Jesper Lørup Hi Fi Quartet

Karl Evangelista’s Apura
Ngayon
Astral Spirits AS 208

Built around harmonies available from tenor saxophone and guitar, one American and one European combo work out melodic programs that are notable, but probably less adventurous then they imagine. Avoiding inappropriate hero worship, Filipino-American guitarist Karl A.D Evangelista’s manages to integrate veteran Free Music drummer Andrew Cyrille into his Apura quintet playing five of the guitarist’s compositions that reflect the tagalog word Ngayon, translated as Now. Bay area associates, bassist Lisa Mezzacappa, pianist Rei Scampavia and tenor saxophonist Francis Wong, complete the group.

While concentrated into distinctive syncopated and melodic patterns, Evangelista’s intent to reflect the endurance needed to battle fascism characterized by political corruption in the Philippines and Donald Trump’s US isn’t really obvious. In fact the performances sound no more overtly political than the seven tunes composed by Danish drummer Jesper Lørup for his Hi Fi Quartet of tenor saxophonist Christian Holm-Svendsen, guitarist Johannes Ravn Hagmund-Hansen and bassist Martin Brunbjerg Rasmussen. At the same time Lørup, who has worked with many bands in Northen Europe, operates as an enlightened leader/composer. Rather than being featured at regular intervals, his percussion skills are as integrated into his creative sketches as Cyrille’s on the other disc. Also, the quartet’s saxophonist’s and guitarist’s playing is as upfront as that of their homologues on Ngayon.

Taking full advantage of textural blending, Evangelista and Wong create clean and long-lined expositions from “Ngayon, Kahapon”, the first track onwards. Joining careful string clips and occasional fuzz tones plus reed smears and infrequent altissimo reed flattement, they deconstruct the themes at the same time as they propel them to a variation of storytelling. Open spaces are filled with Mezzacappa’s progressive pulse and Cyrille’s rolls and claps. All four function at this same high standard throughout with very little fissure between the so-called front line and background. If anyone is a bit disadvantaged though it’s Scampavia, whose methodical chord selection, latent rumbles and single note pumps only come forward on “Santo”. Even there keyboard contributions are part of a relaxed interaction, also involving airy guitar plucks and drum shakes. Besides this, the members of Apura meld to preserve momentum. Cyrille’s dry nerve beats and cymbal pops; Mezzacappa’s occasional arco buzzes and pizzicato strums; Evangelista’s ability to highlight airy twangs and percussive string clips with equal facility; Wong’s whiny split tones or triple-tongued flutters; and even Scampavia’s sympathetic chording contribute to this. Overall, political concepts aside, what’s clearest throughout is the guitar-sax partnership that preserves narrative advancement alongside technical finesse.

A similar model is suggested on Sketches from the Black Box, although the disc’s evolution seems a little more mainstream. True to his paradigm Lørup remains mostly in the background, with his vibrations and ruffs in the main reflective rather than volatile. Themes usually relate to expected Jazz tropes, but some pivot to folk-styled material and in the case of “Search for Shelter” a quasi-Bossa Nova groove with relaxed arching reed tone meeting notable strums and picking from the guitarist. There’s a hint of Stan Getz in Holm-Svendsen’s tone, but it’s not so retro that he frequently stays away from the expected, and can trill up the scale when needed, especially when adding some oomph when harmonizing with Hagmund-Hansen’s wavering string picking, note pile up or pedal-propelled flanges. Rasmussen’s walking bass adds to the interface and Lørup’s percussion backing includes cymbal coloration, rattles and ruffs and a freight train like rumble. “Portrait of Al” seems to stand out from the other tracks since it’s slinky squirmy melody is more oblique than the smoother melodies. The session moves along efficiently enough and it’s certainly pleasant. But it could have added a few more sharp edges to make it outstanding.

Apura may have a slight edge over the Hi-Fi Quartet. But each band attains its goals. One wishes however that both had aimed a little higher and away from the expected.

–Ken Waxman

Track Listing: Ngayon: 1. Ngayon, Kahapon 2. Sige Na, Bukas 3. Isang Bagsak 4. Santo 5. Sinabi Mo Pa

Personnel: Ngayon: Francis Wong (tenor saxophone); Rei Scampavia (piano); Karl A.D. Evangelista (guitar); Lisa Mezzacappa (bass) and Andrew Cyrille (drums)

Track Listing: Sketches: 1.What Happened to Imagination? 2. Andagt 3. Portrait of Al 4. Search for Shelter 5. Three Options at Once 6. Andagt (improvisation) 7. Skumring

Personnel: Sketches: Christian Holm-Svendsen (tenor saxophone); Johannes Ravn Hagmund-Hansen (guitar); Martin Brunbjerg Rasmussen (bass) and Jesper Lørup (drums)