Aesthetic
Self-Released, 2022
8/10
The musician, composer and educator Aaron Bazzell might have started his saxophone career in classical music, but these days he’s fully immersed in jazz sounds, and he brings along Rachel Robinson, Keith Brown, Brandon Donald and Jonathan Michel for this debut album.
Bazzell leads with the title track, where his adventurous sax is met with Brown’s warm keys in the dynamic climate, and “Asked And Answered” follows with playfully plucked bass from Michel as the soothing brass guides a charming version of jazz.
In the middle, “Purpose” benefits much from Donald’s proficient drumming as Bazzell’s sax acrobatics enthrall us, while “Eventually”, the lone track with vocals, showcases Robinson’s pretty pipes in the dreamy landscape.
“Up And Away” and “Increase And Persist” exit the listen, where the former builds into a dizzying display of sublime and frisky jazz prowess, and the latter finishes the listen furious, meticulous and full of unpredictable and appreciated textures.
An album that poetically surrounds both the beauty and battle that is the human experience, Bazzell and company put much care into these songs, and it makes for an exceptional first record.
Travels well with: Sergio Pereira- Finesse; Thomas Heflin- Morning Star