Igor Lumpert Quartet

Igor Lumpert has his heart in the right place. But unfortunately his mouth and memory detract from his fine ideas. With the members of his top flight quartet, the Slovenian tenor and soprano saxophonist has organized a tight nine-track session whose leitmotif is an angry plea to not abuse the world’s precious resources. However the group makeup which included Argentinean pianist Leo Genovese plus Americans, bassist Drew Gress and drummer Damion Reid, is so close to that of the classic John Coltrane quartet, and Lumpert’s playing is so embedded in the Trane sphere, that the program come across more like an homage than an independent statement.

There’s no argument that Lumpert, who has recorded with the likes of Greg Ward and Peter Evans is a highly professional and sincere player. Plus the saxophonist’s compositions are shaped effectively and move along as notably as other  contemporary sequences. It’s just that most of the time it appears that Lumpert is channeling Coltrane and Genovese McCoy Tyner. Goosing the lines with cymbal clashes, tough ruffs and paced rumbles Reid plays his part well, but his rhythmic sense doesn’t prevail as Evin Jones’ did when challenging Trane. Comparisons between Gress and Jimmy Garrison are moot, since he’s barely heard.

In between lyrical trilling and linear flutters, the saxophonist exhibits some evocative post-Coltrane motifs. On “Mediterranean Samurai” his simple exposition evolves to hard reed bites and pressurized multiphonics. And on “High Peaks” mainstream sax trilling builds up to strangled cries that are personalized with shaking doits. Genovese’s comping more often than not connects with the reed lines with equivalent power. Besides speedy glissandi and encircling patterns, he doesn’t back down when Lumpert turns to honks, snarls or snorts, responding with keyboard stabs and staccato motifs. Genovese’s most distinctive playing comes on “Panonian”, where his energetic sweeps expose intense clipping in high registers and pedal-point booms on the bottom. This moves the swinging exposition’s tempo upwards from an introduction of downward reed scoops.

A group vocalization of the album’s title at the top sets up a promise of environmental challenge, which seems not to be realized. Resistance of the Earth is a fine enough instance of regular Jazz that it can’t be faulted. But it could have been so much more. Perhaps the album’s saving grace is that it was recorded in 2022. That offers hope that more individuality is now part of  Lumpert’s musical make up.

–Ken Waxman

Track Listing: 1. Resistance of the Earth 2. Sures 3. High Peaks 4. Vinku (for Dad) 5. Panonian 6. Mediterranean Samurai 7. Underwater Snow (for Želkjka) 8. Choir Song 9, Blues for Code Talkers

Personnel: Igor Lumpert (tenor and soprano saxophones and accordion); Leo Genovese (piano); Drew Gress (bass) and Damion Reid (drums)