Unstructured Time
Self-Released, 2022
8/10
The alto-saxophone wizard and composer Amos Gillespie aligns himself with some impressive company here, where a nine-part jazz suite explores finding peace in a loud and congested world. The sextet he brings with cover a lot of moods and influences, where sublime vocals are present on half the selections.
“Shades Of Red” opens the listen with Dan Thatcher’s playful bass plucking before Paul Bedal’s flowing keys enter the 10+ minutes of diverse and flowing swing sounds, and “Deconstructed” follows with Alexandra Olsavsky’s sophisticated singing guiding the initially bare but powerful climate that shifts into swift melodies and precise drumming from Gustavo Cortinas.
Moving along, “Tangerine Road” offers busier textures of sax acrobatics alongside bright piano and frisky drumming, while “Sleepless” trims the pace back amid Olsavsky’s gorgeous singing that benefits from the poetic keys and spirited brass moments.
Deeper yet, “Silence Is Your Own” illustrates incredible range from Olsavsky’s pipes as a very pretty jazz landscape unfolds, and “Juiced” exits the listen upbeat, rhythmic and aglow in punchy brass, lively drumming and fluid guitar from Casey Nielsen, which addresses the excitement of life past quarantine.
Gillespie is quickly making a name for himself with his alto-sax skills, and this strong attention to melody, structure and rhythm prove that he’s just adept at composing, too.
Travels well with: Manny Kellough And Friends- Speaking Of Jazz (East To West Coast); Gerry Eastman Trio- Trust Me