By Fotis Nikolakopoulos
I haven’t been lucky enough to catch trumpeter Jacob Wick or saxophonist
Michael Foster live. But having witnessed on the act the way percussionist
Ben Bennett utilizes any found, or converted, sound source into a
percussion sound object, I get an idea on how they would sound. This CD proves my case, I think.
Relative Pitch once again and (again…) quite humbly has hit gold. This one
will sneak into my best of list for 2024, but Carne Vale is just one of the
great releases that the label is putting out. Be aware and check them all
out.
This trio music was recorded (live and on the spot if I had to take a
guess) in Brooklyn and it is their first musical encounter as a trio, as far
as I know. If I had to find just one word to describe their attempts into
sound (or music, ok you know what I mean), this would be undermining. Right
at the moment you grasp this release, you notice an ironic subversion of
written language coming from the track titles. The same goes with the
music.
As a trio but, also, as individual players, they focus on undermining all
expectations of the listener. The sax is not exactly (far from it actually)
the “jazz sax”, Bennett is trying his best not to keep the rhythm
conventionally or even keep any rhythm at all. Wick’s trumpet is a playful
instrument full of rich timbre, hilarious (call it funny) gargling and
non-conventional interaction with his fellow players.
Bennett approach to his sound sources is unique, sometime mysterious (what
is he “playing” right now?) and every time so rewarding. Having listened to
his playing in the wonderful duos with improvising Saxophonist Jack Wright
(he also has a solo album on the label to check out), I think he has
progressed. Not in a linear way, whatever that means, but in the sense that
he is becoming more free by every recording. But how much freedom is there
in free? A lot when talking about noisy surprises.
The duos, and trios, of saxophonist Michael Foster (I really like those
with percussionist Ted Byrnes) reveal a sax player eager to interact, not a
soloist. This path is followed by his playing in Carne Vale, producing sax
sounds barely recognizable. The sounds he produces are the sounds the trio
produces. Unconventional, funny, vibrant and totally “not” jazz. But their
so free approach must never be labeled in any way. Certainly this CD is one
of the best for this year.
@koultouranafigo