Root In Tandem
Self-Released, 2023
8/10
The debut album from Bellbird, i.e. Claire Devlin, Allison Burik, Eli Davidovici and Mili Hong, Root In Tandem brings plenty of modern jazz flavor to a diverse set of influences that are never short on melody.
“Blurred Season” opens the listen with the rich sax from Burik alongside Hong’s playful drumming for the cozy jazz climate, and “Bluff” follows with a very intimate delivery of soothing brass and precisely plucked bass that creates a very introspective mood.
At the halfway point, “Manakin” makes great use of Burik’s bass clarinet amid the agile rhythm section, while “Pigeons & Disco” is quite soft, dreamy even, before building into a lush and adventurous album highlight.
“Ten Dog” and “Maybe I Won’t Go” exit the listen, where the former spotlights the drumming acrobatics, and the latter moves with the expressive saxophones making for a cautious and thoughtful finish that erupts into free jazz dynamics.
The members of Bellbird have pasts in very different situations and countries, but came together in Montreal in 2021 and realized there was a musical connection worth exploring. A listen that’s heavy on solos and improvisation, this is an excellent starting point for the highly creative quartet.
Travels well with: Olivia Maisel- A Moment In Time; Will Clements- Compass