The Tomeka Reid Quartet

Genuine truth in packaging, Chicago cellist Tomeka Reid has composed a selection of tunes that show off the talents of her decade-old quartet with five tunes that literally dance, skip and hop. A preeminent Jazz and improvised music string player, Reid also works in a variety of other settings with avatars like Anthony Braxton, Roscoe Mitchell and Myra Melford. Some of the US’s busiest young veteran players, the quartet is filled out by guitarist Mary Halvorson, bassist Jason Roebke and drummer Tomas Fujiwara, all of whom lead their own groups and work with the likes of Taylor Ho Bynum, John Zorn and Jason Stein.

Out the gate with foundation centred cadences and swift string interplay, the strumming, sweeping and stomping timbres only intensify as they quiver and shimmy with near terpsichorean cadences. At the same time interpretations are more segmented than straight-ahead with contrapuntal asides, tandem animation and unexpected sliding and pressurized motifs.

Frequent thematic variations and heads recapitulation don’t prevent the integration of asides including lap steel or Hawaiian guitar-like resonations, percussion rumbles, chunky double bass thumps, cymbal buzzing, drum rattles and carefully positioned cello string pressure. At the same time a horizontal slant is maintained, bolstered by a continuum often created by guitar string drones or the intwining of throbs from three string sets.

Eventually the four reach a zenith of interactive improvisation, with the penultimate and  concluding tunes. “Silver Spring Fig Tree” which ends the album, is a clean, uncomplicated narrative that harmonizes guitar string pumps, bass string stops and drum rolls into worldly consistency that with resonating cello sweeps and rim shots sets up a future extension of the finale. Meanwhile the preceding “Under the Aurora Sky” expands from a carefully paced lilt of tandem cello sweeps and guitar string pops that gradually squeeze lyrical tilts from the exposition. Reaching a crescendo of doubled than tripled nearly electrified sequence of buttressed finger-styled plinks it downshifts into the next tune.

Unforced chamber Jazz that could easily also dance, skip and hop in the outdoors, Reid and company have produced a musical tome that isn’t afraid to mix swing and sophistication.

–Ken Waxman

Track Listings:  Dance: 1. Dance! Skip! Hop! 2. A(ways) For CC And CeCe 3. Oo Long! 4. Under the Aurora Sky 5. Silver Spring Fig Tree

Personnel: Dance: Mary Halvorson (guitar); Tomeka Reid (cello); Jason Roebke (bass and cassette) and Tomas Fujiwara (drums)