Of What Remains
Self-Released, 2023
9/10
The saxophonist and bassoonist Melissa Pipe makes quite an impression on this first album as leader, where the Montreal musician surrounds themes of time, form and being, and she’s got an all star cast along for the 9 tracks.
“Complainte du vent” begins the listen with Pipe’s expressive sax alongside Solon McDade’s careful bass playing in the quick leadoff, and “La part des anges” follows with Geoff Lapp’s dreamy piano and Mili Hong’s subtle drumming in the very atmospheric climate that uses brass strategically.
In the middle, “Ici, ainsi” places Michael Sundell on contrabassoon for the rhythmic and melodic highlight that employs Lex French’s trumpet superbly, while “Apothecium” benefits much from the meticulous rhythm section amid playful brass for the energetic landscape.
“Day” and “Puudutus” exit the listen, where the former is quite intimate and graceful via the mature keys and Philippe Côté’s well timed clarinet, and the latter spotlights Pipe’s emotive baritone sax in a more bare execution.
Pipe is well versed in jazz, hip-hop, indie and classical ideas, and bits and pieces of those ideas are present across this diverse affair that is moody, ambient and sometimes even possesses traditional styles like minor blues, and it’s all delivered flawlessly.
Travels well with: The Artie Roth Quartet- Resonants; Redline Trio- Underdog