Trumpeter and flugelhornist Steph Richards combines commanding technique with a bountiful musical imagination on Power Vibe. She gets devoted assistance from her band, with the versatile Joshua White on piano, the always impressive Stomu Takeishi on acoustic and electric basses, and the highly skilled Gerald Cleaver on drums. There’s also Max Jaffe, who supplies “sensory electronics” triggered by drum-mounted sensors on the studio tracks. He gets behind the drumkit for Supersense, the final track, recorded in concert in Bolzano, Italy. Richards’ original compositions put a lot of faith into her bandmates, with anyone in the group free to move the music into another direction. The results are absorbing and playful, with Jaffe’s generally subtle electronic textures adding another element of unpredictability into the music. There’s an appealing spaciousness in the ensemble’s sound, with almost endless possibilities as the tunes develop. One of the standout pieces is Moutons, where bold trumpet lines are surrounded by tinkly piano, bass rumbles, excitable drums, and a dollop of mild electronics. But on every piece, there’s obvious trust among the musicians that something very interesting is going on, and astute listeners will find plenty to enjoy. Recommended.
Northern Spy NS 164; Steph Richards (tpt, flgh) Joshua White (p) Stomu Takeishi (b, electric bass guitar) Gerald Cleaver (d, exc on *) Max Jaffe (sensory electronics; d on *); Brooklyn, NY, no dates indicated; Prey/ Power Vibe/ October to July/ Moutons/ Reculez/ Supersense (Live in Bolzano)*; 40:06. northernspyrecs.com
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