Rose-Anna
Cellar, 2025
8/10
The Vancouver keyboardist and composer Noah Franche-Nolan is joined by Jodi Proznick and Nicholas Bracewell for these 11 modern jazz tracks that bring a lot of diversity to the equation.
The soft mood of “Sublimation I” starts with Bracewell’s well timed drums alongside the rich keys that create mystery and warmth, and “Nasz Dom” follows with dancing piano amid the light melodies and crisp drumming.
“Prayer” and “Rotations” land in the middle. The former showcases meticulous keys alongside acrobatic drumming, while the latter is strong on ambience and even gets a bit haunting in its meticulous nature.
Arriving close to the end, “Devotion” focuses on the intimate piano with much elegance, and “Sublimation III” exits with a busier approach, as Proznick’s agile bass complements the firm keys and animated drumming.
The trio cover a lot of ground here, where grooves, hymns, meditative moments, minimal gestures and atypical spiritual stabs makes for an electro-acoustic experience that won’t soon be forgotten.
Travels well with: Sean Clarke- A Flower For My Daughter; Christopher Whitley- almost as soft as silence