Album Information:
Released by ECM Records in 2016
Recorded at Avatar Studios in NYC during October 2015
Format: LPx2
Personnel: Jack DeJohnette – Drums, Piano, Ravi Coltrane – Saxophone, Matthew Garrison – Electric Bass, Electronics
Review
The past, present, and future of jazz converge on this progressive new release from the legendary drummer Jack DeJohnette, who’s played on everything from Miles Davis’ Bitches Brew to albums with Keith Jarrett, Alice Coltrane, Freddie Hubbard, and numerous other masters since the late 60?s. Joining him are two descendants of the classic John Coltrane Quartet, Ravi Coltrane on tenor and soprano sax and Matthew Garrison (son of Jimmy Garrison) on electric bass and electronics. Rather than dwell in the shadows of their fathers, these two have already developed their own powerful and unique voices which are welcome additions to the jazz lineage. Their passionate version of John Coltrane’s fiery lamentation “Alabama”, originally about a racist church bombing in 1963 that killed 4 little girls, feels sadly too relevant in today’s climate of mass violence and hate crimes. While Jack DeJohnette’s fluid grooves and Ravi’s lyrical intensity have been well documented for years, Matthew Garrison’s innovative bass playing and live electronic-processing stand out as the most futuristic elements of the album. On songs like the standout title-track, Matthew uses his computer to reverse, speed up, and reverb layers of bass loops, creating droning atmospheres that swirl around tracks, serving a similar function to a tamboura in Indian classical music. Other tracks include updated versions of Miles Davis’ “Blue in Green”, and Earth, Wind & Fires “Serpentine”, as well as tributes to free-jazz drummer Rashied Ali, Jimi Hendrix, Jimmy Garrison, and Jack’s wife Lydia.
