Close Reeding
Ravello, 2020
9/10
Jeff Morris returns with his 4th album on the Ravello label, and this time it’s focused on woodwinds as his live sampling and electronics add an unscripted element to the listen where mystery, adventurousness and a tremendous amount of skill are present.
Morris starts the listen with the live title track, where Jayson Beaster- Jones contributes his tenor saxophone prowess on the frantic and highly unorthodox opening that’s still very much in control of its expressive nature, and “Baby’s On Fire” follows with Harald Kisiedu handling alto saxophone while Morris manipulates feedback on the jazz meets experimental climate.
The back half of the record is equally unpredictable, including “Voclarise”, which is 13 minutes of bass clarinet from Jorge Variego on the dissonant and noisy display, while “What’s In A Whisper” sprawls out over 4 movements, where Johannes Sarjasto, Ilmari Heikinheimo and Kalle van Timonen offer alto sax, drums and synth in the blurry, jagged and highly atypical landscape. The album exits on the Neural Reprise of the title track, where space and spontaneity are turned into a refined science.
For fans of free jazz and electronic ideas, it just doesn’t get any better than this, as Morris and company illustrate an ultra creative vision and an improvisation approach that no one could parallel.
Travels well with: Matthew Burtner- Six Ecoacoustic Quintets/Avian Telemetry; Taktus- Mirrored Glass