: Auand Records, 2019

Personnel - Claudio Vignali: piano, Korg MS20, synth, electronics; Rob Mazurek: piccolo trumpet, electronics; Daniele Principato: electronics, real time loop remix, midi guitar.

Classically-trained Italian pianist/composer Claudio Vignali delves into hypnotic manipulations of sound, and the result is a genre-defying ‘lab’ album titled Rach Mode On. Playing alongside American trumpeter Rob Mazurek and fellow countryman Daniele Principato, who co-wrote the pieces and is at the helm of the real time loop remix, the pianist explores nine originals whose skeletal structures incorporate electronics, improvisation and tradition.

Whereas “Little Light” is invaded with a muffled beat, glitchy and computery elements, and trumpet melody, the title track features a more regular, impulsive heartbeat, erudite classical piano, spoken word samples, and the ethereal choir-like vocalizations of guests Selena Zaniboni and Enrico Ferri. You can think of it as an improbable crossing between Vangelis, Rachmaninoff, and Brian Eno.

“Dark” and “A Ship in the Abyss” are noir experiments. The former has classical piano moves morphing into trance-like synth-heavy stuff underpinned by breakbeats, while the latter, wrapped up in a mix of dreamy and gloomy tones, has soft electronic components enriching its minimal motions. Both tunes benefit from Mazurek’s dramatically expansive lines, which wander off with no particular destination.

Electronically emulating a string quartet, “Il Fauno” starts as a sort of thrilling chamber piece but ends with snazzy jazzy vibes capable of making you dance. The piano becomes arpeggiated on “Hexagonal”, an avant-garde cut whose intimate observations soar with both cool and coiling trumpet activity, distorted drum machine vibes, and ambient synth.

Silhouetted with sturdy low-pitched movements, “Sublimination” concludes this futuristic voyage within a minimalist atmospheric current that recalls some of Philip Glass’ works.

Rach Mode On is crafted with a carefully planned electro-acoustic sound design that should attract alternative electronic audiences rather than habitual jazz followers. Ear-openness is the key factor to get into this music.

Favorite Tracks:
04 - Dark ► 05 - A Ship in the Abyss ► 06 - Il Fauno

Mike Bond - The Honorable Ones

February 19, 2020

Label: Bounce Castle Records, 2020

Personnel - Mike Bond: piano; Steve Wilson: alto saxophone; Josh Evans: trumpet; Ben Wolfe: bass; Anwar Marshall: drums + guests Gene Shinozaki: beatbox vocals; Claudia Acuña: vocals; Maya Holliday: vocals.

The debut recording from 30-year old American pianist/composer Mike Bond features a fantastic group of musicians whose rapport can be immediately felt. The multi-generational core quintet includes versatile horn players such as saxophonist Steve Wilson and trumpeter Josh Evans, as well as a rhythm team with bassist Ben Wolfe and drummer Anwar Marshall in full command of the foundation. Beatboxer Gene Shinozaki and vocalists Claudia Acuña and Maya Holliday, give their contribution on selected tracks as special guests.

The opening piece, “Chapter 1: On Your Mark” is the first of three short, distinct and equally infectious chapters that are a delight to listen to. The aforementioned effort blends a kinetic swing drive with free, eloquent horn excursions. “Chapter 2: Get Set” boasts an intense groove sustaining all the flying melodies that attempt to land up; it features Acuña’s attractive voice in communion with Wilson’s soprano twitches. “Chapter 3: Go”, more percussively explorative and harmonically busy, substantiates a happy marriage between jazz and hip hop. Part of this mood is transferred to the anthemic “The Honorable Ones”, which is rhythmically contoured by Marshall’s snare eruptions and Shinozaki’s spectacular vocal beat, and features Wilson and Evans negotiating back and forth. Also, the closing piece, “Rail Road”, an arrangement of the folk tune “I’ve Been Working On The Railroad”, denotes a clear hip-hop influence.

Both “Verus Vita”, a charming post-bop ride launched with a melodic consensus between bass and piano, and “Chase the Wind”, composed with the jazz fusion of Chick Corea in mind, differ from the hard-bop animosity of “It’s A Long Way Back”, where we have Evans and Marshall exchanging ideas after clear enunciations from Wilson and Bond.

Ms. Acuña returns with her sure-fire pitch control on the standard “More I See You”, and waltzing was never as free and easy as on the Shorter-esque “Block The Box”. In two of the 12 tracks, Bond also explores possibilities within the classic piano-bass-drums format, yet these selections don’t match the brightness of other numbers on the album.

Produced by pianist Orrin Evans and uninhibited when it comes to assume other non-jazz influences, this solid first effort made me curious about where Bond might be heading next.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Chapter 1: On Your Mark ► 05 - Chapter 2: Get Set ► 09 - The Honorable Ones

Jeb Bishop Flex Quartet - Re-Collect

February 17, 2020

Label: NotTwo Records, 2019

Personnel - Jeb Bishop: trombone; Russ Johnson: trumpet; Jason Roebke: bass; Frank Rosaly: drums.

In order to outline his newest CD, Re-Collect, sure-footed trombonist and improviser Jeb Bishop summoned like-minded musicians such as trumpeter Russ Johnson, bassist Jason Roebke, and drummer Frank Rosaly. This album is replete with extended improvisational rides and features six tracks recorded live in Chicago in 2015.

The opener, “Exordium-Salt”, offers 20 minutes of variegated character within the well-defined structural blocks that define it. There are creatively disjointed sounds that later converge into unisons hold by fluid, swinging ripples, fine improvisations set against different rhythmic backgrounds, and a groove that demonstrates how malleable and lightweight this quartet can be.

The 18-minute “Sweet The Grub/On The Floor” has an encouragingly active bass persuading the others instruments to join its frantic propulsion. The dynamics are established with intelligence, and Roebke, boasting a potent round sound, deserves a solo moment. The sobriety of the last segment comes wrapped in beauty, and it all ends with the groovy theme.

The Dolphy-esque “Razorlip” carries expressive parallel movements and contrapuntal motifs before highlighting Bishop and Johnson in a sparking dialogue. There are swinging parts and reverent silences broke by resolute drum chops.

If “Lungfish” is pressurized with excitement and buoyancy, especially during the experimental fringe of the soloists, then the quartet dives with pleasure into the softly brushed, melody-centered ballad “Sometimes” before closing out the album with “Backfire”, another profuse avant-garde stretch with a colorful swinging tapestry for Bishop to walk through. Conversely, Johnson delivers his speech with zest against a background of snare drum irruptions caused by Rosaly, who is also called to speak out loud.

Re-Collect lives from the tremendous dynamics and obliquities created by four explorative artists whose great ears and sonic integration are much appreciated. Avant-gardists have in this recording something consistently strong to indulge in.

Favorite Tracks:
02 - Sweet The Grub/On The Floor ► 03 - Razorlip ► 04 - Lungfish

Gabe Terracciano - In Flight

February 13, 2020

Label: Red Piano Records, 2020

Personnel - Gabe Terracciano: violin; Dave Pietro: alto saxophone; Ricky Rodriguez: trumpet; Adam Rogers: electric guitar; Matt Pavolka: bass; Mark Ferber: drums.

Gabe Terracciano is a Brooklyn-based, classically-trained violinist with a genre-spanning approach to music. On his debut recording, In Flight, you’ll find him exploring self-penned compositions with an all-star ensemble comprised of Dave Pietro on alto saxophone, Ricky Rodriguez on trumpet, Adam Rogers on electric guitar, Matt Pavolka on bass, and Mark Ferber on drums. The ensemble shrinks into either quintet or horn-less quartet on specific selections.

Definitely a highlight, the title track displays melodic flair and hard-charging rhythmic instinct, consolidating post-bop and Latin jazz. The piece wakes up from its inceptive calm and locks a clave-motivated intermediate passage in 15/8, over which the soloists, one after another, make emotionally punchy statements. Before returning to the placid tones of the beginning, the group embarks on a brief yet captivating collective improvisation that inspired me to search for more. Pity I didn’t find anything else that could compare to this absolute intensity.

The pieces delivered in the violin-guitar-bass-drums format include “Way Off”, a Joni Mitchell-inspired folkish song with a breezy harmonic texture, and “When I’m in Your Arms Once More”, a ballad whose melody denotes some similarities with “Darn That Dream” in the A section, and “Polka Dots and Moonbeans” in the B.

Pietro lends a hand on “Pundit”, where bass and guitar get locked in a relatively complex rhythmic phrase before changes in tempo and mood occur. The saxophonist’s presence is also noticed on “Case in Point”, where he adds post-bop testimony to the rocking rhythm made manifest. Rogers’ fluid lines on the guitar also wend through the harmonic lanes implied by Pavolka’s bass tours, and, at a later time, it's the guitarist’s comping that helps paving the way in support of Terracciano's riffing.

The group suffuses the atmosphere with straight-ahead energy on the closing “Alfie’s Lullaby”, a personal synthesis of Bernice Petkere’s Tin Pan Alley tune “Lullaby of the Leaves” and Oliver Nelson’s “Alfie’s Theme”. Sandwiched between the violin and guitar statements, Pietro and Rodriguez alternate bars with irrepressible ardency.

In Flight doesn’t go out or beyond the norms, but doesn’t hold back either.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - In Flight ► 02 - Way Off ► 03 - Pundit

Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra - Sherman Irby's Inferno

February 12, 2020

Label: Blue Engine Records, 2020

Personnel - Reeds: Sherman Irby, Ted Nash, Victor Goines, Walter Blanding, Joe Temperley; Trumpets: Wynton Marsalis, Ryan Kisor, Marcus Printup, Kenny Rampton; Trombones: Vincent Gardner, Chris Crenshaw, Elliott Mason; Rhythm Section: Dan Nimmer (piano), Carlos Henriquez (bass), Ali Jackson (drums).

Trumpeter extraordinaire Wynton Marsalis fronts the Jazz At Lincoln Center Orchestra, a 15-piece band bound to perform saxophonist Sherman Irby’s Inferno, an impeccably arranged and masterfully executed suite in six movements that narrates Dante Alighieri’s first part of his 14th-century epic poem The Divine Comedy. The ensemble not only displays a magic touch when it comes to luxurious orchestration, but also provides absorbing individual statements whenever an improviser steps forward.

Featuring Joe Temperley on baritone saxophone, “Overture: Lost” was devised with sufficient sonic appeal to pike our curiosity, making a seamless transition to “Movement I: House of Unbelievers”. The zealous, epic tones of this first chapter distill into a romantic, swinging flow, where Ted Nash’s flute and Victor Goine’s clarinet dance together for a moment, before claiming, by turns, their individual space. Trombonist Vincent Gardner closes out the section reserved for spontaneous creativity, and the orchestral palette frees up attractive color tones.

Exquisitely nuanced, “Movement II: Insatiable Hunger” unfurls deliberately while the musicians dabble confidently in sophisticated atmospheres. This piece contemplates delicious counterpoint and contagiously sluggish motions.

If “Movement III: Beware the Wolf and Serpent” builds a lilting aural odyssey with the help of fantastic solos by Irby, trombonist Elliot Mason, and Marsalis, then “Movement IV - The City of Dis” lives in a world fusion realm. The rhythm, half-provocative and half-sinuous, gains further meaning when freewheeling folk interventions, affiliated to the East of the world, emerge on top of it. Woodwind player Walter Blanding does an excellent job here by doubling on soprano and oboe.

Collective discipline is an important aspect in Irby’s compositional aesthetic and the shapeshifting, cinematic narrations of “Movement V: The Three-Headed Serpent” show exactly that, conveying a sense of danger and momentum in one of its passages. However, unrehearsed creativity is also vital, and the spotlight is pointed at an early galloping drum solo delivered by Ali Jackson, followed by a buoyant tenor stretch over drums. On the last stretch of the path, direct dialogues occur between saxophones (Goines and Nash) and then trumpets (Kenny Rampton and Marcus Printup).

This deeply rewarding ride into a non-threatening hell is completed with “Movement VI: The Great Deceiver / Finale: The Shores of Mount Purgatory”. Here, an incipient bolero persuasion is slightly shaken by the low-pitched revolutions of pianist Dan Nimmer.

Favorite Tracks:
03 - Mov. II: Insatiable Hunger ► 05 - Mov. IV: The City of Dis ► 06 - Mov. V: The Three-Headed Serpent

Oded Tzur - Here be Dragons

February 11, 2020

Label: ECM Records, 2020

Personnel - Oded Tzur: tenor saxophone; Nitai Hershkovitz: piano; Petros Klampanis: double bass; Johnathan Blake: drums.

The elegant jazz of Tel Aviv-born, New York-based saxophonist Oded Tzur is fully reflected on his new album Here Be Dragons. The newcomer joins the ECM label, playing alongside Israeli pianist Nitai Hershkovitz, Greek bassist Petros Klampanis and American drummer Johnathan Blake. The quartet takes us into a deeply connected, reflecting, and moving journey, crystallizing their sounds into empathic rhythmic textures with a preference for soft and minimalist raga-inspired practices rather than any sort of fiery streaks.

The title track opens the album with spacious surroundings and a velvety touch. The whole instrumental body breathes and appreciatory emotions wrap the listener in a well-balanced luminous placidity. Bass and saxophone conclude this tune and also initiate the following track, “To Hold Your Hand”, where Hershkovitz’s lyricism comes to the foreground through delicate yet nimble movements. The wonderful rhythmic tapestry that arises from Klampanis’ airy bass notes and Blake’s intimate brushwork produces the desired effect, widening even stronger ramifications on the nostalgic “20 Years”, which was composed by Tzur on the 20th anniversary of his father’s death. The latter composition denotes a beautiful melody set against the simpatico foundation built by the rhythm team. At once pensive and sympathetic, the unostentatious bandleader narrates the story with feeling and poise.

Erupting with a more intense rhythmic pull in six, “The Dream” advances like a liberating proclamation with contrapuntal piano accompaniment. It feels great to be caught by a bolder pulsating drive when your ears were already shaped to a certain cozy, melancholic atmosphere. This selfless approach to music is deeply rewarding in its gracious nature, except for the closer, a tepid take on “Can’t Help Falling in Love”, a romantic pop song popularized by Elvis Presley in the early 60’s, whose lack of novelty fails to achieve something special.

Put in sequence, there is a triad of brief “Miniature” pieces, each of them showcasing sober solo statements from piano, bass, and saxophone.

Working on hushed dynamics with soulful resplendence, Tzur and his quartet mates create some sweet moments of rare sensibility. This is a promising first ECM outing for him.

Favorite tracks:
01 - Here Be Dragons ► 03 - 20 Years ► 07 - The Dream

Arto Lindsay / Joe McPhee / Ken Vandermark / Phil Sudderberg - Largest Afternoon

February 10, 2020

Label: Corbett. vs Dempsey, 2020

Personnel - Arto Lindsay: electric guitar; Joe McPhee: alto and tenor saxophones, pocket trumpet; Ken Vandermark: tenor and baritone saxophones, clarinet; Phil Sudderberg: drums.

Four indefatigably creative spirits - guitarist Arto Lindsay, saxophonists Joe McPhee and Ken Vandermark, and drummer Phil Sudderberg - combined efforts for an exploratory and often intuitive noise jazz spree captured early last year at Experimental Sound Studio in Chicago. True to the artists’ inspirations, Largest Afternoon consists of 15 spontaneous tracks delivered in duo, trio and quartet formats.

The nine first pieces feature the corrosive guitar noise from Lindsay, an extremely versatile player who, throughout the years, showed proficiency in multiple genres, from synth pop and electronica to indie rock to modernistic bossa nova. Here, you’ll find him operating in a heavy rock mode, building rugged textures and discharging voltages capable of burning the house down.

The opening and closing quartet pieces, “Whether You Were There or Not” and “Or Depth of Field”, respectively, provide dynamics. The former benefits from the cacophonous conductions and central rhythmic figures offered by baritone and tenor, while the groove of the drums sustains everything with a contrasting feel-good approach. In turn, the bottom track is vividly electrifying in its whole, even with the inclusion of a brief, anthemic horn-driven passage.

McPhee explores extended techniques over Lindsay’s pitch-swooping underpins on the shapeless “She Must Have Known”, where spasmodic impulses, horse whinnies, and twisted growls come out of his pocket trumpet. One can literally hear his voice here and also on “When I Lose Any Sense of Perspective”, a dialoguing duet with Sudderberg.

On “Head Down and Bent to One Side” it’s Vandermark who attacks with precision, pulling out some gorgeous percussive popping sounds and warped lines from the baritone, which grows ferocious, darker, and motivic by the end. For this one, he teamed up with Lindsay, who incurs in a paroxysm of convulsive shrieks to compose texture. The pair repeats the experience on “The Push and Pull Beneath the Surface”, but now having the stomping flare-ups of the drummer playing underneath.

“Family Can Mean Many Things” and “The Distance Between the Door and the Car” are both cathartic trio inventions armed with intense rhythmic flairs. Much more quiet and noise-free are three blatantly communicative McPhee-Vandermark duets, which, falling into conversational, frequently evolve with motifs. “So What’s Your Idea of Epic” is definitely a peak, boasting controlled sonic neuroses, vivid circular gravity, and off-the-cuff runs intoned with power.

Largest Afternoon thrives with jagged edges and its vigorous constitution will definitely discourage the faint hearted to reward venturesome audiences.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Whether You Were There Or Not ► 02 - She Must Have Known ► 05 - So What’s Your Idea of Epic

Javier Rosario Trio - A Celebration of Life

February 6, 2020

Label: Self produced, 2020

Personnel - Javier Rosario: electric and acoustic guitars; Scott Kiefner: bass; Zak King: drums.

Javier Rosario, a Dominican guitarist/composer with an inclination to mix jazz and rock idioms, got inspiration from another guitarist, the ever-explorative Joe Morris, to release his first album, A Celebration of Life. The guitarist benefits from the vast rhythmic avenues open up by his trio mates, bassist Scott Kiefner and drummer Zak King, over which he rides at variable speeds.

“Ghost Town” is a powerful opening tune, where the bandleader interweaves expressive voice leading, pungent chords, and crystalline harmonics with unflinching confidence. Following a clearly pronounced bass solo, Rosario plunges into a distorted metal-like spiral, whose broad dirty sound evolves until reaching the tidal chordal washes that conclude the piece.

“On The Road” is a less-than-two-minute rock exercise that anticipates “Improv”, a spontaneous diligence where fluxes of guitar energy are spilled over King's bickering drum work. Another guitar-drums partnership happens in “Shades of Grey Pt. 1”, a piece whose melodic conduction immediately brings Monk’s “In Walked Bud” into the mind. The second part of this composition incorporates bass and confers more freedom to the drummer.

Revealing a far more introspective side, “Transitions of the Heart” and “Changes of Heart” are solo acoustic guitar pieces delivered with some pathos and colored with a neo-romantic harmonic palette. The trio returns to the rocking ways on “Heading North”, where bass and drums operate in such a way to pass the idea of displacing tempo, and on the album’s closer “Passing Through (Dedicated to Ben)”, in which we find bass lines bouncing with a temperate Latin feel, cymbal-oriented drumming (especially during Kiefner’s soloing), and a punchy guitar work that attains a flammable point whenever fluidity and corrosion are increased.

Sketchy in some cases, these tunes are patterned with instinct and muscle. Even if they don’t completely knock me out, competence is all around for a favorable debut release.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Ghost Town ► 04 - Transitions of the Heart ► 09- Passing Through

The Dave Liebman Group: Expansions - Earth

February 5, 2020

Label: Whaling City Sound, 2020

Personnel - Dave Liebman: soprano saxophone; Matt Vashlishan: woodwinds; Bobby Avey: piano; Tony Marino: bass; Alex Ritz: drums, kanjira.

Top-notch hornman Dave Liebman reunites his adventurous multi-generational Expansion quintet - reedist Matt Vashlishan, pianist Bobby Avey, veteran bassist Tony Marino, and drummer Alex Ritz - to present a new suite called Earth. The album marks the fourth outing of the group, also being the fourth and last installment of Liebman’s element series, whose previous chapters were released in 1996 (Water), 2006 (Air), and 2016 (Fire) with different bands and configurations. Liebman, who composed each track on Earth with a specific interval in mind, rips through these earthly sceneries in a freewheeling fashion, devising ambitious electro-acoustic sonorities that push the envelope of conventional jazz.

“Earth Theme” bookends the album, going from vagueness to consistency, but it’s “Volcano/Avalanche” that instantly earns our attention through parallel lines based on intervals of sixth and effect-laden synth tapestries. Arranged with intelligence, this textural wizardry has its vision projected into the future, and to hear Liebman’s unquiet soprano rides over humming drones is like having an acid trip.

Strategically placed between the main compositions, there are interludes in a total of six. Each of them features a particular instrument or two. Take the case of the percussion/flute collaboration, which works as a perfect preamble for the desert-inspired “The Sahara”. Intervals of major and minor second confer the latter piece the desired exotic touch, yet the wind effects, bass trance, and corrosive synth chords create an ambiance of mystery that goes beyond the sky-and-sand landscape.

Whereas the more tranquil “Grand Canyon/Mt. Everest” makes use of Ritz’s fine brushwork to soar to the height of the mountainous regions that describes, “Concrete Jungle” lives in a wildly toxic swinging acceleration. With more angles than curves, this piece places a spotlight on Avey and then embarks on an animated call-and-response between Vashlishan and the bandleader.

“Dust to Dust” consists of a bunch of motifs echoed in sequence. If the attentive communication between the musicians is plainly expressed here, then it transcends expectations on the intoxicating “Galaxy”. The latter piece, previously introduced by wind synthesizer, falls into a sort of free funk pervaded with brisk and ebullient breakbeats, soprano madness, and mercurial electro-synth mosaics.

Not all the parts of Earth are at the same level, but this rich sensory experience is keen to captivate enthusiasts of jazz fusion and futuristic post-bop alike.

Favorite Tracks:
03 - Volcano/Avalanche ► 09 - Concrete Jungle ► 13 - Galaxy