Divinations
Imani, 2023
8/10
An esteemed drummer, composer and bandleader, Tina Raymond brings along Andrew Renfroe and Karl McComas-Reichi for these 6 very diverse and unclassifiable jazz tunes that don’t stay in one place for long.
The playful and upbeat “Swainson’s Hawk” begins the listen with Raymond’s acrobatic drumming amid the worldly rhythm, and “Eight Of Wands” follows with radiant grooves alongside Renfroe’s bright guitar playing and McComas-Reichi’s frisky bass lines.
The louder, rock focused “The Emperor” lands in the middle and is both dense and meticulous, while “The Lovers” is an intimate moment of beauty and grace thanks to the atmospheric guitar and soft drumming.
“Seven Of Wands” and “Ace Of Pentacles” exits the listen, where the former presents a very stylish, dreamy version of modern jazz-rock, and the latter is a mesmerizing finish of precise bass, elegant drumming and warm guitar playing.
An album of all originals, each track is distinctly its own, as the skilled trio weave in and out of each other with incredible flow and unpredictability that is highly appreciated.
Travels well with: David Binney- Tomorrow’s Journey; Ben Morris- Pocket Guides