02 Paramorph CollectiveAll we are made of is borrowed
Paramorph Collective
Redshift Records TK534 (redshiftrecords.org)

Montreal-Ottawa musicians and multidisciplinary artists, An Laurence (guitar, voice, etc.) and Kim Farris-Manning (piano, voice, synthesizer, etc.), comprise the Paramorph Collective. “Paramorph” in mineralogy refers to the process of transformation of a mineral through the reorganization of its molecular structure only. Analogously, the collective aims to transform itself and its audience through “rearranging inner feelings or thoughts… seeking new perspectives.” The Collective’s nine-track debut album All we’re made of is borrowed shows the duo in twin roles: music creators and performers of scores by Canadian composers Rodney Sharman and Linda C Smith, and California-based Margot George. 

Smith’s remarkable Thought and Desire is an engaging piano solo until 3’45” when the pianist begins singing in her soft soprano. At that moment the piano’s identity suddenly shifts, its role thereafter is to accompany. It’s a delightful perceptual shift for listeners. Four of the tracks are original works by the Collective, evoking an overall peaceful, soft and layered aesthetic space through spoken word, electronics and guitar-supported song. Margot George’s rousing Fruiting Bodies forms the album’s centerpiece. Farris-Manning’s custom-built organ synthesizer’s sustained chords are animated by Laurence’s crashing electric guitar clusters and sustained single tones. This 21-minute commission presents dichotomic extremes: of sound pressure and distortion, sustained keyboard vs plucked strings – counterpointed by shimmering stacked organ chords evoking ecclesiastical regions.

The album notes ask listeners to reflect on the title – All we’re made of is borrowed – and to hold onto “the time we have left as medicine.”

03 Live in TorontoLive in Toronto
Spindle Ensemble; Evergreen Club Gamelan Ensemble
Hidden Notes (spindleensemble.bandcamp.com/album/live-in-toronto)

Live in Toronto, the 2022 collaboration between the seven-musician Toronto group Evergreen Club Contemporary Gamelan and the UK Spindle Ensemble (violin, cello, piano, marimba), is nothing short of captivating.

Spindle pianist Daniel Inzani’s composition Lucid Living firmly establishes ECCG’s degung gamelan voice, amplified by Spindle’s tight harmonies. Evoking monochrome hues of early morning light, the musical palette is enhanced with the addition of Spindle’s marimba and piano before opening into full daylight. Inzani’s music took me on an impressionistic Joycean journey.

Orpheus by Spindle’s Harriet Riley begins as an homage to Stravinsky’s ballet of the same name. Its Western roots however soon give way to ECCG’s Southeast Asian tones, reminding me of American composer Lou Harrison’s gamelan-centric approach in some of his works. Riley found exquisite ways to blend the 11 instruments at her disposal: the strings (violin and cello) overlap ECCG’s wind (suling, a ring flute) making for an enchanting sonic exchange.

ECCG suling soloist Andrew Timar’s composition Open Fifths: Gardens takes us to the EP’s summit, a work featuring complexity of a kind I associate with the best modal jazz improvisation. The performers play off one another with a sensitivity that finds the fruitful common ground between the musical worlds the two ensembles inhabit. When Timar’s low-sounding suling gambuh invites the cello into the conversation we witness an unanticipated aural blending and the unfolding sound palette celebrates all the voices present.

My only question lies in Open Fifths’ ending. The suspended silence before the last note – reminiscent of a certain Chopin piano Prelude in E Minor – caught me off guard. Open Fifths, like the rest of this EP, is filled with happy surprises.

04 Composing IsraelComposing Israel – The First Three Generations
Various Artists
Neuma 177 (neumarecords.org)

Ten compositions spanning six decades present an overview of “the first three generations” of Israeli composers, variously performed by 24 musicians including members of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra and five different pianists.

Toccata, Op.34, No.5 for piano (1943) is a wild, whirlwind dance by Paul Ben-Haim (né Paul Frankenburger, 1897-1984), a German refugee who helped found the “Eastern-Mediterranean School” of Israeli composition. German refugee Tzvi Avni (né Hermann Steinke, b.1927) studied with Ben-Haim and dedicated his Capriccio for piano (1955, rev.1975) to his mentor. Like Toccata, it embraces the volatile rhythms of Middle-Eastern music.

Arabesque No.2 for flute and harp (1973) by Ben-Haim student Ami Maayani (1936-2019) mixes Arabic rhythms with glissandi suggesting quarter-tones in its exultation of exoticism. Bashrav for chamber orchestra (2004) by Betty Olivero (b.1954), based on classic Persian music, while clearly Middle-Eastern in mood and materials, is less “folkish,” filled with explosive bursts and sudden silences.

I enjoyed all these much more than the non-Middle-Eastern-sounding piano pieces by Abel Ehrlich (1915-2003), Arie Shapira (1943-2015) and Ari Ben-Shabetai (b.1954) or the electronic collage of Bedouin children speaking by Tsippi Fleischer (b.1946), all dating from the 1980s.

In the 19-minute Wire for soprano and chamber ensemble (1986) by Oded Zehavi (b.1961), Denise Lundine keens a Hebrew poem, her “voice crying in the wilderness” over bursting percussion, the French horn emulating liturgical shofar (ram’s horn) elephantine trumpetings making this, by far the CD’s longest work, also its most “Jewish.”

Listen to 'Composing Israel: The First Three Generations' Now in the Listening Room

05 Heinz Hollliger EventailÉventail
Heinz Holliger; Anton Kernjak
ECM New Series ECM 2694 (ecmrecords.com)

From one of the most recorded oboists of all time, Heinz Holliger’s newly released album, Éventail, is a colourful exploration of both the vocal and expressive qualities of the oboe and oboe d’amore in early 20-th-century French music. Opening the “richly coloured fan” of little-known French Vocalise-Études by some of the most important French composers including Debussy, Ravel, Saint-Saëns, Jolivet, Casadesus, Messiaen, Koechlin and Milhaud, Holliger is joined by pianist Anton Kernjak and harpist Alice Belugou.

Characteristic of his specialty in 20th- and 21st-century-works, Holliger’s wide range of extended techniques and tonal texturing shine in Éventail, with gleaming performance and elements ranging from the traditional to the virtuosic. Having had personal relationships with many of these composers, Holliger’s performance provides a distinct approach and understanding of these works while showcasing his artistic personality and flare. 

Beginning with Ravel’s Pièce en forme de Habañera and Saint-Saëns’ Sonate pour hautbois et piano, Holliger and Kernjak set the stage with two standard pieces in the oboe repertoire. Holliger chose some surprisingly slow tempos in the Saint-Saëns yet still showed command over the instrument.

Jolivet’s Controversia and Messiaen’s Vocalise-Étude and Morceau de lecture is where Holliger really shines. Although able to play the standard repertoire well, Holliger’s transcending nature seems to seek out every opportunity to explore and test the technical possibilities of the oboe.

Éventail also beautifully showcases Charles Koechlin, one of the first composers to use the oboe d’amore after the Baroque era, and explores his unique use of muted timbre in Le repos de Tityre, recalling Debussy’s masterpiece for solo flute, Syrinx. Holliger then enhances this mood by transcribing and performing Syrinx on the oboe d’amore.

The album concludes with Robert Casadesus’ Sonate. Originally written for his teacher, Émile Cassagnaud in 1954, Holliger decided to do what his teacher had intended and record this important work, bringing it to life as a standard in oboe repertoire.

06 Messiaen Vingt RegardsMessiaen – Vingt Regards sur l’Enfant Jesus
Kristoffer Hyldig
Our Recordings 6.220677-78 (ourrecordings.com)

Another pianist passionate about Olivier Messiaen, has released his recent take on Vingt regards sur l’Enfant-Jésus, a 20-piece solo piano cycle which – to some enthusiasts – represents a mighty pillar of mid-century modernism. The striking Danish pianist, Kristoffer Hyldig, recorded this disc at Vor Frekser’s Church in Copenhagen during a severe pandemic lockdown in March of 2021, an ideal locale to capture the spiritual and mystical aspects of this music.

Hyldig’s approach is a one of reverence and fortitude. He comes to this work with admiration and a veritable desire to unlock its secrets. One attribute, immediately noticeable, is his command of distinct pianistic colours. He has competently etched out each movement in the cycle, allocating unique profiles, characters and sonorities. Messiaen’s keyboard music responds well to such attention and technical detail. 

This devotional music has become familiar to many 21st-century audiences and divining new identity within such a score can be challenging for any interpreter. Hyldig brings integrity to his performance with an earnest smattering of detail and refinement, through articulation, dynamic shadings and intricate realization of tempo relationships. The savvy listener might also ascertain unique palettes in play, born of northern pastels and Hanseatic hues, gleaned under the high Nordic sun. Compare these to the warmer, deeper equatorial chroma of Messiaen’s southern France and the result bears novel acoustic fruit indeed. In further augmentation of such qualities, Hyldig’s 2-disc release was recorded in the immersive DXD Format.

07 John Luther AdamsJohn Luther Adams – darkness and scattered light
Robert Black double bass
Cold Blue Music CB0067 (coldbluemusic.com)

Renowned award-winning American composer John Luther Adams’ album Darkness and Scattered Light is an unusual one, consisting of three major works for double bass. Two scored for solo double bass and one for bass quintet, each attractive piece is a substantial contribution to the bass repertoire.

Superbly performed by the late bassist Robert Black (1956–2023) these virtuoso works call not only on the majesty of the lowest of the string section, but also on its ability in the right hands to evoke near-orchestral multi-part textures – as in the serene solo Three High Places (2007). Fascinatingly, all the sounds in this work consist of bowed natural harmonics or open strings, the musician’s fingers never touching the fingerboard.  

Darkness and Scattered Light (2023), Adams’ 16’32” single-movement score for five double basses (all played by Black), wades deeply into orchestral textures, employing both the harmonic and subharmonic overtone series. Marked by merging long tones transfigured onto a tonally ambiguous harmonic terrain, Adams’ aesthetically sophisticated, historically informed work is masterful.

The other solo is Three Nocturnes (2022), evoking the dark side of the harmonic series and of nature herself. Dedicated to Black, he gave the premiere outdoors, amid red rock canyons.

Composer Michael Gordon wrote that Black “has single-handedly reinvented the technique and repertoire of the double bass, bringing it bursting into the 21st century.” Black’s no-nonsense, committed, masterful playing of Adams’ music is his beautiful, lasting legacy.

08 Edward CowieEdward Cowie – Where the Wood Thrush Forever Sings
Anna Hashimoto; Roderick Chatwick
Metier mex 77104 (divineartrecords.com)

When one walks every morning through wooded areas, one hears the seasons changing in the calls of birds. Spring is as raucous as winter is silent, a muted summer leads to the random cries of migration in fall. One is hardly likely to find this strange chorale upsetting unless one suffers hypersensitivity to sound, as some poor souls no doubt do. 

Composer Edward Cowie has found the alchemical formula for transmuting various bird cries into duets for clarinet and piano. Played mellifluously on E-flat and B-flat clarinet by Anna Hashimoto, with Roderick Chadwick at the keyboard, this group of four “songbooks” are a series of short explorations of various birds’ musical identities. Hashimoto manages the higher register with accuracy that is sometimes piercing yet never shrill. Chadwick is sure-handed with the understated piano writing. Cowie’s harmonic language is both new and sometimes familiar.

Birds and their environment have inspired composers before now, of course. Beethoven wrote a quartet of characters into the coda of the second movement of his Sixth Symphony, giving the poor clarinetist the role of Cuckoo (which some might find quite appropriate). Olivier Messiaen was noted for his sometimes-verbatim quotes from the aviary, and his Abyss of the Birds is a tour-de-force for solo clarinet. Cowie’s settings do more than quote the melodic arc of any of the 24 birds represented here, but they are meticulously researched, as his field notes in the accompanying booklet indicate. This is his third collection, focused on North American species. Divided over two discs, six species per “book,” the tracks range between two and six minutes. I can’t decide whether it’s better to know which bird is singing as the disc plays or to simply enjoy the walk while trying to guess. 

Listen to 'Edward Cowie – Where the Wood Thrush Forever Sings' Now in the Listening Room

01 Guido BassoOne More for the Road
Guiso Basso
Cornerstone Records CRSTCD165 (cornerstonerecordsinc.com)

On this posthumous release, the legendary Guido Basso’s trumpet tone is absolute exuberant velvet, sounding equal parts strikingly warm and nimble. On these sessions Basso is paired up with many of Canada’s most illustrious, often with emphasis on the word “pair.” Highlights include the understated beauty of My Ideal with Lorne Lofsky, following the vigorous Blue Monk with Don Thompson (in which Thompson cannot resist dropping that little All Blues reference at the end). 

For a relative vault collection, One More for the Road has been taken meticulous care of. Sequencing is top-notch, Basso’s takes are transcendent, sonic fidelity is given the care it deserves, filler and fluff nowhere to be found. If anything, this album is a celebration of musical interaction, and the joy of sharing time with others. Every single musician has completely demonstrated control of their craft, and yet they sound that much more inspired bouncing ideas off each other. Ill Wind’s first bridge sports the heaviest, cleanest triplet you are likely to come across, with Neil Swainson and Terry Clarke allowing every Basso phrase ending a runway of silk. As a rule, any tune with the legendary Jimmy Dale has earned the headphones treatment, as it doesn’t get much more lush or restorative than this. It is also a testament to Basso’s integrity as an improviser and accompanist that Bye Bye Baby’s stride feel ends up equally nurtured by his presence.

02 The SenatorThe Senator – A Tribute to Tommy Banks
Hutchison Andrew Trio
Chronograph Records CR 100 (hatjazz.com)

Tommy Banks packed many accomplishments into his 81 years. He was a conductor, arranger, pianist, television personality and a member of the Canadian Senate from 2000 to 2011. The Senator is named after his political life but pays tribute to his music and how he inspired and influenced a younger generation of musicians. The members of the Hutchinson Andrew Trio (Chris Andrew, piano; Kodi Hutchinson, bass; Dave Laing, drums) all had a personal relationship to Banks, as did the “special guests” PJ Perry, Al Muirhead and Mallory Chipman, and these connections invigorate their performances. 

Highlights of the album include a bouncy version of Jig (a tune played and recorded by Banks) and Bank on It, written by Chris Andrew as a grooving bop tribute from one pianist to another. The Senator is a delightful undertaking that pays tribute to Banks› music legacy and reminds us of this important musician. It was recorded live over two nights at the Yardbird Suite in Edmonton, on what would have been Banks› 85th birthday, and that adds to the sense of celebration.

03 Aline HomzyÉclipse
Aline Homzy
Elastic Recordings ER-009 (alinehomzy.com)

An award-winning Canadian violinist and composer, Aline Homzy is no stranger to the exploration of the unknown and this is precisely what she does with her debut album Éclipse. The world of Éclipse is elegant, nuanced and enigmatic, sparking a curiosity in the listener. Homzy and her Étoile Magique colleagues are set on capturing the enigma of incorporeality in their music, translating visual/physical shifts, such as movements of the celestial bodies, into an aural one. Thus we have the world built on the cosmos like textures using synths, theremin and the colours of vibraphone, creating a sonic background for our imagination. In that world, Homzy’s violin is both the guide and the explorer – her balanced sound and impeccable phrasing transversing beauty and etherealness but not shying away from bold gestures or rhythmic complexity.

In addition to the explorative elements, Éclipse is still very much rooted in the jazz violin tradition and many arrangements are within the classic jazz structure. Ten original tunes by Homzy and vibraphonist Michael Davidson cultivate the best of that tradition while leaving a mark of their own. The rest of the core ensemble, consisting of guitarist Thom Gill, bassist Dan Fortin and percussionist Marito Marques, forms a tight-knit group. Their own solos, most notably by Fortin in the only cover on the album – Charlie Parker’s Segment – are charming and engaging. With such a clear compositional direction and sophisticated performers, this album will be noted by many.

Plays Long
Longhand
Drip Audio DA 02040 (dripaudio.com)

Josh Zubot Strings
Josh Zubot; Jesse Zubot; James Meger; Meredith Bates; Peggy Lee
Drip Audio DA02420 (dripaudio.com)

Emad Armoush’s Duos
Emad Armoush; Francois Houle; Jesse Zubot; JP Carter; Kenton Loewen; Marina Hasselberg
Drip Audio DA02392 (dripaudio.com)

04a Zubot LonghandDividing his time among record production, film scoring and running the Drip Audio record label, British Columbia-based violinist Jesse Zubot finds time to play music. Fittingly for someone whose productions include pop and ethnic sounds, each of these sessions features different styles. On Longhand’s Play Long, he joins guitarist Tony Wilson’s jazz-rock fusion band featuring Russell Sholberg, playing bass and musical saw, percussionist Skye Brooks and Jesse’s brother Josh Zubot on violin. When the brothers become twin Jean-Luc Pontys, expositions are torqued to arena-rock distortion, especially when Wilson’s effects pedals produce stomps and buzzing tones. A bass groove and drum backbeat contribute as well. However when the violinists match Wilson’s kalimba colouration with gentleness and folksy bounces as on The Exotic Popsicle narratives are lightened. Chicken Grease is the most notable instance of moderated fusion. Here a moderated bass solo gives way to multiple-string shudders from the violinists and chiming chords from Wilson, leading to a theme with a pop music interface, but recapped enough to emphasize jazz tradition links. 

04b Zubot StringsJosh Zubot, playing viola and violin, is the leader on Strings. Interpreting his jazz-improv compositions are cellist Peggy Lee; bassist James Meger; Meredith Bates playing violin/viola and brother Jesse on violian. Uniquely constituting this string quintet, Zubot’s arrangements include a few traditional sounding and mostly pastoral tutti themes and those ricocheting between Arcadian and avant-garde passages which divide the strings into soloists with sympathetic backing. Beach and Car is notable since it’s a suite of three separate sections in fewer than six and a half minutes. Beginning with pleasant swing it moves up the scale as a violinist’s broken-chord stops are backed by double bass thumps. Slowing to mid-range, the piece climaxes with a contrapuntal do-si-do involving the lower-pitched strings’ watery textures and the higher pitched ones’ aviary squeaks before a full band ending. Multiple tracks vibrate in tempos ranging from andante to prestissimo, with the two Explorations the freest ones, highlighting harsh bow strokes and col legno string scratches. Other tunes invoke flat line minimalism, some almost romantic formalism, while others feature the closest to a martial beat string plyers can attain. With three violinists, it’s only on Augur 44 when the others play violas, that Jesse Zubot’s contributions stand out. Turning spiccato squeaks every which way after introducing a hoedown-like theme, the other musicians then add Eastern European-like presto slides. Tension from Zubot’s string jumping doesn’t upset the narrative’s unfolding, since pressure is released first by a mellow tutti interlude and later by slapped and sliding asides from the bassist and cellist. 

04c ElectritradionJesse Zubot is one of the Vancouver players duetting with Syrian-born local Emad Armoush, who plays oud, ney, guitar and vocalizes on Electritradition. Some tracks are a little too close to ethnic music, but when Armoush partners with experienced improvisers the result is a dramatic blend of West Coast and Middle East. Zubot’s spiccato slides and buzzes seem more accompaniment than point making when he plays. More notable are duets with Kenton Loewen which refine Levantine lyrics and drum beats. Loewen’s rough accents on Talah create tandem progression with Armoush’s guitar twangs; and this toughness is intensified on Hey Free Bop as clashing ruffs make ney peeps almost swing. Clenched guitar picking on Flamenco Strut emphasizes the title’s second word as trumpeter JP Carter’s strained triplets create a Middle-Eastern blues. Equivalent brass shakes and toneless breaths on Labshi mean that Armoush’s percussive picking combines the free improv as well as the traditional music world.

String oriented, but not string exclusive, these discs confirm that unprecedented sounds are being created and recorded in British Columbia.

05 Hilario DuranCry Me a River
Hilario Durán and his Latin Jazz Big Band
Alma Records ACD90832 (almarecords.com)

A sign of a truly great musician is the ability to not only capture the attention of the listener from the first note, but also to maintain that same level of rapture throughout an entire recording. Renowned pianist Hilario Durán’s long-awaited Latin big band album does just that, it captivates and thoroughly ensnares within the sizzling melodies and rhythms of these tunes. The mix of original compositions and covers with an interesting and refreshing twinge make for an ear-pleasing whole that is as vibrantly expressive and joyful as the changing colours of the autumn leaves. 

A defining element of this album is the way in which Durán’s improvisational and genre-crossing talents are highlighted within each piece. It’s absolutely enthralling to listen to how the star pianist throws in his own flavour to well-known jazz standards such as Dizzy Gillespie’s A Night in Tunisia, which takes on decidedly more Latin flavour, adding a renewed element energy and passion to the classic tune. Rhythmic grooves and scorching melodies interspersed with Durán’s prolific improvisational riffs create a delicious musical potpourri that will fill the soul and body of listeners. The bandleader hops between genres and bends pieces to his will, jumping from traditional jazz to modern and even funk with the utmost ease. Featuring a roster of great musicians such as Luis Mario Ochoa on guitar, Elizabeth Rodríguez on violin and Roberto Occhipinti on bass, this is a must-have for any jazz-lover’s collection.

06 Audrey OchoaThe Head of a Mouse
Audrey Ochoa; various artists
Chronograph Records CR-103 (audreyochoa.ca)

We’re now in the midst of chillier fall weather and what better way is there to add some warmth to these colder days than by moving your body to some spicy music? Edmonton-based trombonist Audrey Ochoa’s latest release is sure to motivate you to do just that; a fiery, Latin fiesta packed into one 13-track package. This is the starlet’s fourth album as a bandleader and features a slew of all-star names, among them Sandro Dominelli on drums, Jeremiah McDade on tenor saxophone and Rachel Therrien on trumpet. Showcasing her talents as a composer, all tracks on the record are penned and arranged by Ochoa herself. 

Conceived during pandemic times, the trombonist mentions that her desire and goal for the album is for “current and future generations [to] experience [the] music as a unique musical creation that reflects the experiences of an artist during an unprecedented time.” The contrast between hope and joy, sorrow and defeat is apparent throughout the collection, with a melancholy tinge weaving its way through the melodies and rhythms. Ochoa’s compositions reflect the essence of life in general, that it has its peaks and valleys, yet they are exactly what makes us stronger in the end. In essence, the record is like a journey through the mind of a musician through the darkest of times, where new and different ways of creative expression must be found, through which the darkness is conquered and defeated.

Listen to 'The Head of a Mouse' Now in the Listening Room

07 Teri ParkerShaping the Invisible
Teri Parker; Luis Deniz; Andrew McAnsh; Mark Godfrey; Ernesto Cervini
Independent (teriparkermusic.com)

Skilled pianist/composer/arranger Teri Parker has just released a remarkable project that began as an immersive writing experience… sans any pre-conceptions, and yet rife with a wide variety of influences. With the exception of two exquisite tracks (Segment by Charlie Parker and Retrograde by British producer/vocalist James Blake), all compositions have emerged from the creative soul of Parker. As she has so succinctly said, “Music is just sound particles in the air, but it doesn’t exist until you make it exist.” Parker has assembled a fine complement here, including Luis Deniz on alto and soprano sax, Mark Godfrey on bass, Ernesto Cervini on drums and special guest Andrew McAnsh on trumpet.

The opening salvo, Becoming (inspired by Michelle Obama’s memoire), is replete with a languid, mystical intro featuring the supple Deniz and McAnsh, which gives way to a stirring and rhythmic melodic line, imbued with the sheer beauty and power of Parker’s piano. McAnsh provides a stunner of a solo here, engaging fully with the solid rhythm section. The groovy-cool Humph was written in tribute to the late bop-saxophonist Dewey Redman and masterfully lauds his eccentric style and command of his instrument. Deniz shines on alto here, and also on Desolate Places, which is a sumptuous, lilting duet between Parker and Deniz on soprano. Parker’s Segment is also a stunner, rendered here with all bop sensibilities intact, but also informed by Parker’s contemporary view, as well as her highly intuitive comping and potent soloing.

The closer of this fine recording, Strolling, is a sultry exploration, replete with a luscious solo by Parker and dynamic percussion by Cervini. Nimble bassist Godfrey is also featured, with Deniz serving as the magical glue which encircles and binds the ensemble in pure creativity.

08 Marc CopelandSomeday
Marc Copland Quartet
Inner Voice Jazz IVJ107 (marccopland.com)

This album Someday by Marc Copland is not only enigmatically entitled but is replete with music to match. Copland declares his intent right out of the gate, exploring music’s spectral nature with a gloriously wistful interpretation of Frank Churchill’s iconic song Someday My Prince Will Come, one of three standards on this album. 

The pianist twists the B-flat Major key of the song shaping the harmony from obtuse angles, setting up the narrative in gambolling, elliptical melodic lines, sharing the oblique harmonic variations with saxophonist Robin Verheyen. By the time drummer Mark Ferber stirs the proverbial soup with beautiful brush strokes and bassist Drew Gress adds a dusky rumble to the gossamer melody you know you’re in for quite the ride on this sparkling set. 

Verheyen’s song Dukish is wonderfully sprightly and receives a delightful treatment as the musicians react with seamless vibrancy. Saxophonist and pianist invite the bassist and drummer to apply rhythmic propulsion to the quick outer movements, passing lines deftly to the other musicians who know exactly when to dominate and when to lend support. 

As a composer, Copland gives us a ringside perspective on his magical writing through two other originals including the wonderfully spiralling Round She Goes. The song, propelled by a hypnotic four-note piano figure, builds in intensity as the musicians capture the urgent and plaintive power that makes Copland’s music – and this album – so ethereally beautiful.

09 Kelly JeffersonRituals
Kelly Jefferson
Cellar Music CMR022023 (cellarlive.com)

When the Canadian JUNO-Award winning star of the saxophone – curved or straight – Kelly Jefferson decides to bare key moments in the past decade or so of his life it must be something special. When he plays the momentous music with a stellar trio of his peers – pianist Amanda Tosoff, bassist Jon Maharaj and drummer Morgan Childs, whose idiomatic interpretations mark this music – then the album of songs does, indeed, become something truly special. 

The title of the album – Rituals – suggests a rite of passage for Jefferson. Each of the nine charts marks the memory of a milestone that, as the lyric of the iconic Sam Cooke song suggests “a change is gonna come,” or in Jefferson’s case, a change did, in fact come. What these events were, are poured into deeply songful charts by the saxophonist. Each is suited to a particular horn – tenor, alto or soprano – and his playing will drive listeners, happily, into a state of frenzy. 

Whether it be Kindling, or No Time Like The Present, or even Dimmer Switch, each is suited to his alternating ultra-virtuosity and languor. With hallmark rapid crescendos and decrescendos, accelerandos or decelerandos, sometimes within a few bars, almost as if a grenade has been tossed into the saxophone, Jefferson announces his unique musical charisma to us, his rapt audience.  

Tosoff, Maharaj and Childs, fully attuned to Jefferson’s vision, remain inspired choices to bring this music to fruition.

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