Erik Friedlander

Medical science is partially responsible for this new tougher program from Erik Friedlander’s Sentinel band. Deep Brain Stimulation surgery last year meant that the New York-based cellist is now able to control the Parkinson’s disease-induced tremors he has had to cope with since 2016. A musical as well as a medical addition is responsible for She Sees’ forcefulness as well. Bassist Stomu Takeishi, who plays with Myra Melford, has joined Sentinel, adding energy and efficacy to what was already a power trio completed by guitarist Ava Mendoza and percussionist Diego Espinosa.

Not that the quartet has become a Metal band. Friedlander has never been a conventional cello player. So this new flexibility and a new partner allows him to stretch performances into more pliable forms. Able to advance romantic coloration, hoedown-like breaks and rhythmic pacing with the same facility, he can now introduce or challenge in kind Mandoza whose speedy chording and slurred fingering frequently approach rock music’s volume and intensity without any excesses. Double bass stops and drum smacks along with gravelly guitar licks also project heaviness on a track like “Ache, Air”. But when the cellist completes a warm arco interlude grace is mixed with grunge. Compositions such as “Heatwave” and “Summit” play up quartet’s looser side, with the latter based around finger-picking guitar tones, while “Heatwave” is atmospherically quietly shaded. With bass and drums cementing the groove, balance is established between Mandoza’s pedal board driven echoes and Friedlander’s straight-ahead theme elaboration.

These diversions into formalized and folksy on some of the cellist’s 10 compositions, doesn’t means that the band can’t (jazz) rock out on other tracks. “Soak! Soak” is an instance of this as Friedlander’s swift arco stops cut across the guitarist’s note flanges that she projects with plenty of reverb.

Overall it appears that an expanded musical palate and a medical breakthrough together contributed to the creation of a stronger than usual session. One hopes a relapse in either case never occurs. For more info visit: erikfriendlander.com

–Ken Waxman

Track Listing: 1. Baskets, Biscuits, Rain 2. Wit and Whimsy 3. Heatwave 4. Blink 5. Summit 6. Ache, Air 7. Sliding 8. Rush. Rush Slowly 9. Soak! Soak! 10. Moneycake: Corrupting

Personnel: Ava Mendoza (guitar); Erik Friedlander (cello); Stomu Takeishi (bass) and Diego Espinosa (percussion)