Steve Swell’s Imbued With Light

Surrounded by a coterie of six fellow New York improvisers, trombonist Steve Swell blends these players’ tones to honor the oeuvre of Russian composer Galina Ustvolskaya (1919-2006). A unique home-grown avant-gardist whose music was as often out of the Kremlin’s favor, her idiosyncratic creations are saluted by Swell and company not playing any of them, but with a nine-section suite influenced by her sound blocks and often triple forte sequences.

The instrumentation means that these salutes highlight more than Ustvolskaya’s favorite motifs like percussive piano dynamics played by Robert Boston or Chris Hoffman’s strained spiccato cello slices. Also highlighted are Sara Schoenbeck’s pinched bassoon undulations, which introduce “Essential Workers” and often harmonize with Ben Stapp’s tuba burps; as well as Harris Eisenstadt’s percussion patterning. Swell’s brass skills contribute as do Herb Robertson’s trumpet yelps, grace notes or squeaky toys which produce layered cadences on “Composite #12”.

With slurry honks, gutbucket snarls and speedy note bending, at times in unison with the other brass, the trombonist puts an individual stamp on such pieces as “Hammer, Rocks” and “Toe The Wet Sprocket”. Simultaneously his portamento connections with metronomic keyboard work and tuba stops confirm the tunes’ horizontal evolution – and unexpected marching band resemblances –   despite frequent interludes of thematic mutation.

This CD should introduce more people to Ustvolskaya’s works and at the same time confirm how exceptional the Swell sextet’s tribute to her music is since it’s created with its own distinctive sounds.

–Ken Waxman

Track Listing: 1. Hammer 2. Three Card Monte 3. Rocks 4. Abstract Manifold 5. Imbued With Light 6. Ear Hygiene 7. Essential Workers 8. Toe The Wet Sprocket 9. Composite #12

Personnel: Herb Robertson (trumpet, toys): Steve Swell (trombone); Ben Stapp (tuba); Sara Schoenbeck (bassoon); Robert Boston (piano); Chris Hoffman (cello); Harris Eisenstadt (drums, percussion)

–for The Whole Note June, July, August 2025