Ivo Perelman & Matthew Shipp String Trio

Despite its quasi-apocalyptic album title the group improvisation here doesn’t reference world destruction following a good vs evil battle, but instead posits the flowering of hope in these agitated times. While dramatic and discordant the program also contain instances of cooperation, since the group combines two ensembles that have each flourished for nearly three decades. One is the duo of tenor saxophonist Ivo Perelman and pianist Matthew Shipp, the other the Shipp String Trio with bassist William Parker and violist Mat Maneri. Because of the cross fertilization of creative music, none are strangers to one another. Besides the saxophonist’s 46 album partnership with the pianist, Perelman has often worked with the bassist and violist.

Just as Perelman is no traditional saxophonist, the trio is anything but a conventional string group. Besides the atypical configuration, the piano and strings aren’t there to sweeten or accompany the saxophone’s lead. All players function as full partners, with group improvising the aim. Both antiphonic and aleatoric, the sounds depend on distinctive statements from each – though the saxophonist has the edge – with prompt presentations, responses or elaboration from the others, most prominently the violist and pianist. Besides frequently decisive introductions and sequence amplifications with arco buzzes and pizzicato strums, the bassist is more a prompter than a principal.

The disc encompass a variant of tension-release with the saxophonist’s whiny split tones, inflating honks, terse bites and droning scoops frequently operating in tandem with processional piano resolves and concentrated string pressure, although players often exchanges roles as the four expositions evolve. Skilled in communicating emotion and invention through multiphonics and note squalling, interludes of Perelman’s lyricism are also present, with the reed calming reflecting balladic piano sequences or regularized string glissandi. Feral stress isn’t limited to the saxophonist though, as keyboard chiming, terse viola grinds and crushing double bass pumps are occasionally expressed, usually, as on “Tree of Life”, as an aural circle dance where all the musicians participate.

A singular but striking blend Armageddon Flower shows that controlled dissidence can be as balanced, if not as harmonious, as expected timbres when expressed by practiced improvisers.

–Ken Waxman

Track Listing: 1. Pillar of Light 2. Tree of Life 3. Armageddon Flower 4. Restoration

Personnel: Ivo Perelman (tenor saxophone); Matthew Shipp (piano); Mat Maneri (viola) and William Parker (bass)