Trumpeter Ambrose Akinmusire takes a side tour from his “regular” sound to deliver an album that mixes musical adventure with social commentary. His teaming of New York’s Mivos (String) Quartet with the jazz ensemble of himself with Marcus Gilmore/dr, Sam Harris/p and Walter Smith III creates some ambitious harmonies and textures. The addition of rap lyrics spoken (sung?) by Kool A.D. will bring in the most controversial moments, but not necessarily for the hip-hop grooves or street preaching, but for the message of “social justice” that includes profanity.
You can argue until you’re blue in the face about the implications and truth about the Trayvon Martin tragedy, for instance, but the foul language on the soul hip “a blooming bloodfruit in a hoodie” detracts more than adds to the soft gasping horn and rhythmic undercurrents. The swirling strings and buildup of Smith’s tenor that graciously undulate on “miracle and streetfight” include some bohemian vocal abstractions, while Harris’ chiming piano and the Quartet’s dramatic bows meld as a backdrop with Akinmusire for the spoken rap. Hip hop drumming, sighing horn, melancholic strings and reflective piano make for a dramatic buildup for the street level recitation of “particle/spectra” while material like “Free, White and 21” and “the lingering velocity of the dead’s ambitions” feel like a mix of modern classical with the jabbing strings, supplemented with complex horns, sputtering brass and complex harmonies. The question is whether this album needs to be reflected upon for the music, which is richly ambitious, or the political-social message, which exudes anger and frustration with no solution.
Blue Note Records