Dave Liebman has been one of the most prodigious artists this year. This has got to be at least his 6th or 7th release in the past 12 months, and each one has been in a different situation and context. This group is a brand new one, forming after being with guitarist Vic Juris for a score of years, and has two woodwinds to go with the piano/bass/drum rhythm that is usually anything but, as they play around with electronics and percussions to keep you on your toes.
As Liebman admits in the liner notes, the sounds and songs are fairly eclectic, which means that either 1) they are still looking for a unifying voice or 2) they are just having a wail of a time together. They re-harmonize a few jazz standards here, with Monk’s “Ugly Beauty” plodding along with a delicate ¾ step for Liebman’s soprano, while “Sivad” glides with beautiful keyboard work underneath the pair of floating reeds. Some boppish moments on “Endive” with Ritz’s brush work make you feel like you’re in a Soprano Summit meeting with Wilbur and Davern, while a fragile yet forboding mood is created by the pair along with eerie tom toms by Ritz. A mystical trip is lead by Libman’s wooden flute as he guides you through exotica on “Child Refugee”while playful sounds bounce around on the Spherical “Searcher 2.” You’re never cheated out of creative ideas from Liebman, and this latest band of his shows lots of promise. Ready for the tour!
Whaling City Sound