Alan Braufman

A reunion of sorts, The Fire Still Burns picks up more than 40 years later the collaboration saxophonist/flutist Alan Braufman and pianist Cooper-Moore began in the early 1970s. After recording 1975’s Valley of Search LP the two survivors of the East Village’s Loft Jazz scene went their own ways. Braufman eventually settling in Salt Lake City after decades of Jazz and non-Jazz gigs and Cooper-Moore staying in New York to play with many fellow sound explorers including William Parker. Reunited for Braufman’s first record in 25 years, the two are joined by three young veterans – bassist Ken Filiano, drummer Andrew Drury and tenor saxophonist James Brandon Lewis – for two Braufman-composed suites which refine visceral New Thing outbursts with contemporary technical assurance.

Anthemic, processional and atonal the first four tracks temper Energy Music with humor so that exploding-world menace retains optimistic jollity. Additionally no matter how full-throttle the combination of dual-saxophone split tones and tough backbeat propelled by the rhythm section becomes, a playful subtlety remains. This usually takes the form of ornamental glissandi and splashes from the pianist. While “Home” is the most disquieting narrative with altissimo saxophone cries, power-chording from Cooper Moore and hard smacks from Drury, consistent flow is never in doubt. Meanwhile “No Floor No Ceiling” is swifter, but with a touch of jollity with appears each time the head is repeated and nicely balances Braufman’s vibrating snarls and Lewis’ dissected split tones.

Cooper-Moore’s looping pianism makes its mark as the quintet members amble through the themes, with his expressive modality contributing to the structural loosening that characterizes the final four tracks. This Evening Suite doesn’t put aside liveliness though, especially on “Creation”, where the snaking excitement of a dueling saxophone blow-out builds due to the pianist’s forceful pulsations. With the penultimate piece shattered into reed sound shards, the final “City Nights” fluidly reconvenes the lively mood of the initial four-part Morning Suite. It shuffles to a conclusion via Filiano’s swelling double and triple stops, Drury’s conga drum-like echoes, and a reed summation that adds a mainstream vamp to dissonant textures.

Confirming its title, the CD shows that Braufman’s playing and writing is still profound enough to interact with contemporary players despite his prolonged hiatus from the Jazz world centre.

–Ken Waxman

Track Listing: 1. Sunrise 2. Morning Bazaar 3. No Floor No Ceiling 4. Home 5. Creation 6. Alone Again 7. The Fire Still Burns 8. City Nights

Personnel: Alan Braufman: (alto saxophone and flute); James Brandon Lewis (tenor saxophone): Cooper-Moore (piano); Ken Filiano (bass) and Andrew Drury (drums)