Fire Within is the third collaboration between saxophonist Rich Halley and pianist Matthew Shipp’s trio with Michael Bisio on bass and Newman Taylor Baker on drums. Their rapport is inspiring through five collectively composed performances. The level of unconscious synchronicity the quartet displays is genuinely uncanny, as the musical focus shifts from player to player with an intuitive logic. Halley, with a formidable command of his instrument, seems more ruminative than I’ve heard him play in the past. While his tone may be a bit lighter, his imagination hasn’t flagged at all. Angular Logic offers some of his most robust and excitable playing of the session, provoking the rhythm section into some complex and upbeat areas. The always wonderful Matthew Shipp is in very fine form, accompanying Halley with immense sensitivity and soloing with a delicious sense of propulsion. With his big sound, bassist Bisio holds down the bottom with a calm and measured approach to his improvisations. Baker, who lays out often, is a vigorous and sensitive drummer, perfectly attuned to the needs of the music. His African-flavored opening to Following the Stream sets the stage for a turbocharged exploration of the many possibilities of the format, from a calm piano solo to furious onslaughts of sound from Halley’s tenor sax. Only the brief and moody Through Still Air, with its focus on Bisio’s whiny arco playing, failed to excite me. Fire Within presents a formidable improvising ensemble, well worth hearing. Definitely recommended.
Pine Eagle 015; Rich Halley (ts) Matthew Shipp (p) Michael Bisio (b) Newman Taylor Baker (d); Brooklyn, NY, July 12, 2023; Fire Within/ Inferred/ Angular Logic/ Through Still Air/ Following the Stream; 54:31. www.richhalley.com
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