Dyads
Out Of Your Head, 2021
8/10
A father-son project where Michael Formanek brings a body of work that goes all the way back to the early ‘80s, his son, Peter, shares his father’s passion for music and brings his tenor saxophone and clarinet prowess that, even at just 25 years old, sounds like a seasoned vet.
“Two, Not One” starts the listen with Michael’s low bass alongside Peter’s soothing sax as the atmosphere unfolds with a cautious jazz landscape, and “Wandering, Searching, Digging, Uncovering” follows with bright, playful clarinet that’s strategically reserved, and benefits from the well timed, plucked bass.
Deeper down the line, “How Was The Drive?” carries a frisky energy as bass acrobatics and soulful sax meet at a very interesting intersection, while “There’s No There There” flows with a cinematic quality amid intricate dynamics between the woodwind and bass. “Wavvy Lines”, one of the album’s best, then sounds like a tugboat coming to port with its deep rumbling and charming appeal.
Close to the end, “Ballad Of The Weak” possesses much beauty in its calm, agile climate where the sax takes focus, and “That Was Then” exits the listen with an avant-garde approach of free jazz that’s seems like it was as fun to make as it is to listen to.
This is the first time the Formanek’s have collaborated on a record, and let’s hope it isn’t the last, cause their respective talents work together in a way that few could or would replicate.
Travels well with: Jane Ira Bloom- Wild Lines: Improvising Emily Dickinson; Vinnie Riccitelli- For The Record