Rich In Symbolism II
Justin Time, 2022
9/10
The NYC resident and Montréal native Chet Doxas brings his esteemed saxophone and clarinet prowess to these artistic 7 pieces that welcome help from Jacob Sacks (piano and mellotron), Joe Grass (pedal steel, guitar and banjo), Zack Lober (bass) and Eric Doob (drums and programming).
“The Slopes Of Saint-Tite-Des-Caps” opens the listen with much warmth, where a mesmerizing melody and precise clarinet are met with light drums and bare but impactful keys, and “Snow Clouds” follows with a very frisky approach that embraces swirling guitar and electro-pop ideas into the fold.
“Tree Trunk” and “North Shore, Lake Superior” are packed in the middle, where the former is percussively strong with plenty of worldly rhythm, and the latter spends 10+ minutes impressing us with its strategic brass and ambient mood. “The Front Of Winter” exits the listen, and illuminates the intimate piano, soulful sax and rich song craft that we could never tire of.
The compositions present are interpretations of The Group of Seven, Tom Thomson and Emily Carr, and Doxas and company certainly bridge art and music together with an exciting and inimitable approach that ends entirely too soon.
Travels well with: Jacob Chung- Epistle; Chris Mondak- Glass Spheres