Ivo Perelman/Matthew Shipp/William Parker/Bobby Kapp: Ineffable Joy

With an album called Ineffable Joy, and track titles like Jubilation, Ebullience, and Bliss, there’s no need to wonder about the way that the special quartet of Ivo Perelman, Matthew Shipp, William Parker & Bobby Kapp feels about their April 2018 ESP recording. There’s a ton of history connected with this release. Saxophonist Perelman and pianist Shipp have recorded dozens of duo sessions over the last quarter-century, and bassist Parker has joined them for several trio and quartet dates over the years. Shipp and Parker were long-time partners in the David S. Ware quartet, and have participated in numerous other projects together. Drummer Kapp made his first recordings as a member of Noah Howard’s group for ESP-Disk in 1968. After a big gap in his recording activities, he made a duet album with Shipp in 2016, joined Perelman and Shipp for the trio release Tarvos: The Art of Perelman-Shipp Vol. 2 (Leo Records), and with Parker on board, played on the 2017 Leo quartet release Heptagon. William Parker’s first recording session was also for ESP, on Frank Lowe’s Black Beings in 1973. And since 2012, Matt Shipp has done four projects for the revitalized ESP imprint. The juxtaposition of Perelman’s virtuosic saxophone, Shipp’s lush voicings and torrential playing, Parker’s deeply rooted bass, and Kapp’s carefully calibrated percussion results in a true bounty of sound. As fascinating as it is to follow along with the Perelman-Shipp duo music as saxophonist and pianist provoke one another, when there are four powerful personalities involved in a free improvisation, the listener’s task is complicated by the sheer force of the music. With so much happening at every moment, it’s tricky to know what to pay attention to. Music that exists in the moment can be, paradoxically, ripe for hearing again and again. First to glean the general picture, then a second pass to listen closely to the sax, another for piano, and so on. After a couple of plays, I find myself partial to both the frisky and urgent Bliss, which maintains its manic intensity for nearly nine minutes, and the swirling maelstrom that they call Exuberance. But next time, and every time thereafter, new facets and nuances will continue to be revealed. Strongly recommended.
ESP-Disk ESP5036; Ivo Perelman (ts) Matthew Shipp (p) William Parker (b) Bobby Kapp (d); Brooklyn, NY, April 21, 2018; Ecstacy/ Ineffable Joy/ Jubilation/ Ebullience/ Bliss/ Elation/ Rejoicing/ Exuberance; 50:06. www.espdisk.com