Interblaze
Self-Released, 2023
8/10
The alto saxophone extraordinaire Ally Fiola finds herself surrounded by excellent musicians for 8 songs that explore themes of grief, wonder, fear and passion and are never short on grooves and melody.
The title track gets off to a lively start, where bright brass, Shvan Kaban’s playful guitar and Andrew Miller’s skilled drums make for upbeat melodies and a bit of a charming quirkiness, and “Back Track” follows with Glenn Patscha’s atmospheric organ contributing much alongside Simon Oakey’s animated trombone prowess.
“Intuition” takes the middle spot, and blends stylish keys and layered horns amid some funk nods, while “Rocket Sunrise” lands in intimate areas of smooth and agile jazz that’s heartfelt and unpredictable.
“Underground” and “Amazing Grace” exit the listen, where the former radiates some rock influences alongside the jazzy textures of warmth and adventurousness, and the latter initially puts a hazy and slow burning take on the classic before segueing into flowing and radiant jazz rock.
This is the 5th album from the Nova Scotia resident, and the other brass is handled by Jeff Coffin (tenor sax), Chris Mitchell (baritone sax), and Addison Sowery-Quinn (Sousaphone). Together, they make for a New Orleans spirited affair and a very unique take on contemporary jazz that’s glowing with personality.
Travels well with: William Carn- Choices; Noam Lemish- Twelve