Caroline Davis’ Alula

Expressing her views on social justice first awakened by memories of an incarcerated relative alto saxophonist Caroline Davis has created Captivity, a striking electro-acoustic collage melding musical intonation with vocal samples from imprisoned individuals. Brooklyn-based Davis, who has played with innovators ranging from Angelica Sanchez to Terry Riley, galvanizes interpretation  of her 10 compositions with the help equally of proficient players – drummer Tyshawn Sorey, turntablist/sampler Val Jeanty and bassist Chris Tordini – with her own synthesizer playing augmented on a couple of tracks by the synthesizers of Qasim Naqvi and Ben Hoffmann.

Although also an academic, Davis’ compositions are never didactic, but make their point through inference. Sampled phrases which refer to hope, change, non-violence and resilience are heard, but also remixed and alters so that they become part of the musical gestalt. Most of the time she responds with straight ahead, slightly accented blowing, but at junctures loops towards juddering trills, as on “[i won’t be back, ms. Susan Burton]”. A Bluesy open-horn exposition, on “a way back to myself [for Keith Lamar]” or a median between outright honks and story-telling on the extended “synchronize my body where my mind had always been [for Jalil Muntaqim].

 These motifs are created alongside the others’ contributions which encompass expected double bass thumps or the Moog bass’ dedicated pacing, as well as slapping rim shots and press rolls from the drummer. Besides slides, squeaks and wiggling oscillations from the synthesizers, Jeanty’s skill is put to particular good use. Initially projecting the samples whole, later, especially on tracks like “and yet it moves [for Galileo]” and “synchronize my body where my mind had always been [for Jalil Muntaqim]”, she flanges, reconstitutes syllables and stretches so that variations become pure sound, with crucial phrases emphasized. Attaining a unique sonic project Davis sticks to her appropriately advanced musical values while getting her social justice ideas across without sloganeering.

–Ken Waxman

Track Listing: 1. [the day has come] 2. burned believers [for Agnes and Huguette] 3. and yet it moves [for Galileo] 4. [the malignity of fate] 5. synchronize my body where my mind had always been [for Jalil Muntaqim] 6. [terrestrial rebels] 7. a way back to myself [for Keith Lamar]* 8. the promise i made [for Joyce Ann Brown*] 9. [i won’t be back, ms. Susan Burton] 10. put it on a poster [for Sandra Bland]+

Personnel: Caroline Davis (alto saxophone, Juno synthesizer and voice); Chris Tordini (bass and Moog bass); Tyshawn Sorey (drums) and Val Jeanty (turntables and samples) plus Qasim Naqvi (modular synthesizer)* and Ben Hoffmann (prophet 6 synthesizer)+