Steve Lacy

School Days
Emanem 5016

By Ken Waxman

Nearly 50 years later it seems unbelievable, but this all-star quartet broke up after a couple of years of almost no work because few wanted to support a band that exclusively played what was then thought of as far-out music by pianist/composer Thelonious Monk. Yet, on the basis of the material recorded here in 1963, with Henry Grimes stentorian walking bass timbres and Dennis Charles’ free-flowing drum beats on side, soprano saxophonist Steve Lacy and trombonist Roswell Rudd were already so familiar with the Monk cannon that they were able to create their own swinging variations on such now-familiar Monk fare as Monk’s Dream and Brilliant Corners.

The seven spiky and unconventional songs, recorded in a New York coffee house by the late Toronto poet Paul Haines, then resident in Manhattan, demonstrate how Lacy’s gritty, yet lyrical tones imposingly blended with the modern gutbucket styling of Rudd. These treatments of Monk’s inimitable compositions also suggest the distinctive concepts that would help Lacy (1934-2004) develop into a major improviser and admired composer during the rest of his life.

As an added bonus this reissue contains two bootleg sound quality tracks – not recorded by Haines – from a 1960 jazz festival appearance with Lacy as a member of a Monk combo of heavyweights, the pianist, drummer Roy Haynes, bassist John Ore and tenor saxophonist Charlie Rouse. Historically matchless, the versions of Ba-lue Bolivar Ba-Lues-Are and Skippy provide insight, showing how Lacy’s tart, taut tone created a sonic role for itself within the tight-knit group’s performances.

-- For Whole Note Vol. 17 #4

December 10, 2011

Dunmall/Bourne/Kane/Davis

Moment to Moment
SLAM CD 279

Profound Sound Trio

Opus De Life

Porter Records PRCD 4032

Any purported differences that are supposed to divide American Free Jazz from European Free Jazz vanish under the steady assault of British tenor saxophonist Paul Dunmall when he works up a full head of improvising steam on Moment to Moment and Opus De Life.

Granted that the meeting on the first CD between the London-based saxophonist and a Leeds-based rhythm section begins with an interface more understated and timbre-searching than the spectacular blow-out he participated in with two legendary New York Free Jazzers eight days previously on Opus De Life. Yet when the saxophonist explodes into glossolalia and triple-tonguing on the more-than-19 minute “Voluntary Expressions” the distance created by the Atlantic Ocean seems to shrivel into puddle width. This is universal improvising; not British or American Jazz.

His accomplishment on these two CDs confirms that the power of the music is such that unexpectedly any date can turn into a major statement. Although the pairing between Dunmall – one of Britain’s most accomplished players, known for his membership in Mujician – with drummer Andrew Cyrille and bassist Henry Grimes was a justly anticipated set at 2008’s Vision Festival in New York, Moment to Moment was initially conceived as merely another provincial Dunmall gig.

Well, not really merely, but it’s truer that pianist/cellist Matthew Bourne, Leeds College of Music’s artist in residence; bassist Dave Kane and drummer Steve Davis have no profile compared to Cyrille and Grimes, who singly or together have played with nearly every pioneering major Free Jazz figure from Cecil Taylor and Anthony Braxton to Sonny Rollins and Albert Ayler. But improvisation involving seizing the moment, and that’s exactly what the four did at the University of West England that day, especially the saxophonist.

With the rhythm section moving as one, Dunmall’s initial response to Bourne’s rolling piano chords studded with pin-pricked single notes, plus Davis’ spaced rebounds and Kane’s steady walking is carefully timed saxophone breaths and unfurling outward riffing. When the saxophonist finally explodes into honking and slurring, these sounds are immediately matched in double counterpoint by Bourne’s high-frequency note clusters. No one looks back after that, and soon Dunmall is whistling obbligato-like behind Bourne’s accelerating tone placement and Kane’s chromatic coloration.

As “Voluntary Expressions” kicks into gear, upper-register reed squeaks vie for space along with piano key clips, reverberations from the wound internal piano strings and spiccato plucks from the bass. Soon a powerful rasgueado from Kane along with contrapuntal ruffs from Davis encourage the saxophonist’s shaking, slurry squeals. As Bourne rappels down the scale, then tears into connective chords, the reedist’s irregular pacing turns to horn-body splintering altissimo cries and guttural blasts. Finale involves Kane fuelling the interchange with triple-stopping and hand-pumping as the quadruple counterpoint dissolves into a flurry of repeated notes.

Would that Grimes, whose rediscovery early in the century was of Bunk Johnsonian-proportions, could bring the same power to his part that Kane does to his. Ignoring as well the simpering sweeps which characterize his violin solos, Grimes’ bass work is adequate to apt, leaving the heavy lifting to Dunmall and Cyrille. Overall the bassist’s presence appears to awake memories of Grimes’ tenure with Sonny Rollins in the saxman. So much so, that the final variant of Dunmall’s solo on “This Way, Please” mixes glossolalia and split tones and suggestions of half-forgotten pop tunes with which Rollins often transmogrified in his solos.

Cyrille claps, clanks, door-knocks, splashes his cymbal tops and pitter-patters ruffs, adding variety to his accompaniment. Meantime Grimes slides and stops, sometimes sawing the odd arco note. In contrast Dunmall’s output is thick and blanched, with the timbres seemingly not only sourced from the bottom and bow of his horn, but his stomach and lung linings as well. Renal and guttural in expression, his horn command never falters either. On “Beyonder” for instance he slows the tempo to expose sul tasto work from Grimes, and then reanimates the reed flow with honking and nephritic runs and reed bites. Hard and tough throughout, he complements Cyrille’s shuffle beat at the very end for a melodically tonal, double-tongued coda.

Two examples of Dunmall’s skill, these CDs vary only in location, duration, number of sidemen and their relative notoriety. More similar than not, the improvisations featured on both can be enjoyed in the same spirit.

-- Ken Waxman

Track Listing: Moment: 1. Moment to moment 2. Voluntary Expressions 3.Black Sun 4. The Face

Personnel: Moment: Paul Dunmall (tenor saxophone); Matthew Bourne (piano and cello); Dave Kane (bass) and Steve Davis (drums)

Track Listing: Opus: 1. This Way, Please 2.Call Paul 3. Whirligigging 4. Beyonder 5. Futurity

Personnel: Opus: Paul Dunmall (tenor saxophone and bagpipes); Henry Grimes (bass and violin) and Andrew Cyrille (drums)

January 1, 2010

Profound Sound Trio

Opus De Life
Porter Records PRCD 4032

Dunmall/Bourne/Kane/Davis

Moment to Moment

SLAM CD 279

Any purported differences that are supposed to divide American Free Jazz from European Free Jazz vanish under the steady assault of British tenor saxophonist Paul Dunmall when he works up a full head of improvising steam on Moment to Moment and Opus De Life.

Granted that the meeting on the first CD between the London-based saxophonist and a Leeds-based rhythm section begins with an interface more understated and timbre-searching than the spectacular blow-out he participated in with two legendary New York Free Jazzers eight days previously on Opus De Life. Yet when the saxophonist explodes into glossolalia and triple-tonguing on the more-than-19 minute “Voluntary Expressions” the distance created by the Atlantic Ocean seems to shrivel into puddle width. This is universal improvising; not British or American Jazz.

His accomplishment on these two CDs confirms that the power of the music is such that unexpectedly any date can turn into a major statement. Although the pairing between Dunmall – one of Britain’s most accomplished players, known for his membership in Mujician – with drummer Andrew Cyrille and bassist Henry Grimes was a justly anticipated set at 2008’s Vision Festival in New York, Moment to Moment was initially conceived as merely another provincial Dunmall gig.

Well, not really merely, but it’s truer that pianist/cellist Matthew Bourne, Leeds College of Music’s artist in residence; bassist Dave Kane and drummer Steve Davis have no profile compared to Cyrille and Grimes, who singly or together have played with nearly every pioneering major Free Jazz figure from Cecil Taylor and Anthony Braxton to Sonny Rollins and Albert Ayler. But improvisation involving seizing the moment, and that’s exactly what the four did at the University of West England that day, especially the saxophonist.

With the rhythm section moving as one, Dunmall’s initial response to Bourne’s rolling piano chords studded with pin-pricked single notes, plus Davis’ spaced rebounds and Kane’s steady walking is carefully timed saxophone breaths and unfurling outward riffing. When the saxophonist finally explodes into honking and slurring, these sounds are immediately matched in double counterpoint by Bourne’s high-frequency note clusters. No one looks back after that, and soon Dunmall is whistling obbligato-like behind Bourne’s accelerating tone placement and Kane’s chromatic coloration.

As “Voluntary Expressions” kicks into gear, upper-register reed squeaks vie for space along with piano key clips, reverberations from the wound internal piano strings and spiccato plucks from the bass. Soon a powerful rasgueado from Kane along with contrapuntal ruffs from Davis encourage the saxophonist’s shaking, slurry squeals. As Bourne rappels down the scale, then tears into connective chords, the reedist’s irregular pacing turns to horn-body splintering altissimo cries and guttural blasts. Finale involves Kane fuelling the interchange with triple-stopping and hand-pumping as the quadruple counterpoint dissolves into a flurry of repeated notes.

Would that Grimes, whose rediscovery early in the century was of Bunk Johnsonian-proportions, could bring the same power to his part that Kane does to his. Ignoring as well the simpering sweeps which characterize his violin solos, Grimes’ bass work is adequate to apt, leaving the heavy lifting to Dunmall and Cyrille. Overall the bassist’s presence appears to awake memories of Grimes’ tenure with Sonny Rollins in the saxman. So much so, that the final variant of Dunmall’s solo on “This Way, Please” mixes glossolalia and split tones and suggestions of half-forgotten pop tunes with which Rollins often transmogrified in his solos.

Cyrille claps, clanks, door-knocks, splashes his cymbal tops and pitter-patters ruffs, adding variety to his accompaniment. Meantime Grimes slides and stops, sometimes sawing the odd arco note. In contrast Dunmall’s output is thick and blanched, with the timbres seemingly not only sourced from the bottom and bow of his horn, but his stomach and lung linings as well. Renal and guttural in expression, his horn command never falters either. On “Beyonder” for instance he slows the tempo to expose sul tasto work from Grimes, and then reanimates the reed flow with honking and nephritic runs and reed bites. Hard and tough throughout, he complements Cyrille’s shuffle beat at the very end for a melodically tonal, double-tongued coda.

Two examples of Dunmall’s skill, these CDs vary only in location, duration, number of sidemen and their relative notoriety. More similar than not, the improvisations featured on both can be enjoyed in the same spirit.

-- Ken Waxman

Track Listing: Moment: 1. Moment to moment 2. Voluntary Expressions 3.Black Sun 4. The Face

Personnel: Moment: Paul Dunmall (tenor saxophone); Matthew Bourne (piano and cello); Dave Kane (bass) and Steve Davis (drums)

Track Listing: Opus: 1. This Way, Please 2.Call Paul 3. Whirligigging 4. Beyonder 5. Futurity

Personnel: Opus: Paul Dunmall (tenor saxophone and bagpipes); Henry Grimes (bass and violin) and Andrew Cyrille (drums)

January 1, 2010

MARC RIBOT

Spiritual Unity
Pi Recordings PI15

Taking any part of Albert Ayler’s oeuvre as a starting point for improvisation demands courage and nerve, since most of the saxophonist’s lines are as inextricably linked with his treatment of them as Thelonious Monk’s compositions were with his playing. Performing Ayler heads without a saxophonist is even more of a challenge, since the late Clevelander wrote lines that sit most comfortably under a reedist’s fingers. But the four members of the Spiritual Unity aggregation do this and more.

Most instructively, by necessity as well as design, they don’t try to replicate the Ayler sonics. Although if they did they’d be further ahead than most, since bassist Henry Grimes, who actually played with Ayler, is in the band. Grimes, whose 30 year plus sabbatical from the music has frequently been chronicled, doesn’t try to play the way he did in 1964. His work is muzzy and more deliberate, often with a furry pizzicato drone and with sul tasto and arco spiccato extensions.

Trumpeter Roy Campbell is no Don Ayler either. An expansive soloist with a thorough command of the grace notes and chromatic styling which usually escaped Albert Ayler’s trumpet-playing brother, Campbell often works with bassist William Parker among others. Chicago transplant Chad Taylor is no Milford Graves or Sunny Murray either – to cite two of Ayler’s trapsmen. More consistent and often using cross handed accompaniment, he brings the dynamics from his work with the electro-oriented Chicago Underground Trio to these tunes.

Finally there’s the band’s titular leader, Marc Ribot, who plays guitar and also wrote the introductory tune. Considering the only dates under the saxophonist Ayler’s name recorded with a guitar were those that featured Canned Heat’s Henry Vestine’s psychedelic-blues licks, Ribot, whose past gigs have included stints with the Lounge Lizards and Los Cubanos Positzos, has almost limitless latitude.

You note this on the almost-13-minute run through of “Truth Is Marching In”, as well as the 15½-plus minutes of “Bells”. Beginning in triple counterpoint on the first, Grimes bows, Ribot picks, and a muted Campbell sounds the theme. Varying the exposition, the four almost transform the tune from a march to a dump, which is a slow, melancholy old English dance. Polyphonic variations are introduced, as Ribot breaks the line for slurred fingering that ends in an explosion of snapping single strings. Meanwhile, Campbell blows brassy counterpoint, Taylor cross patterns and Grimes supplies a bagpipe-type drone. Turning to disconnected bounces and ruffs, the drumming presages bugle-like accents from the trumpeter that once again recapitulate the theme, then turns moderato as sonorous bowed bass and glancing guitar-string bites turn the final section into a harmonic interchange.

More innovative, “Bells” finds Ribot processing wide, Folk Revival-like strums that bring a new interface to the Ayler tune; the saxman’s background was spirituals not folk ballads. As the fretman’s chording become wider and more complex, Grimes adds cello-like pizzicato fills, until the familiar melody kicks in, followed by plucked single string by Ribot and given grace note coloration from the trumpeter. These languid brass notes soon turn to beeps and peeps as Taylor uses his rock music experiences to emphasize the backbeat, propelling the tune forward with polyrhythmic verve plus cymbal slashes and press rolls.

With the tempo doubled and the nursery rhyme aspects of the theme stressed, Ribot’s lines get longer and Campbell unleashes a triplet-laden solo. All this climaxes in another theme variation complemented and commented on with distorted reverb from the guitarist. Burying his solo in half-valve effects, Campbell eventually spills out a primitive-sounding blues line that reasserts itself as a further echo of the original theme. Fortissimo screaming rock guitar licks, sliding spiccato bass lines, thumping drums and trembling trumpet blows conspire to goose the theme until it finally revisits the folkie string patterns and plunger slurs of the top.

Stuttering bass lines, crunching guitar chords and slurred rubato trumpeting also make their appearance on the other compositions, one of which is surprisingly punctuated with a solemn nocturne. As real, re-imagined improvisation – not neo-con recreations – these recreations often refer only to Ayler’s performances in the heads. Structured in their own ways, the pieces on SPIRITUAL UNITY prove that you can honor the essence of music without copying it.

-- Ken Waxman

Track Listing: 1. Invocation 2. Spirits 3. Truth Is Marching In 4. Saints 5. Bells

Personnel: Marc Ribot (guitar); Roy Campbell (trumpet and pocket trumpet); Henry Grimes (bass); Chad Taylor (drums)

November 14, 2005

Ann Arbor’s Edgefest expands in its Ninth Outing

for CODA

Participants, including members of Chicago’s AACM, representatives of Montreal’s Musique Actuelle scene and a New York-based musician and hybrid instrument designer who’ll jam with a golf club and an umbrella, will all take part in Ann Arbor, Michigan’s ninth annual Edgefest, October 19 to October 22.

Taking place in a medium-sized college city, home to the University of Michigan, about an hour’s drive west of Detroit, Edgefest has steadily expanded from its one-day debut to the four-day 2005 festival. Besides American musicians, particular emphasis is on innovators from the music scenes in Holland and Quebec. This year, for instance, Claude St-Jean’s Les Projectionnistes is the featured Quebec ensemble – its second Edgefest appearance – with saxophonist Tobias Delius’ Quartet – including cellist Tristan Honsinger and drummer Han Bennink – representing the Netherlands.

Les Projectionnistes’ second CD will be released in time for Edgefest, and its celebration at the festival may include an expanded band line-up. Besides the Delius Quartet, filled out by Amsterdam-based, Icelandic bassist Valdi Kolli; Dutch trombonist Wolter Wiebos will appear opening night as a member of German tubaist Carl Ludwig Hubsch's Longrun Development of the Universe trio.

American-based performers, include a group fronted by AACM mainstays, saxophonist Ed Wilkerson, Jr. and flautist Nicole Mitchell; drummer/vibraphonist Kevin Norton’s Bauhaus Quartet; legendary bassist Henry Grimes’ trio with saxophonist Andrew Lamb and drummer Newman Taylor Baker; and the all-star FAB: bassist Joe Fonda, drummer Barry Altschul, and violinist Billy Bang. Hybrid instrument designer Ken Butler brings his self-constructed axes from Manhattan to jam with a contingent of local musicians for one show, with other players from the Ann Arbor-Detroit axis featured on other shows, including an all-star nonet.

Both festival venues – the Kerrytown Concert House, which is the organizer and presenter of the festival – and the Firefly Club, are within easy walking distance of each other in pedestrian-oriented Ann Arbor. Each can seat about 110 people. Total festival attendance is usually in the 600-person range, with all-inclusive festival passes on sale for a reduced fee.

Featuring afternoon educational workshops at the concert house throughout the festival, Edgefest is supported by a local businesses and some government funding. As Festival director, David Lynch says: “despite its small size, Edgefest brings a bit of an international perspective to Ann Arbor.

“It’s nice to have musicians from Montreal and Amsterdam sharing the festival stages with musicians from New York City and Chicago, “he adds. “Perhaps it’s one small strike against cultural isolationism.” Check www.kerrytownconcerthouse.com for updates.

-- Ken Waxman

September 12, 2005

HENRY GRIMES TRIO

Live at the Kerava Jazz Festival
Ayler ayl CD-028

Henry Grimes’ rediscovery and return to performing has been one of the pleasant surprises of the 21st Century improv scene. Formerly a shadowy, but respected figure whose sophisticated bass playing made him one of the pioneers of the New Thing, his employers included Cecil Taylor, Sonny Rollins and Albert Ayler.

Returned to active playing action after a 30-year absence – and without literally touching a bass for most of those years – initially his output was diffident and hesitant. However, as the cliché says, practice makes perfect. Honing his chops after a year of steady gigging, this CD proves that Grimes is back in the groove. If nothing else, holding his own for over an hour in concert with two of jazz’s most accomplished and busiest performers – reedist David Murray and percussionist Hamid Drake – parades his undiminished prowess.

Further proof of this can be heard here in his extended strumming and swaying solo that bridges the nearly 26-minute “Eighty Degrees” and Murray’s best-known composition “Flowers for Albert”, honoring Grimes’ old employer Ayler. Stentorian in power, without ever losing the beat, Grimes plucks and double plucks different patterns, variations and chord substitutions. Here his polyrhythms bring forth snorts and swells from Murray and a timekeeping mixture from Drake.

Earlier, Grimes makes his own low-pitched statement of booming counter tones, while Murray, on bass clarinet, meshes his tongue slaps with the bassist’s lowest possible tones. When the tempo doubles one-third of the way through, Murray adds ethereal floating pitches to his honking. Accelerating once again, Drake puts aside the unobtrusive tambourine-on-hi-hat beat for a solo of flams, paradidles, quick rushes and drags on the snares, ride cymbals and hi-hat – plus some bass drum propulsion. Switching to tenor sax, Murray leads Grimes’ thundering strings on a chase that features sluicing irregular vibrations, quick, throaty note scoops and altissimo dog-whistle-like action. At points his dual output is so diametrical that he could be duetting polyphonically with himself.

Interrupted by Grimes’ strumming, these frenzied variations then give way to Murray’s instantly recognizable head, conveyed at a tougher pace by Drake’s cross-sticking rim shots. The composer’s almost impermeable texture of node variation eventually turns to a passage of extended overblowing and then a recapitulation of the theme. Climaxing by decelerating to a leisurely Aylerian march, the performance excites the audience. This building excitement is such, that after two full minutes of applause, the three are forced by the audience to encore with a hand-clapping boppish blues with a faint Monkish cast.

All and all, it’s safe to say Grimes is back at the height of his powers, while Murray and Drake aren’t missing any talent themselves.

-- Ken Waxman

Track Listing: 1. Spin 2. Eighty Degrees 3. Flowers for Albert 4. Blues for Savannah

Personnel: David Murray (tenor saxophone and bass clarinet); Henry Grimes (bass); Hamid Drake (drums)

May 2, 2005

DENNIS GONZÁLEZ NEW YORK QUARTET

NY Midnight Suite
Clean Feed 20

DENNIS GONZÁLEZ’S INSPIRATION BAND
Nile River Suite
Daagnim CD9

Products of a two-day bushman’s holiday in the Big Apple by Dallas-based trumpeter Dennis González, these CDs should irrefutably proves that non-New Yorkers can show Naked City denizens a thing or two.

González, who is also a schoolteacher and a visual artist, runs a supportive co-op organization in Dallas and in the past has recorded with other advanced hinterland players like New Orleans saxist Kidd Jordan and Chicago bassist Malachi Favors. Taking two suites of compositions with him, the brassman plus local drummer Michael Thompson recorded these two CDs in two days with different bands of New York’s finest.

NY MIDNIGHT SUITE links the two with certified downtowners, who are also leaders on their own: tenor saxophonist Ellery Eskelin and bassist Mark Helias. Longer and more ambitious NILE RIVER SUITE finds González and Thompson, in the company of players who often work with bassist William Parker: multi-reedist Sabir Mateen, recently rediscovered bassist Henry Grimes and brassman Roy Campbell, in whose band Thompson also plays. Both are impressive achievements.

More raucous, MIDNIGHT sounds like Ornette Coleman quartet with Don Cherry or Albert Ayler’s band with his brother trumpeter Donald. But González is a more sophisticated soloist than those men were, while Eskelin’s bent is to append Gene Ammons-like soulfullness to a modern overlay.

This is made most clear on “Dominant Fang”, whose antecedents include Latin ass well as freebop. It sometimes sounds as if what would happen if Sonny Rollins’ “East Broadway Rundown” was recast as a hip cop show theme. Here the tenor man double tongues and produces a crying tone, while González, staying in lockstep with him not only frequently reprises the theme but holds to a gentler, more graceful tone.

Meanwhile, the most descriptive part of the Suite, “Runaway Taxi Uptown” has a definite Manhattan vibe and almost replicates a cab ride. Centred on call-and-response between the saxist’s reed biting and the trumpeter’s high triplets, mellow smears and bent notes, it finds Eskelin deconstructing his tone as he ascends the scale. Behind them Thompson mixes his splintering bounces and flams with sandpaper-like incursions on his drumheads and Helias contributes arco punctuation. Ending finds González recapitulating the musical theme as Eskelin sources taxi honks.

On the other hand, “Angels of the Dark Streets”, Part II of the Suite and the unrelated, more-than 18 minute “Hymn for the Elders” showcases a more temperate, style, but with toughness still present. On the first, Eskelin unleashes an atonal, irregularly pitched trill that sounds as it comes straight from the sax bow. With Helias moving from walking bass line to spiccato and Thompson cymbal smashing, the trumpeter unleashes a clutch of triplets, which later on suggest “Somewhere Over the Rainbow”. With the front line contrapuntal, both appear to be voicing different parts of the melody, as the saxist finally slows down to lower intensity slurred vibrations.

Polytonal counterpoint enlivens “Hymn” as well, as does unaccompanied cadenzas from Eskelin at the top, a resounding bass drum tone and ground bass lines from Helias. Spurting a few broken grace notes González moves lazily up the scale, encouraging the reedist to spew colored air, the drummer to scour his cymbal and the bassist to slide portamento across his strings. Harmonically muted legato tones from both hornmen gradually curve and double tongue to the quiet ending.

“The Nile Runs through New York (Part IB)” and The Nile Runs through My Heart (Part II)”, two parts of the Nile suite which also run into one another, demonstrate what the composer-trumpeter can do with additional aural colors. The entire CD was recorded the day following the previous session.

On the first tune, Mateen’s vamping flute and Grimes’ bowed bass buffer González’s bravura performance, which logically from the performer comes with a certain Spanish-tinged majesty. Muted, the trumpeter faces off with sluicing clarinet work from Mateen, whose flutter-tongued obbligatos add a certain folksiness to the proceedings. Using soaring moderato grace notes, the composer’s contrapuntal resolution ends the piece with a woody growl. Bridged by a slow-paced bass solo, the second track showcases Campbell amplifying González’s solo, but identifying himself by squeezing, staccato valve work, producing spirals of growls and bleats.

Elsewhere, as on the more than 18 minute “Lyons in Lyon”, named for the altoist Jimmy and the French city, Grimes’ unvarying bass pulse sometimes threatens to push the band back to the anthematic 1960s. But Mateen’s raspy overblowing on alto and Campbell’s looping, vocalized triple tonguing prevents the tune from becoming too chant-like. Soon González adds wiggling counterlines to the other oracular horns, eventually leading one brassman to concentrate on the modulated mid-range as the other shrills higher notes. The bassist offers up a metallic, ponticello tone, Mateen vibrates clarinet pitches and Thompson’s rolls, flams and rebounds on snares and toms help the piece moderate and becomes softer with more unison octave harmonics.

Ultimately the CD is brought to the end with “Hymn for the Ashes of Saturday”. But it’s one religious song whose mixed secular/sacred reference includes a “Night Train”-like shuffle head that’s extended with march tempo rat-tat-tats from Thompson. Meanwhile, as González pecks ahead of the beat on his horn, the other horns riff behind him. Following a ratamacue-ready solo from the drummer that ratchets the wooden parts of his kit, the bands exits as the trumpeter plays a bugle-call-like reveille and Mateen twists and smears his reed into a double timed ending.

As the song goes, “If you can make it here/You can make it anywhere” and González has proven that statement with some help from the locals. Judging from his skills as a composer, arranger and player, what’s really needed is for New Yorkers and other urbanites to pay more attention to his scene in Dallas.

-- Ken Waxman

Track Listing: NY: Suite: 1. (III) Sketch the Wings of Midnight 2. (II) Angels of the Dark Streets 3. (I) Runaway Taxi Uptown 4. Hymn for the Elders 5. Dominant Fang 6. New Short Song

Personnel: NY: Dennis González (trumpet); Ellery Eskelin (tenor saxophone); Mark Helias (bass); Michael Thompson (drums)

Track Listing: Nile: 1. Lyons in Lyon 2. Sand Baptist 3. The Nile Runs through New York (Part IA) 4. The Nile Runs through New York (Part IB) 5. The Nile Runs through My Heart (Part II) 6. The Nile Runs through Us All (Part III) 7. Hymn for the Ashes of Saturday

Personnel: Nile: Dennis González (trumpet); Roy Campbell Jr. (trumpet, pocket trumpet, flugelhorn and flute); Sabir Mateen (alto and tenor saxophones, flute, alto and Bb clarinets); Henry Grimes (bass); Michael Thompson (drums and percussion)

October 18, 2004