Zack Lober: So We Could Live

     Catchy melodies and a profound sense of creative joy infuse So We Could Live, the second release by bassist Zack Lober and his NO FILL3R ensemble. Adding tenor saxophonist Jasper Blom to his trio with trumpeter Suzan Veneman and drummer Sun-Mi Hong increases the range of sonic possibilities while retaining the brisk interplay within the band. With the well-established Blom on hand, Lober acquires not just a new voice in his group, but another composer. Lober and Blom split song-writing duties for this effort, along with one standard. One of the real highlights of the set is Lober’s busy and emotionally fraught solo bass medley of his original Dad, played in a medley with Consuelo Velázquez’s Besame Mucho. Veneman’s clear trumpet sound and her thoughtful and elegantly constructed solos make a nice contrast with Blom’s grittier tenor and more angular approach to his solo excursions. Lober and drummer Hong are beautifully matched, with a seemingly intuitive link that establishes a firm rhythmic foundation for the music to develop. Hong is generally content to keep things moving without calling much attention to herself, but when she does step out on Blom’s hard-bop flavored Feathered Head, she contributes an appropriately vigorous solo. Lober’s title track concludes the session with an inspired composition that leaves this listener with a calm and peaceful feeling. So We Could Live is definitely recommended. 

ZenneZ ZR2025015; Suzan Veneman (tpt) Jasper Blom (ts) Zack Lober (b) Sun-Mi Hong (d); Hilversum, The Netherlands, April 22 & 23, 2025; Joe Type Tune/ Behind a Myth/ The Loose End/ Vignette/ Dad; Besame Mucho/ Landscape/ Feathered Head/ So We Could Live; 37:56. zennezrecords.com