Swing Of The Pendulum
AFAR, 2023
8/10
Listen to Swing Of The Pendulum
The tenor sax player, woodwinds expert, composer, bandleader and educator John Wojciechowski wears many hats, and here he’s aligned with Xavier Davis, Clark Sommers and Dana Hall for 8 energetic and exciting tracks.
“The Leaves Fall To The Ground” opens the listen with Wojciechowski’s animated sax alongside Halls’ acrobatic drumming for the adventurous jazz climate, and the title track follows with Davis’ hypnotic keys alongside the rhythmic brass that makes for an infectious delivery.
The middle tracks belong to “Peripheral Vision” and “Minds Eye”, where the former showcases Sommers’ playful bass plucking as Wojciechowski creates intimacy with his sax, while the latter leads with the meticulous bass before erupting into crashing drums and soaring brass for the album’s best.
Near the end, “The Greater The Distance” allows for the elegant keys to match the introspective sax playing, and “Lexicon” exits with a distinct dreaminess that builds into a dynamic and frisky jazz rocker.
A listen that indeed does swing with much fun and timelessness, Wojciechowski and company flesh out songs that will appeal to any fan of jazz, past or present.
Travels well with: Doug Beavers- Luna; Matt Ulery- Mannerist