“It’s all based on love”
So said emcee LeRoy Downs as he introduced bassist Adi Meyerson’s band, which took the evening to present the entire album suite from her latest album I Want To Sing My Heart Out In Praise Of Life. The music was a six part paene dedicated to and inspired by the work of avant-garde artist Yoyoi Kusama. The 75 minute set was like taking part of a stroll through an auditory art exhibit, with each song containing rich textures, colors and themes.
The ensemble of Javi Santiago/p-key, Jonathan Pinson/dr, Julien Knowles/tp, Danny Janklow/fl, Daniel Rotem/bcl-ts and Erin Bentlage/voc were mixed and matched like samples from a palate, sometimes blended together and other moments standing out all their own.
The opening “Prelude” was a meditative rubato with the horns and Bentlage’s blending together, led by Rotem’s brooding bass clarinet, with taped vocal recitation egged on by Pinson’s pulse and emotive drum solo guiding the exotic journey. The free and loose horns gave an intro to “Kabocha” that suddenly changed gears into a rapid post bop gallop with Meyerson and Pinson locking horns under Knowles’ searing horn solo. Janklow’s flute hauntingly bopped over the obstacle course before the concise and sudden end.
Janklow and Knowles traded off choruses like handball players on the intense and intricate “Caged Bird” before Rotem pulled out his tenor sax for some a smoldering ride. The horns dropped out for a trio work out that had some tight fisted work by Santiago as well as some graceful conversations between bass and drums that dug into a deep rivulet. Meyerson introduced “Infinity” with a lyrical and thoughtful solo before Rotem’s bass clarinet wafted in for a deft duet, gradually joined in by Santiago’s droplets, Pinson’s mallets and Bentlage’s ethereal voicings creating a dreamy melding of harmonies. Santiago added some Tyneresque soloing along with along with Knowle’s mix of hesitancy and heat all building up to a dramatic climax that ended with a soft receding of the frothy wave.
Bentlage and Santiago closed the evening with a delicate paene of the title tune, with each word as graceful as a flower petal to the folksy theme.
The combination of the inspiring subject matter, the adroit mixing of solos and themes as well as the kaleidoscopic changing of moods made for an exhilarating absorption of sounds and atmospheres. Suitable for listening or framing.
Upcoming shows presented by Just Jazz include 02/18 Dana Stephens, 02/23 Immanuel Wilkins, 02/24 Robert Turner & Kevin O’Neal Trio, 02/24 Chad Taylor & James Brandon Lewis and 02/28 Gordon Grdina
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