Ivo Perelman/Matthew Shipp/William Parker/Bobby Kapp: Synesthesia

    The free improvisers Ivo Perelman, Matthew Shipp, William Parker, & Bobby Kapp present just over an hour of thoroughly engaged and telepathically connected instant compositions on Synesthesia. The title refers to a perceptual phenomenon where, in its simplest form, one sensory experience (color, for example) stimulates an involuntary experience of another type (like a musical note). Although the incidence of synesthesia in the general population is small, as Wikipedia tells us, “synesthetes are very likely to participate in creative activities.” These five lengthy improvisations, undoubtedly titled after the fact, refer to synesthetic experiences, like First Color Heard, Blue Taste, and the closing One Sense. The myriad connections among these veteran performers would take up way too much space. Just from listening, it should be clear to anyone that these four imaginative players and profound listeners have achieved a lofty level of spontaneous creation. There is so much at work in this music that it merits frequent listening and relistening to fully grasp the exquisite intensity of Synesthesia. The prolific Perelman frequently uses a duo format, which creates one sort of conversational dynamic. The quartet setting, in this traditional tenor sax plus rhythm section format, suggests a more careful and mildly restrained approach to the music. Here that’s all to the good. In parts of First Color Heard, for instance, Perelman seems to channel jazz phraseology from the past, at times sounding like Eddie “Lockjaw” Davis, of all people. Kapp’s delicate brushwork on Afterglow is the perfect complement to Shipp’s tender piano stylings and Parker’s calm bass lines, giving Perelman all the space he needs to rev things up. The jumpy One Sense, the longest track of the session, is an uptempo scorcher at first before it turns to a more contemplative mood to end the disc. The only thing to do is take a breather, and start listening again from the beginning. Totally recommended! 

defkaz records; Ivo Perelman (ts) Matthew Shipp (p) William Parker (b) Bobby Kapp (d); Brooklyn NY, December 2024; First Color Heard/ Phosphene/ Blue Taste/ Afterglow/ One Sense; 61:55. defkaz.bandcamp.com

Matt Slocum: A Revolving Alliance

     Drummer/composer Matt Slocum brings together guitarist Emmanuel Michael and veteran Larry Grenadier on bass for A Revolving Alliance. The title track leads things off, and “revolving alliance” is an apt metaphor for the band’s energetic interactions. The blend of Michael’s effects-laden guitar, Grenadier’s fluid bass, and Slocum’s sensitive drumming is captivating from the very start. With the focus continually shifting, the listener has a number of ways to listen as the music unfolds. The inter-generational lineup is an energizing force in this trio. Bassist Grenadier is the eldest, with hundreds of credits since his first appearance on a recording by pianist Larry Vuckovich in 1983. Drummer/leader Slocum, just two when Grenadier went into the studio for the first time, made his debut as a leader in 2011 with After The Storm. A Revolving Alliance is hie fourth release for Sunnyside, and Grenadier has been aboard for all of them. Guitarist Michael, younger still, has only burst on the scene in the last few years, recording with the likes of Dayna Stephens, Marcus Gilmore, and Gregory Hutchinson. Although the program includes some up-tempo burners, like the title track and the surging Two Dragons, with a terrific drum solo by Slocum, much of A Revolving Alliance offers gently atmospheric pieces, like Yerazel with some beautifully delicate playing by Michael and an absorbing bass solo by Grenadier, and A Disappearing Path, largely a feature for Michael’s ethereal guitar stylings. I’ve only heard a couple of the sessions the guitarist has worked on, so it’s a particular pleasure to listen to his innovative playing in the relatively austere context of a trio. A very rewarding disc, and well worth revisiting often. Happily recommended. 

Sunnyside SSC 1810; Emmanuel Michael (g) Larry Grenadier (b) Matt Slocum (d); NYC, March 21, 2025; A Revolving Alliance/ Yerazel/ A Disappearing Path/ New Dream/ Two Dragons/ Solstice/ A Dissolving Alliance; 41:09. sunnysiderecords.com

Ivo Perelman/Nate Wooley/Matt Moran/Mark Helias/Tom Rainey: A Modicum of the Blues

     A Modicum of the Blues by a quintet of Ivo Perelman, Nate Wooley, Matt Moran, Mark Helias and Tom Rainey starts out with the familiar-sounding cautious bleeps and bleats of a free jazz ensemble, which slowly develops into a busy soundscape. It’s every man for himself, usually with just a hint of the blues to be heard. Sometimes it feels like a rehearsal for a song that no one seems to know, but the musicians are happy to wing it just the same. Things get pretty stormy around the eight minute mark in Part 1, driven by Rainey’s energetic drumming, with Moran’s vibes peeking in and out of the mix as a relatively calm presence in the general tumult. The music then settles right down, as if the wildness of the last few minutes has drained everyone’s energy. Perelman has recorded duet sessions with Moran, Wooley, and Rainey. Helias and Rainey have worked often together in the last 36 years, including a trio session with Perelman and a quartet date that added pianist Matt Shipp. Combining all those talents into creating a cohesive statement as this session does, is to underscore the way that Perelman casts his sessions. When Perelman and Wooley open Part 3 with a display of matching high notes, followed by Helias’ bowed bass and Moran’s bell-like vibes, it’s their previous associations that provide the foundation for their mutual interactions in this larger setting. In the true spirit of free playing, Rainey lays out for the first minutes before introducing a busy rhythm that gooses the improvisation along. The blues feeling is most pronounced in Part 4, introduced by Helias’ firm bass lines and soon picked up by an alternately growling and soaring Wooley with delicate touches from Moran and Rainey. Part 5 leads off with bass and saxophone duet that starts out with heads figuratively butting before slowly dovetailing into a more subdued encounter as the rest of the ensemble comes into the picture. Notable in this piece is a dialog between Rainey’s drums and Moran’s vibes, with Helias’ bass happily caught in the middle. At the same moment, Perelman and Wooley rejoin the fray for the final few minutes of Part 5, with Perelman getting the last word as everyone else drops out. A Modicum of the Blues is a stellar example of the ethos of totally free improvisation in a small group context. Recommended. 

Fundacja Słuchaj; Nate Wooley (tpt) Ivo Perelman (ts) Matt Moran (vib) Mark Helias (b) Tom Rainey (d); Brooklyn, NY, May 2024; A Modicum Of Blues part 1-5; 46:43. sluchaj.bandcamp.com

Phillip Golub: Partisan Ship

      Descriptions like busy, complex, and synth-driven only begin to characterize keyboardist and composer Phillip Golub’s latest project, the boldly inventive Partisan Ship. To broaden the instrumental range of the music, Golub has enlisted the talents of some of the forward-looking musicians in New York City, including saxophonists Anna Webber, Yuma Uesaka and David Leon, trumpeter Amir ElSaffar, and 5-string violinist Layale Chaker. Each of them drops in the mix here and there to contribute a solo. The spare but effective soloing by ElSaffar, who’s feeling quite at home in the electronic haze on loyalty oath, alto saxophonist Leon and Chaker on the murky and vaguely Middle Eastern blue-orange reflections, and Anna Webber, throaty and angular on cries of the initiated, are worth noting. But the real star of the show is the rhythm section, with Golub with his Flexichord virtual piano and synthesizers, Elias Stemeseder and his synthesizers, bassist Sam Minaie and percussionist Jon Starks. Together, they create a densely textured symphony of beeps, bloops, mini-explosions, ghostly piano tinkling, and much more. Since the individual tracks all run into the next piece without a pause, the three-quarters of an hour running time of Partisan Ship is seemingly designed to be listened from start to finish. While I’m especially fond of the tricky rhythms of loyalty oath, the glorious cacophony of cries of the initiated and the warped ballad utopian micronation, it’s the overall effect that is especially impressive. Partisan Ship is a fascinating album, and is heartily recommended. 

Berthold Records; Phillip Golub (Flexichord virtual piano, Behringer Neutron, Arturia Digital synths) Yuma Uesaka (cl, bcl, cbcl, ts, bass ‘clariflute’ on 1, 3, 5, 8, 10) Amir ElSaffar (tpt on 1, 3, 5, 9) Anna Webber (fl, ts on 3,5,8) David Leon (as on 7,9) Layale Chaker (5-string violin on 7) Elias Stemeseder (Prophet VI, Moog Minitaur, Modular Synths on 1,3,5,6) Sam Minaie (b on 3,5,8) Jon Starks (d, sensory perc, snaps, drum machine on 1-3, 5, 7-10; elec on 2); Brooklyn, NY & NYC, no dates specified; 1 loyalty oath/2 interlude (aboard)/ 3 partisan ship/ 4 interlude (adorn)/ 5 mutiny meeting/ 6 interlude (adrift)/ 7 blue-orange reflections/ 8 cries of the initiated/ 9 utopian micronation/ 10 afterword: partisan session; 44:46. phillipgolub.bandcamp.com

Carla Bley: Joyful Noise

     Back in March 1984, keyboardist/composer/arranger/bandleader Carla Bley took her 10-piece orchestra into NDR’s Studio 10 in Hamburg for a concert. The two CD set released as Joyful Noise marks the first time this music has been available. Bley comes on stage to enthusiastic applause and tells the audience that she asked around about “what kind of music would appeal to the people in Hamburg, and this is what is they told me.” She’s already getting laughs before anyone in the audience could know what was coming next, but Bley’s deadpan announcement no doubt has some seasoned fans with minds racing to guess what the song might be. Complete with a “ha ha fooled you” opening, it turns into a totally danceable version of La Paloma, a popular song from around 1860 (!). Aside from an elaborate arrangement of Thelonious Monk’s Misterioso, the balance of the program is stocked with original Bley compositions. Bley, who recorded mostly at the piano, plays organ and glockenspiel here, with the little-known Ted Saunders on piano. The rhythm section is completed by two masters of the art, Steve Swallow on electric bass and Victor Lewis on drums. The brass section consists of Michael Mantler on trumpet, Gary Valente on trombone, the inimitable Bob Stewart on tuba, and Vincent Chancey on French horn. The two-man reed section is Steve Slagle on alto & soprano saxes and flute, with Tony Dagradi on tenor sax and clarinet. Bley as arranger mastered the knack of making the ensemble sound bigger than it really is. Having an array of expert musicians to execute her charts certainly didn’t hurt. The band is impeccable as Bley’s compositions make the most of their talents. Since many of these musicians were in her bands over a period of years, Bley likely composed much of her work with these individuals in mind. It’s the factor that provides that extra kick of individuality to the collective endeavor. While it truly is a fool’s game to pick favorites from a Carla Bley performance, since every track has so much to say and so much to recommend it, I’ll go out on a limb and single out the slow drag The Lord is Listenin’ To Ya, Hallelujah! This gospel-oriented piece features a long and testifying solo from trombonist Valente, who returns for a big crowd-pleasing finish after a short organ interlude. From Bley’s comments, this has clearly been released in the original performance sequence. With several Bley pieces that were not recorded elsewhere, Joyful Noise is a valuable addition to the discography of one of the most consistently intriguing composers and arrangers of her era. Happily recommended. 

MIG M1230; Michael Mantler (tpt) Gary Valente (tbn) Vincent Chancey (Fr hn) Bob Stewart (tba) Steve Slagle (as, ss, fl) Tony Dagradi (ts, cl) Carla Bley (org, glockenspiel) Ted Saunders (p) Steve Swallow (electric bass) Victor Lewis (d); Hamburg, West Germany, March 14, 1984; Disc 1 (49:10): La Paloma/ Talking Hearts/ Joyful Noise/ The Lord is Listenin’ To Ya, Hallelujah!/ Light or Dark/ Misterioso. Disc 2 (67:28): Venus Fly Trap/ Nu Derection/ Ending It/ Starting Again; Ups and Downs/ Battleship/ Copyright Royalties. www.mig-music.de/en/mig-music 

Kenny Barron, Ray Drummond, & Ben Riley: So Many Lovely Things: Live In Brecon

 

   Yusef Lateef, Dizzy Gillespie, Freddie Hubbard, Joe Henderson, Booker Ervin, Stan Getz: just a small sampling of the illustrious jazz figures who have given pianist Kenny Barron plenty of work since his recorded debut on brother Bill Barron’s 1961 Savoy album The Tenor Stylings Of Bill Barron. Besides being a much in demand sideman, Barron has also recorded over 50 albums as leader. A new addition to his discography is the recently unearthed So Many Lovely Things: Live In Brecon, a 1995 performance featuring the impeccably balanced trio of Kenny Barron, Ray Drummond, & Ben Riley. Recorded before an appreciative audience in the 400-seat Christ College Auditorium in Brecon, Wales, this set offers over 90 minutes of pure enjoyment. Barron, whose exquisite touch and elegant sense of swing are in evidence from the first note, starts off the show with Oh, Look at Me Now, a melody by Joe Bushkin that goes back to the early 1940's. Barron must have spending some time listening to the Tommy Dorsey band. That song, and the contemporaneous Bob Russell composition Time Was are the oldest songs in the program. Like most well-traveled pianists, Barron probably knows hundreds of tunes, and he writes some of his own as well. He plays two originals for the Welsh crowd. His gently relaxed Silent Rain is a solo piano feature, while the enchanting Nikara’s Song is explored at length by the trio. The balance of the program includes Freddie Hubbard’s Up Jumped Swing, two pieces by Thelonious Monk (a solo excursion on Shuffle Boil, and a mildly uptempo trio version of Ask Me Now), and three well-loved standards. As bassist Drummond comments to Ted Panken in the liner notes, “Kenny’s universe includes many dimensions.” Barron himself notes that he “likes music, and I like all of it.” And he loves to play all of it, too, as this lovely set proves. Happily recommended. 

Elemental 5990464 (Lp and CD); Kenny Barron (p) Ray Drummond (b) Ben Riley (d); Brecon, Wales, August 12, 1995; Disc 1 (54:08): Oh, Look At Me Now/ Up Jumped Spring/ Shuffle Boil/ Time Was/ Silent Rain/ Ask Me Now. Disc 2 (53:40): Nikara’s Song/ The Surrey With the Fringe on Top/ The Very Thought of You/ Canadian Sunset. www.elemental-music.com

Charles Downs Quartet: Inner

   

      The music of the Charles Downs Quartet on Inner is precisely what you’d expect from the storied ESP-Disk label: unfettered free improvisation that employs a broad range of strategies to move the music forward. Drummer/leader Downs, now 82 years old, performed under the name Rashid Bakr for most of his career, playing with several editions of Cecil Taylor’s bands, as well as with Jemeel Moondoc and Other Dimension In Music. He reverted to his birth name earlier this century, playing in the Flow Trio with Joe Morris on bass and Louie Belogenis on tenor sax, and with multi-instrumentalist Joe McPhee. Morris joins him for this outing, Downs’ very first release as leader. Jamie Saft, whose musical résumé is dauntingly lengthy, plays piano, and Hery Paz is out front on tenor saxophone. Downs’ nuanced drumming, dynamic control, and polyrhythmic expertise serve to energize his companions. Paz’s growly sound and quick reflexes are complemented by Saft’s incisive piano lines and Morris’ adventurous bass. The exemplary ebb and flow of this session makes for a wholly enjoyable recording. Recommended. 

ESP-Disk’ ESP5044; Hery Paz (sax) Jamie Saft (p) Joe Morris (b) Charles Downs (d); Brooklyn, NY, December 16, 2024; Inner, parts 1-5; 58:02. espdisk.com