Webber/Morris Big Band

Recalibrating big band music for the 21^st century with sophisticated arrangements and solo space  for most members of this 19-piece New York ensemble are two expatriate Canadians, who co-lead, conduct and play tenor saxophones and flutes: Ontario’s Angela Morris and B.C.’s Anna Webber. Continuing the sonic experiments begun in 2019, Unseparate includes the four-part “Just Intonation Etudes For Big Band”; segments of the title suite interspaced throughout the disc; and three standalone compositions. The latter pseudo-concertos include interludes like Yuhan Su’s vibraphone resonations, alto saxophonist Jay Rattman’s tongue stops and Jen Baker’s trombone plunger growls. An unabashed blues, balanced on Dustin Carlson’s guitar twangs “Microchimera” is most notable as brass and reed sections bolster and buttress Webber’s flute trills and Jake Henry’s heraldic trumpet screeches.

Even more assured are the long form compositions, especially the “Etudes”. Morris’ clarion reed stops introduce the throbbing theme which steadily ascends alongside group dynamics as contrapuntal sequences dominate the brass and reeds. While the tracks inflate and ascend, tolling vibe slaps, Jeff Davis’ drum ruffs and Lisa Parrott’s baritone saxophone burbles preserve linear evolution as overlapping respites from Tim Vaughn’s plunger trombone blasts and squeezed brass triplets. Before dissolving into cacophony, sections return to straight-ahead emphasis with artful reed pulses and percussion thumps.

An exemplar of cultivated big band writing and playing, Unseparate may have been created in the U.S., but like the Auto Pact needs Canadian input to be put into motion.

–Ken Waxman

Track Listing: 1. Just Intonation Etudes For Big Band – Unseparate 1 2.Just Intonation Etudes For Big Band – Pulse 3. Just Intonation Etudes For Big Band – Timbre 4. Just Intonation Etudes For Big Band – Metaphor 5. Mist/Missed 6. Unseparate 2 7. Microchimera 8. Unseparate 3 9. Unseparate 4 10. Habitual 11. Spur 7: Metamorphosis

Personnel: Nolan Tsang, Ryan Easter, Jake Henry, Kenny Warren (trumpets); Tim Vaughn, Zekkereya El-magharbel, Jen Baker, Reginald Chapman (trombones); Jay Rattman (alto, soprano saxophones, clarinet, flute); Charlotte Greve (alto saxophone, flute, clarinet); Anna Webber, Angela Morris (tenor saxophone, flute); Adam Schneit (tenor saxophone, clarinet); Lisa Parrott (baritone saxophone, bass clarinet); Marta Sánchez (piano); Dustin Carlson (guitar); Yuhan Su (vibraphone); Adam Hopkins (bass) and Jeff Davis (drums)