Rituals
Double Moon, 2022
8/10
The esteemed conductor and arranger Jim McNeely channels the spirit of Stravinsky for this very complicated and harmonic body of work that brings in the tenor saxophonist Chris Potter for the rhythmic endeavor.
The title track opens the listen with calming winds, where the setting quickly builds into a busy, hectic, and majestic mashing of adventurous jazz, where Potter’s solo is quite striking, and “Dawn” follows with a very soothing quality that emits a very meticulous orchestral slant amid the bright brass.
“The Wheel” occupies the middle spot, and flows with a contagious energy that’s quite animated and radiates much adventurousness that you could dance to, while “Wine Dark Sea” showcases very strategic percussion amid the elegant strings and soft horns that welcomes a solo from Axel Schlosser.
“Okinawa” is the final song, and it’s full of Potter’s graceful sax that complements the calm moments of intimacy as well as the loud, full blasts of dynamic jazz prowess.
A listen that began as a performance, McNeely and company entered the studio to recreate the magic, and the inclusion of harp, French horn, percussion and an addition movement in the title track make the project that much more alluring.
Travels well with: Roger Lewis- Alright!; Evan Drybread- Tiger Tail