A high octane fifth album for Ben Wendel, the Canadian tenor maestro based in New York, here with a sextet drawn from that city’s current elite. The album is a showcase not only for Wendel’s prodigious and muscular post-bop technique, but also for his compositions, executed brilliantly and sensitively by a band so much more than the sum of its stellar parts.
The
eight substantial and original pieces are integrated in
concept and execution, with the band often pairing up (sax vs vocals,
piano vs Rhodes, and drums plus bass), but also locking together
in clever and effective ways. Wendel is noted for perhaps putting
cerebral playing ahead of emotion and lyricism, and doesn’t miss the
opportunity to play twice as many notes as Brecker or Redman would. He has undoubtedly made space
for the band here though, and for more emotions than
just the trademark upbeat exhilaration.
This comes out most obviously with the spiritual, wordless vocals of Michael Mayo, soaring sublimely above busy arpeggios and skittering percussion, and trading with Wendel’s own plaintive sax voice.
The opener, High Heart, sets out with Mayo’s measured hymnal over a hypnotic piano and drums backing, taken up by sax in the same vein, reaching a frenzied sax climax, before relaxing back to calm. The standout Burning Bright does what its name suggests, with an angular Tigran-esque groove, followed up with flowing piano and sax lines. There is even some gorgeous Fender Rhodes for the 70s' throwbacks amongst us, wrapping up with a joyous anthemic proclamation to finish.
Kindly takes it down in tempo, and hands a repeated distinctive voice-like phrase around the band to hypnotic effect. Less takes the heat down further, and into ambient territory with pure and aching voice soaring effortlessly over simple piano and effects.
Drawn Away and Fearsome up the pace again, with swirling and cascading lines, insistent and interlocking, before Darling slows to a yearning and abstract sax reverie over slow piano arpeggios and busy, tapping rim shots and cymbal ricochets. The album ends peacefully, with Mayo’s soothing balm laid down over circling piano, effects and clatter.
On this evidence, Wendel
has moved on from fiery technique and produced a deeply impressive
and moving modern statement. You won’t find swinging,
blue notes, or even modern classical here,
but you will find an abundance of intelligent and intricate
musicality, with a startling range of emotion unexpectedly thrown
in.
Chris K
Release: October 30
: Personalised vinyl, CD,
digital.
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