José Lencastre / Pedro Carneiro / Rodrigo Pinheiro / Hernâni Faustino / João Lencastre

Nicodemou/Zinman/Smith/Cook

The River is Full

Subcontinental Records SCR 027

Not exactly percussion, but not quite a melodic instrument either, the motor-driven vibraphone and its larger acoustic cousin the marimba occupy a unique place in improvised music. Mule-like neither horse nor donkey, the wood or metal bars idiophones have advanced to the front line, but still retain percussive power. An idea of what the Modern Jazz Quartet may have sounded like if it had opted for free form, The River is Full’s eight live selections are based as much on the sweeps and echoes of Cypriot vibist Andria Nicodemou’s instrument as the churning projections from Americans drummer Laurence Cook, bassist Damon Smith and the piano and synthesizer of Eric Zinman. Meanwhile the all-Portuguese Thoughts are Things introduces the marimba stylings of Pedro Carneiro to the Free Jazz Nau Quartet of saxophonist José Lencastre, pianist Rodrigo Pinheiro, bassist Hernâni Faustino and drummer João Lencastre.

While initially studying so-called classical music, Nicodemou has since improvised with the likes of Joe Morris, allowing her to contribute alongside the keyboardist and drummer, who have been bedrocks of Boston’s free music scene for decades, and the peripatetic bassist. In Lisbon, Carneiro who has performed with international symphony orchestras is heavily involved in New music having premièred over 100 new works. Despite this emphasis on the notated, there’s no pomposity in his contribution to four improvisations alongside this quartet of committed younger players.

Building on classic improvised music the Boston quartet moves its narratives from darkened piano pumps, affiliated bass string slices and rubs plus drum ruffs and smacks to animated vibe projections that resonate elastically. Expanding the exposition from col legno rubs from Smith, low-pitched inner piano echoes and intermittent drum patters, the four eventually get to a low-key climax, only to intensify the pressure on the extended “A Mild Sun Darkens”. Then Zinman’s keyboard jumps and jabs join Smith’s hard string strops and Nicodemou’s carefully angled bell-like chiming. Warmer vibe echoes added to sympathetic keyboard comping and hi-hat taps, splinter then reconvene the narrative as it leisurely moves to the conclusion. Working down to andante and up to allegro tempos during the remainder of the set, space is made for an unforced drum solo, some balladic piano expression as well as a snowflake-like dusting of metal bar slaps when presto bass string swipes and concentrated speed from the piano-drum combination doesn’t come to the fore. Still the sophisticated sound melding is confirmed on the concluding “No Birds, No Wind”. A short essay is tonal suspension the piece is based around the metal bar color resonation from Nicodemou that meld with cymbal shatters, high-pitched bass vibrations and a story-telling motif from the pianist. Eventually Zinman reasserts the exploration of motifs examined at the top as the piece settles with final vibraphone clanks.

Although lacking electric power, Carneiro’s marimba smacks handily assert themselves in the tougher program expressed by the Nau Quartet. This is obvious from “One Way to Cultivate Courage”, the very first track, where Lencastre’s pumping and slathering sheets of sound along with resounding drum pops set out the session’s parameters. By midpoint however Pinheiro’s sprightly keyboard licks and wooden bar pops from Carneiro create a perfect backdrop for reed decompression as the saxist alternates between basso honks and altissimo squeaks before buzzing to a climax. That sets the pace for subsequent tracks which produce multiple sound tinctures. Sometimes between marimba shudders, subtle piano comping and reed flutters detours into pop-exotica are suggested until Lencastre’s tough tenor slurs blow them away. Occasionally sequences come in-and-out of focus. This happens when piano arpeggios, drum smacks and bass string thumps overcome marimba note clusters to create a moderato line, only to have it broken by distended reed cries. Based on an elongated piano slide, the concluding “The Magnet of Thought” shows how an improvisation can be narrow and restrained even as more instruments join the exposition. Spinning out the theme with raindrop-like plinks from Pinheiro, Faustino’s thumb-popping bass line and reed splats and tone-splatters means that equilibrium is maintained but with enough dissonance to confirm its innovative underpinning.

No mere color provider, these discs show how particular idiophones help propel and strengthen a program in varied improvisations.

–Ken Waxman

Track Listing: Thoughts: 1. One Way to Cultivate Courage 2. Thought Atmospheres 3. Your Latent Powers 4. The Magnet of Thought

Personnel: Thoughts: José Lencastre (tenor and alto saxophones); Pedro Carneiro (marimba); Rodrigo Pinheiro (piano); Hernâni Faustino (bass) and João Lencastre (drums)

Track Listing: River: 1. The Shortest Day of The Year 2. Give Murderous Thoughts Rest 3. No Leaves on The Trees 4. A Mild Sun Darkens 5. The Frosty Earth 6. Quietness Reigns 7. No Birds, No Wind

Personnel: River: Andria Nicodemou (vibraphone); Eric Zinman (piano and synthesizer); Damon Smith (bass) and Laurence Cook (drums)