Free jazz is not always an excuse for cacophony. Here are a pair of attractive releases.
Bassist and composer Miller Wrenn shows that free form jazz can still be melodic, accessible and enjoyable on this empathetic album with liked minded Viny Golia/bcl, Ethan Marks/tp, Caleb Veazey/g and Clint Dodson/dr-vib. The moods float with a mist as Wrenn bows in support of the rich bass clarinet for “Part Two” and the horns waft under the rumbling “Part One.” Vibes and guitar glide on “Part Three” and the team gets rocking on the assertive “Part Five.” Marks’ muted solo on “Part Four” is pristine, making the whole album feel like rich colors of a mosaic. Free, loose yet cogent.
Bassist and leader Mark Dresser brings together the intuitive team of Nicole Mitchell/fl, Marty Ehrlich/cl-bcl/as, Keir Gogwilt/vi, Michael Dessen/tb, Joshua White/p and Jim Black/dr-perc for a collection of vibrant team meetings and solo features. The latter pieces are brief affairs, with a floating flute on “Pre-Gloaming,” a rich violin for “Song Tine” and intuitive percussion for “ Pre-Coup.” The ensembles have an open feel, with a mix of exotic post bop and rich harmonies as on “Black Arthur’s Bounce” which features well Dessen’s trombone and Ehrlich’s alto tribute to Arthur Blythe. White and Mitchell boogaloo to the fun title track, and Gogwilt sways like a palm tree with Dessen on the ebullient “Gloaming.” The pulses are rich and flowing, as if you’re taking a gentle Class III white water raft. An enjoyable excursion.